Karl Benz
A German engine designer and automobile engineer, generally regarded as the inventor of the gasoline-powered automobile.
Most quoted
"I had to create the world from scratch. I had to create the engine, the chassis, the steering, the brakes, the clutch, the transmission, the radiator, the fuel tank, the carburetor, the ignition, the spark plugs, the tires, the body, the seats, the lights, the horn, the speedometer, the odometer, the fuel gauge, the oil gauge, the water temperature gauge, the battery, the generator, the starter, the the the..."
— from Interview, 1886
"I have often been asked why I did not patent the automobile. My answer is simple: I did not invent the wheel, nor the engine, nor the chassis. I merely put them together in a way that had not been done before. To patent the whole would be like patenting a sandwich."
— from Attributed
"The greatest challenge was not building the car, but convincing people they needed one. They were perfectly content with their horses, bless their dusty souls."
— from Attributed
All quotes by Karl Benz (401)
The love of inventing never dies.
I had to create the world from scratch. I had to create the engine, the chassis, the steering, the brakes, the clutch, the transmission, the radiator, the fuel tank, the carburetor, the ignition, the spark plugs, the tires, the body, the seats, the lights, the horn, the speedometer, the odometer, the fuel gauge, the oil gauge, the water temperature gauge, the battery, the generator, the starter, the the the...
The automobile will be a necessity, not a luxury.
The first trip was a nightmare. The engine stopped, the belt broke, the brakes failed. But we made it.
I have always been driven by the desire to create something new, something useful.
The future belongs to the automobile.
It was a long and arduous journey, but the reward was worth it.
I never gave up, even when others doubted me.
The automobile is a symbol of progress, of freedom.
My wife, Bertha, was my greatest supporter. She believed in me even when I doubted myself.
The internal combustion engine is a marvel of engineering.
I am proud to have played a part in shaping the future of transportation.
The road ahead is long, but the journey is worth it.
Innovation is the key to success.
I have always strived for perfection.
The automobile will change the world.
Never stop learning, never stop inventing.
The greatest pleasure in life is to create something new.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, or in my case, a single patent.
My greatest invention was not the automobile itself, but the belief that it was possible.
Contemporaries of Karl Benz
Other Engineerings born within 50 years of Karl Benz (1844–1929).