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 journey was long, but the destination was worth it.
I am a mechanic at heart, but an inventor by passion.
The automobile is a testament to the power of human will.
To invent, you must first imagine.
My life's work has been to bring motion to the world.
The greatest satisfaction comes from seeing your ideas come to life.
The road to innovation is paved with challenges, but also with triumphs.
The internal combustion engine is a symphony of power.
I never stopped believing in the potential of my invention.
The world is a better place with the automobile in it.
The automobile is not just a machine; it is a revolution in human mobility.
Engineering is the art of directing the great sources of power in nature to the use of man.
My greatest achievement was not the car itself, but the freedom it bestowed upon the world.
Innovation comes from necessity; the engine was born from the dream of speed without horses.
In the silence of the workshop, ideas roar louder than any engine.
The road ahead is paved with persistence and steel.
To invent, one must first dream; I dreamed of wheels that moved by fire.
Technology serves humanity, not the other way around.
Every failure is a step closer to the ignition.
The motor car will change the face of the earth more than any war or plague.
Contemporaries of Karl Benz
Other Engineerings born within 50 years of Karl Benz (1844–1929).