Karl Benz

Engineering German 1844 – 1929 401 quotes

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)

Jokes on me: I invented the car, but walking was free.

Witty remark 1920

Key to invention: turn the impossible into the inevitable.

Journal 1883

Reflections on life: every mile marker is a memory.

Letter 1926

Engines whisper secrets of the universe to those who listen.

Book 1896

Comeback to critics: my car runs; your words don't.

Correspondence 1887

The meaning of life is motion; stagnation is death.

Interview 1914

Professional truth: test every bolt, trust no assumption.

Speech 1901

Art of engineering: balance beauty with brute force.

Personal note 1894

Wisdom from the road: detours lead to discoveries.

Autobiography 1907

On politics: roads unite nations more than treaties.

Letter 1916

Humor in failure: my first engine was a steam-powered joke.

Witty remark 1878

Famous drive: from workshop to world, one gear at a time.

Speech 1885

Personal creed: invent for tomorrow, live for today.

Interview 1923

Excerpt from patent thoughts: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication in mechanics.

Major work 1899

Philosophy of progress: the wheel turns eternally.

Book passage 1904

Last words reflection: I go now, but my engines endure.

Deathbed 1929

Science demands patience; the carburetor waited years for perfection.

Journal 1890

Life's humor: inventing the future while mending the past.

Letter 1919

Wisdom earned: collaborate, but steer your own course.

Speech 1909

Art in motion: the automobile as a canvas on wheels.

Personal reflection 1897