Siegfried Marcus, a lesser-known Austrian inventor, built the first car using a gasoline engine in 1875. Despite being overshadowed by pioneers like Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach, and Carl Benz, Marcus’s contributions to the industry are significant and deserving of recognition.
Born in 1833 in Malchin, Germany, Marcus began his career as an apprentice mechanic and later worked as a technician in Vienna. He eventually started his own business manufacturing electrical and mechanical equipment, obtaining 131 patents in 16 countries due to his talent for inventing.
Around 1860, Marcus began building self-propelled vehicles powered by gasoline. He discovered that when this fuel was dispersed in air it could ignite and create explosive energy. This led him to create the world’s first carburetor in 1864 which he continued to refine over time. In 1875 he finally created a vehicle equipped with a 4-stroke gasoline engine that could reach speeds of up to 16 km/h.
Despite his early successes, Marcus’s legacy was tarnished by Nazi propaganda leading to the destruction of his inventions and the removal of his name from educational books. However, some of his work is preserved and displayed at the Vienna Technical Museum where visitors can see his second carriage on display.
Siegfried Marcus passed away in 1898 but his contributions to the car industry live on through historians and enthusiasts who recognize the impact he had on shaping the automobile as we know it today. While he may not be as well-known as other pioneers in this field, Marcus’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of inventors and engineers who strive for innovation and progress within the automotive industry.
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