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Karl Benz

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Automaker

The Resume

    (November 25, 1844-April 4, 1929)
    Born in Karlsruhe, Germany
    Birth name was Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant
    Patented a two-stroke internal combustion engine (1879)
    Founded Benz & Company Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik (1883)
    Built the Benz Patent Motorwagen (1885)
    First automaker to sell cars to the public (1888)
    Designed the two-passenger Victoria for mass production (1893)

Why he might be annoying:

    He used his wife's dowry to buy out an early business partner.
    His first Motorwagen was difficult to steer and collided with a wall during a demonstration.
    His early cars also lacked gears and could not climb hills unaided.
    When Benz & Company hired French engineers to improve their designs, he resigned from active participation in the company as a protest (1903).

Why he might not be annoying:

    When he was two, his father died in a railway accident.
    At 15, he passed the entrance exam to study mechanical engineering at the University of Karlsruhe.
    He also patented the spark plug, carburetor, clutch, gear shift and water radiator.
    He was married to Bertha Ringer for 56 years until his death.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 118 Votes: 50.85% Annoying