One key development in the history of the car can be traced back to 1860. The Belgian Etienne Lenoir (1822 - 1900) constructed at this time the first Gas powered motor. With this he realised his conception of a compressed gas / air mixture being ignited inside a cylinder. Within this cylinder there was a precisely engineered piston which drove wheels through a crankshaft when subject to combustive charge.

However trials quickly revealed that Lenoirs machine was not a viable vehicle. Nonetheless, these trials figured prominently in the European press. The German Nicolaus August Otto was one of the first to develop his own ideas in the light of all the popular attention. His practical aim was develop the Lenoir engine further. Together with Eugen Langen, the same age and another Cologne native, Otto founded the company Deutz AG .

The company thrived and soon the search was on for a capable man to head a second plant. Of all candidates, Gottlieb Daimler was deemed most suitable for the job and duly took the position. Previously he had been on the board of the Karlsruher Maschinenbaugesellschaft and so was of impeccable technical pedigree. Daimlers chief engineer was called Wilhelm Maybach, 26 years old at the time of his appointment. Together Langen, Otto, Daimler and Maybach built the first 4 stroke motor - the famous Otto motor.

The four stroke engine marked the end of a 200 year search for suitable power source for small businesses and, 10 years later, also for vehicles. Gottlieb Daimler is credited with fitting the Otto motor in vehicles first of all. At this time petrol was becoming available in ever larger quantities and the price was falling as well. This set of circumstances compelled Daimler to consider the liquid fuel to power the engine instead of gas. This way the vehicle could move independently and would not need to be umbilically attached to a supply via a gas hose.

In 1882 Daimler set up an independent company with Maybach after falling out with Langen and Otto. The new firm was based in Bad Cannsatt by Stuttgart and it tasked with further developing the petrol motor. Daimler and Maybach were looking at various applications for the new motor: boots, balloons and rail systems as well as automobiles and in 1883 they delivered first working petrol engine.

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