Gottlieb Daimler was born in Struttgart in 1834. After studying at the Struttgart Polytechnic he travelled to Manchester where he worked with Joseph Whitworth.

In 1872 Daimler joined with Nikolaus Otto and Wilhelm Maybach in 1872. With Maybach he built his first petrol engine in 1883. Two years later he produced a motor bicyle and in 1889 his first four-wheeled motor vehicle.

The Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft was founded in 1890 and four years later a Daimler-powered car won the Paris to Rouen, the world's first international car race. Gottlieb Daimler died in 1891.