Mercedes-Benz: Origins of the Automobile

The Automobile is one of those inventions that we tend to take for granted. Most people can't explain how an internal combustion engine works let alone design and build one. Well that's where the subjects of our episode come in, Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. Now I know what you're thinking, it's MERCEDES Benz. You're right and there's a pretty cool story behind the name, but what's even more incredible is how Carl and Gottlieb were independently and at the same time developing a "Horse-less Carriage" within 60 miles of one another in Germany in the late 1800's. Both went about their design of the first Automobile from different directions and it was Carl who made it to the finish line first, creating what is recognized as the first modern automobile. But how did these pioneers do it? How did they design and build combustions engines when steam engines were all humans had known? What happened to the German automaker when the Nazi's came to power and how did the company get to where it is today? We got ya covered.