Gottlieb Daimler was born in Schorndorf in Germany in 1834. Daimler became an engineer and worked in Britain, France and Belgium before being appointed technical director to the gas-engine company, founded by Nikolaus Otto.

Daimler attempted to develop the internal combustion engine for propelling road vehicles. After a dispute with Nikolaus Otto in 1882, Daimler and another engineer, named Maybach, set up their own company. 

Daimler and Maybach tried to produce the first light-weight, high-speed engine to run on gasoline. They created an engine with a surface carburetor, that vaporized the petrol and mixed it with air. Whereas the engine that they produced with Nikolaus Otto attained 130 revolutions per minute, Daimler and Maybach's engine reached 900 revolutions per minute. 

In 1889, Daimler and Maybach placed their engine into a horse carriage and drove the car at 11 miles per hour. They had produced the first four-wheeled automobile. After Daimler and Maybach had introduced a four-speed gearbox and a belt-drive mechanism to turn the wheels, they decided to sell these cars. 

In 1890, Daimler and Maybach created the Daimler Motor Company. The company developed a reputation for reliability.  There engines were very well made and help in the creation of airships by Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin and in the armored cars that were being developed during this period. 

Gottlieb Daimler died in 1900 but Wilhelm Maybach continued to help construct the Mercedes car and the Zeppelin Airship.