The Legends

The founders

The people who turned an experiment into an industry.

Carl Benz1844–1929 · German designer and engineer (1844–1929)Bertha Benz1849–1944 · German automobile pioneer, with husband Carl BenzGottlieb Daimler1834–1900 · German engineer, industrialist and automotive pioneer (183Henry Ford1863–1947 · American business magnate (1863–1947)Ransom E. Olds1864–1950 · American businessman (1864–1950)André Citroën1878–1935 · French industrialist and Citroën car brand founderLouis RenaultTopics referred to by the same termEttore Bugatti1881–1947 · Italian-born French automobile designer and manufacturer (Enzo Ferrari1898–1988 · Italian racing driver, engineer and entrepreneur (1898–198Ferruccio Lamborghini1916–1993 · Italian industrialist, founder of Automobili Lamborghini (Ferdinand Porsche1875–1951 · Austrian-born German automotive engineer, inventor (1875–1Giovanni AgnelliTopics referred to by the same termWalter Chrysler1875–1940 · American automotive industry executive (1875–1940)William C. Durant1861–1947 · American automotive businessman (1861–1947)Kiichiro Toyoda1894–1952 · Japanese businessman (1894–1952)Soichiro Honda1906–1991 · Japanese businessmanChung Ju-yung1915–2001 · South Korean entrepreneur (1915–2001)Armand Peugeot1849–1915 · French industrialist (1849–1915)Vincenzo Lancia1881–1937 · Italian racing driver and engineer (1881–1937)Herbert Austin, 1st Baron Austin1866–1941 · English engineer and car manufacturer

The engineers

The ones who solved the problem nobody else could.

Rudolf Diesel1858–1913 · German inventor and engineer (1858–1913)Nicolaus Otto1832–1891 · Inventor of the internal combustion engineAlec Issigonis1906–1988 · British car designer (1906–1988)Colin Chapman1928–1982 · English design engineer (1928–1982)Gordon Murrayb. 1946 · South African and British automobile designer (born 1946)Zora Arkus-Duntov1909–1996 · American engineerDante Giacosa1905–1996 · Italian automobile designer (1905–1996)Hans Mezger1929–2020 · German automotive engineer (1929–2020)Keith Duckworth1933–2005 · British mechanical engineer (1933–2005)Mauro Forghieri1935–2022 · Italian mechanical engineer (1935–2022)Ferdinand Piëch1937–2019 · Austrian industrialist (1937–2019), head of VolkswagenAdrian Neweyb. 1958 · British engineer, aerodynamicist and motorsport executive (bRoss Brawnb. 1954 · British automotive engineer (born 1954)John CooperTopics referred to by the same termHarry MillerTopics referred to by the same termAlex Moulton1920–2012 · English engineer (1920–2012)Felix Wankel1902–1988 · German mechanical engineer (1902–1988)Charles F. Kettering1876–1958 · American inventor, engineer and businessman (1876–1958)

The designers

Shape is the first argument a car makes.

Giorgetto Giugiarob. 1938 · Italian automobile designer (born 1938)Marcello Gandini1938–2024 · Italian car designer (1938–2024)Battista Pininfarina1893–1966 · Italian automobile designer 1896–1966Nuccio Bertone1914–1997 · Italian automobile designer (1914–1997)Harley Earl1893–1969 · American designer (1893–1969)Bill MitchellTopics referred to by the same termSergio Pininfarina1926–2012 · Italian politicianWalter de Silvab. 1951 · Italian car designerIan Callumb. 1955 · British car designer (born 1954)Peter Schreyerb. 1953 · German automobile designer (born 1953)Franco Scaglione1916–1993 · Italian automobile designerBruno Sacco1933–2024 · Italian-German automobile designer (1933–2024)Flaminio Bertoni1903–1964 · Italian automobile designerPatrick Le Quémentb. 1945 · French car and catamaran designerChris Bangleb. 1956 · American automobile designer

The drivers

Champions, and the ones who changed how the job is done.

Juan Manuel Fangio1911–1995 · Argentine racing driver (1911–1995)Ayrton Senna1960–1994 · Brazilian racing driver (1960–1994)Michael Schumacherb. 1969 · German racing driver (born 1969)Lewis Hamiltonb. 1985 · British racing driver (born 1985)Jim Clark1936–1968 · British racing driver (1936–1968)Niki Lauda1949–2019 · Austrian racing driver (1949–2019)Alain Prostb. 1955 · French racing driver (born 1955)Jackie Stewartb. 1939 · British racing driver (born 1939)Stirling Moss1929–2020 · British racing driver (1929–2020)Alberto Ascari1918–1955 · Italian racing driver (1918–1955)Jack Brabham1926–2014 · Australian racing driver and motorsport executive (1926–20Graham Hill1929–1975 · British racing driver (1929–1975)Gilles Villeneuve1950–1982 · Canadian racing driver (1950–1982)Nelson Piquetb. 1952 · Brazilian racing driver (born 1952)Emerson Fittipaldib. 1946 · Brazilian racing driver (born 1946)Nigel Mansellb. 1953 · British racing driver (born 1953)Mika Häkkinenb. 1968 · Finnish racing driver (born 1968)Sebastian Vettelb. 1987 · German racing driver (born 1987)Fernando Alonsob. 1981 · Spanish racing driver (born 1981)Max Verstappenb. 1997 · Dutch and Belgian racing driver (born 1997)Sébastien Loebb. 1974 · French rally driver (born 1974)Colin McRae1968–2007 · British rally driver (1968–2007)Walter Röhrlb. 1947 · German rally driver (born 1947)Michèle Moutonb. 1951 · French rally driver (born 1951)Tom Kristensenb. 1967 · Danish racing driver (born 1967)Jacky Ickxb. 1945 · Belgian racing driver (born 1945)Carroll Shelby1923–2012 · American racing driver and automotive designer (1923–2012)Ken Miles1918–1966 · British racing driver (1918–1966)Denise McCluggage1927–2015 · American journalist (1927–2015)

The industrialists

Capital, scale and the decisions behind them.

Alfred P. Sloan1875–1966 · American business executive (1875–1966)Lee Iacocca1924–2019 · American businessman (1924–2019)Eiji Toyoda1913–2013 · Japanese industrialist (1913–2013)Sergio Marchionne1952–2018 · Italian-Canadian businessman (1952–2018)Carlos Ghosnb. 1954 · Fugitive, businessman, and former automotive executive (bornElon Muskb. 1971 · Businessman and entrepreneur (born 1971)Wang Chuanfub. 1966 · Chinese chemist and businessman (born 1966)Mary Barrab. 1961 · American businesswoman and executiveRobert Bosch1861–1942 · German industrialist, engineer and inventorMate Rimacb. 1988 · Entrepreneur in automotive industryJ. B. Straubelb. 1965 · American businessman (born 1975)Bernie Ecclestoneb. 1930 · British business magnate (born 1930)Frank WilliamsTopics referred to by the same termRon Dennisb. 1947 · British businessman and motorsport executive (born 1947)Jean Todtb. 1946 · French motor racing executive (born 1946)Roger Penskeb. 1937 · American racing driver and businessman (born 1937)

Biographies from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), photographs via Wikimedia Commons. Each name links to the full article.