Wilhelm Maybach, (born Feb. 9, 1846, Heilbronn, Württemberg [Germany]—died Dec. 29, 1929, Stuttgart, Ger.), German engineer and industrialist who was the chief designer of the first Mercedes automobiles (1900–01).
From 1883 Maybach was associated with Gottlieb Daimler in developing efficient internal-combustion engines; their first important product, a relatively light four-stroke engine, was patented in 1885. In 1890 Daimler and Maybach formed the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, in Cannstatt, to manufacture automobiles; from 1895 Maybach was the firm’s technical director. His design for a carburetor was widely used from 1893 and was the subject of litigation (successful in England) over infringement of his patents. In 1909 Maybach and his son Carl organized a company at Friedrichshafen to build aircraft engines, including the power plants for airships constructed by the Zeppelin organization, to which the Maybachs’ firm was subsidiary. Automobiles bearing the Maybach marque were produced from 1922 to 1939.
For the earliest Mercedes cars Maybach greatly improved an existing design for a 24-horsepower engine, providing mechanical inlet valves that could be throttled by the driver. He was at least in part responsible for the development of a light pressed-steel chassis with a honeycomb radiator; the initial conception perhaps should be credited to Paul Daimler, Gottlieb’s son.