Obituaries 2009

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Dec 28, 2009

Daimler AG and its predecessor companies have been moulded by the people who work for them, now and in the past. They make the successful design, manufacture and marketing of the company's outstanding products possible in all areas of work necessary for this purpose.

In 2009 individual personalities who rendered major services to the company passed away. In acknowledgement we present their individualized histories. May they also stand for all those who are not worthy on this occasion.

- Karl-Heinz Göschel, engine designer
- Hans Klenk, racing driver
- Hans Liebold, chassis designer and test engineer

Karl-Heinz Göschel
- Born: 25 May 1914 in Pössneck, Germany
- Died: 8 November 2009 in Stuttgart

The university-trained organise Karl-Heinz Göschel was digit of the fathers of petrol injection in the internal combustion engine. Prior to the Second World War and during the struggle he worked on this person at Daimler-Benz AG as an organise in aero engine testing, initiating fundamental improvements in the DB 605 and DB 603 engines to enhance high-altitude performance.

After 1945 he joined vehicle manufacturer Gutbrod as an engine designer and, together with Hans Scherenberg, who also was employed there after the war, made petrol injection in the automobile fit for program creation in the two-stroke engine. In 1952 Göschel likewise returned to Daimler-Benz AG. Together with Scherenberg he made a enthusiastic contribution to the introduction of petrol injection in the four-stroke M 196 engine that saw service in the W 196 Grand Prix racing automobile and in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR sports car, as well as in the M 198 engine for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL that came out on the mart in 1954. In 1958 Scherenberg entrusted him with the supervision of heavy-duty engine testing – for Daimler-Benz an extraordinary occupation leap.

Finally, low the direction of Rudolf Uhlenhaut, chief automobile designer, Göschel became \"Head of Passenger Car Testing in Untertürkheim\", as the official denomination went, in 1967 – the place restriction was made because Karl Wilfert at Passenger Car Development in Sindelfingen would not have place himself low the curb of a 'general testing manager'.

Göschel directed car investigating and place his stamp on it up until his retirement at the modify of June 1980, after which he conventional a consultancy contract. When the lessen expired at the modify of April 1981 his impact for Daimler-Benz AG ended. His son Burkhard Göschel also is pursuing a flourishing occupation in the moving industry, among other things at BMW as Management Board member answerable for Development, and at Magna.

Hans Klenk
- Born: 18 October 1919 in Künzelsau, Germany
- Died: 24 March 2009 in Vellberg, Germany

But his racing occupation was short: an happening during upbringing on the Nürburgring place an end to it in July 1953. He just escaped death and was unable to achievement right since the accident. He found a new professional deciding at Continental Gummiwerke, Hanover, where he initially served as racing manager and then, until retirement, as head of Public Relations.

Hans Liebold
- Born: 12 October 1926 in Erfurt
- Died: 3 October 2009

Hans Liebold rendered great services for several generations of Mercedes-Benz passengers, specially as chassis engineer. In addition, unpaid vehicles of the sort were created with his participation, for example in the New 1960s and primeval 1970s every variants of the C 111, the Experimental Safety Vehicles of the 1970s, and several economobiles in the New 1970s.

Liebold had a estimation for being the \"fast project manager\", as his colleagues called him. With a newborn type of chassis engineering he ensured not exclusive safe, comfortable handling of the newborn Mercedes-Benz car models, he also was sensation at assessing the interaction of all components and arriving at the prizewinning results through fastidious tuning effort. As a utility he was extremely skilled and precise, modify at broad speeds and grave physical limits – he change quite comfortable with them, as he said of himself.

As a young man, before and after the Second World War Hans Liebold was rattling keen on flying and got his first pilot's licence at the age of 17. Over the eld more would follow, including an aerobatics licence. After the struggle he unnatural mechanical engineering and automotive engineering at Hanover Technical University, obtaining a diploma and mass it up with a doctor's degree. In 1957 he went to metropolis for an interview with the legendary nous of Testing, Rudolf Uhlenhaut. He received a employ in Passenger Car Advanced Design, was appointed manager of the Advanced Design department in car investigating after a few years, and finally became Main Department Head Testing Passenger Car Advanced Design.

From the prototypal day his work was determined by the search for ever new technical solutions, especially in chassis technology. Safe handling, comfortable support tuning and sophisticated axle developments were among his primary tasks, although he knew a great care about all areas of the automobile. His thoroughness was influenced not least of all by his prototypal superior, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who was digit to always thoroughly look into matters himself to gain new insights.

Under Uhlenhaut, Liebold was also project trainer for the legendary Mercedes-Benz C 111. In the prototypal two versions Wankel engines provided the causative power; afterwards, in several variants, diesel engines with which the performance capabilities of the up-to-date compression-ignition engine were demonstrated in several record-breaking runs. The terminal var. of the C 111 featured a turbocharged V8. With it Liebold clocked a speed of 403.978 km/h in 1979 to set a achievement for circuits. Hans Liebold retired at midyear 1991.