Karl Friedrich Benz ( ; November 25 , 1844 -- April 4 , 1929 ) was a German engine designer and engineer , generally regarded as the inventor of the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine , and together with Bertha Benz , pioneering founder of the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz .
Karl Friedrich Benz ( November 25 , 1844 -- April 4 , 1929 ) was a German engine designer and car engineer , generally regarded as the inventor of the petrol-powered automobile , and together with Bertha Benz pioneering founder of the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz .