Wilhelm Maybach. Historical portrait of the German engineer Wilhelm Maybach (1846-1929). Maybach invented the carburettor, a critical advance in petrol engine technology. In 1883 he worked with Gottlieb Daimler to develop the first petrol engine suitable for use in a vehicle. In 1901 he built the Mercedes car, the first modern motor car. He also worked on designing engines for airships. In 1909 he founded a factory to build petrol engines. His son Karl went on to build luxury Maybach cars, which included the most expensive cars in Germany at the time.