Franz Xaver Reimspiess

Franz Xaver Reimspieß (born 1900) was an engineer. he was born in Wiener Neustadt in Austria.

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1900 - Wiener Neustadt - Austria

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In 1915 he began his training as an engineering draughtsman with Austro Daimler. At the end of the 1920s, after completing his engineering studies, he designed the Daimler armoured car.

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1915 - Daimler - 1920s - Engineering

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Franz Xaver Reimspieß was remarkable for his precise work and his wealth of ideas. In 1934 he joined the Porsche construction office and developed the air-cooled opposed four-cylinder engine for the Volkswagen basing his design on Kales?s opposed four-cylinder engine for the NSU prototype. For the Auto Union P racing car Reimspieß designed new brakes and altered the rear axel to shaft suspension.

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1934 - Porsche

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During the war Reimspieß was chief designer at the tank development centre within the Nibelungen plant at St Valentin. Thus the plans for the German 'Tiger' tank originated from Reimspieß.

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Then at Porsche he was in charge of undercarriage design, a position which he held until his retirement in 1966.

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His most well-known invention had however little to do with technology. Reimspieß was the designer of the Volkswagen logo. For this idea he received a one-off payment of one hundred Reichmarks.

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At Porsche Reimspieß patented around ten inventions for the independent wheel-suspension system and for engines. His most famous patent applications were related to his inventions for the Volkswagen engine.

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