Václav Laurin | |
|---|---|
 Václav Laurin in 1893 | |
| Born | 16 October 1865 Kamení, Austrian Empire |
| Died | 3 December 1930 (aged 65) |
| Nationality | Czech |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, industrialist, automotive pioneer |
Václav Laurin (16 October 1865, Kamení near Pěnčín – 3 December 1930, Prague) was a Czech engineer, industrialist and automotive pioneer who, along with Václav Klement, founded automobile manufacturer Laurin & Klement that later became today's Škoda Auto.
Career
He apprenticed as a locksmith in Mladá Boleslav, where, in 1895, he and Václav Klement founded the company Laurin & Klement (now Škoda Auto). At the beginning of December 1895, the mechanic Václav Laurin and the book-seller Václav Klement, both bicycle enthusiasts, started manufacturing bicycles of their own design, patriotically named Slavia in the nationalist atmosphere of the end of the 19th century.[1] In 1905, Laurin manufactured their first automobile. Today, the company enjoys worldwide popularity under the brand Škoda Auto.[1]
Laurin was prominently engaged in the automobile company Laurin & Klement, together with his collaborator Václav Klement, co-founder of the company. He participated in the construction of vehicles there. In his later years, he was the technical director of Škoda Auto.[2]: 76–77
References
- 1 2 "The history of ŠKODA". ŠKODA UK. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ↑ Walker, Mick (2000). Mick Walker's European Racing Motorcycles. Redline Books. ISBN 978-0-9531311-3-6.
External links
- "Václav Laurin". FINANCNICI.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- "Václav Laurin (27.9.1865 – 4.12.1930): Konstruktér prvního českého motocyklu a automobilu". zivotopisyonline.cz (in Czech). 9 June 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2018.