Erwin Komenda facts for kids
Erwin Komenda (born April 6, 1904 – died August 22, 1966) was a talented Austrian car designer. He worked for Porsche and played a huge role in shaping the look of famous cars like the VW Beetle and many cool Porsche sports cars.
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Erwin Komenda's Early Life and Education
Erwin Komenda was born on April 6, 1904, in a place called Jauern am Semmering in Austria. When he was nine years old, his family moved to Weyer / Enns. His father, Franz Komenda, was an important engineer who managed the first power station in the area.
From 1916 to 1920, Erwin went to a special technical school in Steyr. There, he learned all about working with iron, which was a great skill for designing cars.
Starting His Career in Car Design
After school, Erwin Komenda started his journey in car design.
- From 1920 to 1926, he worked as a car designer at the "Wiener Karosseriefabrik" (Vienna Coachwork Factory). He also took a special course in bodywork design to improve his skills.
- From 1926 to 1929, he worked as a designer at the Steyr car factory. This is where he first met Ferdinand Porsche, a very famous car engineer who later started the Porsche company. Ferdinand Porsche had just joined Steyr as their technical director.
- From 1929 to 1931, Komenda became the chief designer for the experimental and body development team at Daimler-Benz AG. During this time, he helped create cars like the Mercedes-Benz Mannheim 370 K. This car had a new, lighter design and used special parts from Steyr, like a "swinging-axle suspension" for a smoother ride. He also worked on a small, aerodynamic car with its engine at the back.
Designing Iconic Cars for Porsche
In November 1931, Erwin Komenda joined Ferdinand Porsche's new engineering office. He became the head of the bodywork design department and stayed in that role until his death in 1966.
The Volkswagen Beetle: A Car for Everyone
One of Komenda's most famous projects was designing the body of the Volkswagen Beetle. This car became incredibly popular, selling over 21.5 million units. It was the best-selling car of the 20th century! Komenda worked with Josef Mickl, another Porsche engineer who knew a lot about aircraft design and how air flows around objects (aerodynamics). Together, they made the Beetle's shape both practical and unique.
Porsche Sports Cars: Speed and Style
Komenda also played a key role in designing many famous Porsche sports cars:
- As early as 1946, he started working on the body of the very first Porsche sports car, the Porsche 356.
- He also designed the sleek body of the Porsche 550 Spyder, a famous racing car.
- Komenda helped guide Porsche into a new era by overseeing the body production of the Porsche 901, which later became the legendary 911.
- One of his last projects was developing the lightweight plastic body for the 904 race car.
Erwin Komenda was an active employee at Porsche until his sudden death on August 22, 1966. His life ended while he was still working on the development of the Porsche 911.
