Ernst Fuhrmann
Encyclopedia
Dr Ernst Fuhrmann was the chairman of Porsche AG
between 1972 and 1980. He was a German
citizen.
Fuhrmann’s attended primary school in Vienna before progressing to a Grammar school
. Between 1936 and 1941 he attended a technical high school. During the war he undertook his military service before returning to civilian life. Already in 1947 he was working for Porsche, initially at the Gmünd
facility in Austria, relocating subsequently to Stuttgart
. In 1950, the year in which he married his wife Elfriede, he received his Doctorate of Machine Construction (des Maschinenbaus) for a study on valve trains
in high-speed internal combustion engines.
In 1952/53 he provided significant input to the development of the 547 engine which became known as the Fuhrmann engine. The is a four cylinder boxer engine with two overhead camshafts, driven by bevel gears, for each of the two cylinder banks.
In 1956 Fuhrmann left Porsche and took over responsibility for development with the car parts company Goetze
, where in 1962 he joined the board of directors.
He returned to Porsche in 1971 initially as Technical Director, and between 1972 and 1980 as Chairman of the board at Porsche AG
which by then had become a Share-holder owned company
. In 1977 he was grantted an Honorary Professorship by the Vienna University of Technology
. Joachim Zahn
having been similarly honoured in 1973 by the regional government of Baden-Württemberg, this meant that both of Stuttgart's leading auto-makers were now headed up by professors.
He was succeeded at Porsche by a German-American called Peter W. Schutz
.
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
between 1972 and 1980. He was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
citizen.
Fuhrmann’s attended primary school in Vienna before progressing to a Grammar school
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
. Between 1936 and 1941 he attended a technical high school. During the war he undertook his military service before returning to civilian life. Already in 1947 he was working for Porsche, initially at the Gmünd
Gmünd, Lower Austria
Gmünd is a town in northwestern Waldviertel in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, the capital of the Gmünd district. The municipality consists of the Katastralgemeinden Böhmzeil, Breitensee, Eibenstein, Gmünd and Grillenstein...
facility in Austria, relocating subsequently to Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
. In 1950, the year in which he married his wife Elfriede, he received his Doctorate of Machine Construction (des Maschinenbaus) for a study on valve trains
Valvetrain
Valvetrain is an all-encompassing term used to describe the mechanisms and parts which control the operation of the valves. A traditional reciprocating internal combustion engine uses valves to control air and fuel flow into and out of the cylinders, facilitating combustion.-Layout:Valvetrain: The...
in high-speed internal combustion engines.
In 1952/53 he provided significant input to the development of the 547 engine which became known as the Fuhrmann engine. The is a four cylinder boxer engine with two overhead camshafts, driven by bevel gears, for each of the two cylinder banks.
In 1956 Fuhrmann left Porsche and took over responsibility for development with the car parts company Goetze
Federal-Mogul
Federal-Mogul Corporation is a global automotive supplier based in Southfield, Michigan, USA. It is one of the leading engine-parts suppliers in the United States, including engine bearings, pistons, piston pins, piston rings, cylinder liners, valve seats and guides, transmission products and...
, where in 1962 he joined the board of directors.
He returned to Porsche in 1971 initially as Technical Director, and between 1972 and 1980 as Chairman of the board at Porsche AG
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
which by then had become a Share-holder owned company
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
. In 1977 he was grantted an Honorary Professorship by the Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology
Vienna University of Technology is one of the major universities in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Founded in 1815 as the "Imperial-Royal Polytechnic Institute" , it currently has about 26,200 students , 8 faculties and about 4,000 staff members...
. Joachim Zahn
Joachim Zahn
Professor Joachim Zahn was the chairman of Daimler Benz AG between 1971 and 1979.Zahn was the youngest of four sons of a Wuppertal Lawyer. He himself studied law at Tübingen and later obtained a doctorate at Cologne based on a study on the limits of credit insurance...
having been similarly honoured in 1973 by the regional government of Baden-Württemberg, this meant that both of Stuttgart's leading auto-makers were now headed up by professors.
He was succeeded at Porsche by a German-American called Peter W. Schutz
Peter W. Schutz
Peter W. Schutz was the president and CEO of Porsche between 1981 and 1986, a time in which the company greatly expanded sales, primarily in the United States. Today he is a motivational speaker and co-founder of Harris and Schutz Inc., with his wife Sheila Harris-Schutz.-Early life and...
.
External links
Sources and further reading
In German:- Boschen/Barth: Das große Buch der Porsche-Typen. 2. Auflage, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-613-01284-7
- Österreich-Lexikon beim Projekt AEIOU