8 founders who were forced to leave their own car-making companies

10/26/2018

Louis Renault was convicted of linking with Nazis and served a life sentence. How about others? Check out!

The world has witnessed stories about Kings who were betrayed by their own peoples and we are all familiar with them but do you know the auto industry has also seen the founders who were forced to leave his own company? Check out now!

1. William Morris- sacked by British Motor Corporation

William Morris founded Morris Motors and on the way of thriving business, he merged it with Riley, Wolseley, and Austin to form the British Motor Corporation. Though being the greatest industrialist of his time, William Morris would still be discharged as chairman of BL chairman in 1954.

Portrait of William Morris

Willliam Morris merged Morris Motors with Riley, Wolseley, and Austin to form the British Motor Corporation

2. Walter Owen Bentley- sacked by Bentley

Walter made his name in the auto industry with his impressive engineering skills. It started by designing engines for aircraft, motorbikes, racing cars, and cars, which helped him to run a business near London naming it Bentley Motors Limited.

Unfortunately, his skills in engineering are quite opposite to his managing skills. Bentley had been undergoing losses before bought by Rolls-Royce in 1920s and later sacked in 1935.

Walter Owen Bentley beside a Bentley car

Bentley was bought by Rolls-Royce in 1920s. Not long after that, he was fired

>>> Read more facts about Bentley here: 05 astonishing facts about the interior of a Bentley

3. Henry Ford- sacked by Ford Motor Company

Henry Ford is like a religion to the middle-class people in America as he was the first man to release cars for those people. Before that, cars had been made exclusively for the rich only.

This also marked his initial success in the automobile industry. However, the business didn’t go well during the time of the World War II and he was given the bullet by his grandson.

Portrait of Henry Ford

After WWII, Ford didn't go well in business, hence the sack of Henry Ford

4. Sakichi Toyoda - forced to step down from Toyota

Sakichi Toyoda first established a company named after his real name but later would change it to Toyota for a Japanese favor of number 8.

After the WWII, Toyota’s sales figures dipped, which forced him to step down in 1950.

Potrait of Sakichi Toyoda

After the WWII, Toyota’s sales figures dipped, which forced him to step down in 1950

>>> You may also like to read: Check out 5 reasons which make Toyota your first priority

5. August Horch - sacked by Horch & Cie

August is a co-founder of two famous brands including Audi and Benz but how the story goes? Read on!

He first managed a company when co-founding Benz. Later in 1910, he left for adventure with Horch & Cie. Motorwagenwerke AG but a disagreement between him and his chief financial officer forced him to leave.

He built his fame again with his own company in 1910. He would love to name his company after his name but it had been already used for the previous company so he translated his last name into Latin. That’s how Audi came alive.

portrait of August Horch

A disagreement between August Horch and his chief financial officer forced him to leave Horch & Cie

>>> Read more:

6. Andre Citroen - sacked by Citroen

Andre Citroen is the father of the double helical gears that brought the company into one of the 4 largest auto manufacturers in the world.

The sad thing is Citroen was addicted to gambling, which drove him to debt and the impatience of the company. He was ultimately fired.

Portrait of Andre Citroen

The sad thing is Citroen was addicted to gambling, which drove him to debt

7. Louis Renault - sentenced to death

Renault came into big success in the World War I producing armory to provide for the war. Sadly, in the 1930s Renault was prosecuted for the links with Nazis and later sentenced to death.

portrait of Louis Renault