Hans Mezger

Hans Mezger (18 November 1929 – 10 June 2020)^[1] was a German automotive engineer well known for his work at Porsche.

Mezger was born in Besigheim, in Württemberg, Germany. He graduated from the Stuttgart Technical University in 1956 with a Diploma of Engineering degree,^[2] and went straight to work at Porsche's^[3] Works 1 development department. His first project was to work on the valve train of the Fuhrmann-designed Carrera engine. In 1959 he moved to the design department to work on the type 753 flat-eight engine for the Porsche 804 Formula 1 car.

Over the next 35 years he took part in the 1960s F1 programme, undertook design leadership for the first Porsche 911 production engine and led the famed 1960s Race Design office that turned out the 917s. Mezger led Porsche's development of turbocharging with the 1,600 hp (1,180 kW) 917/30 and its application to the 911 Turbo.

Mezger was responsible for the Porsche-made TAG Turbo engine from the mid-1980s, which won multiple championships in Formula One in the McLaren MP4/2 chassis.

He retired in 1994.

Mezger died on June 10, 2020, at the age of 90.

• Porsche and Me: Hans Mezger, Autobiography with Peter Morgan. 2011. 978-1906712082