Peter August Poppe

Peter August Poppe (17 August 1870 – 13 February 1933) was a Norwegian-born engineer, designer and developer of engines and complete motor vehicles for the British motor industry. He was a co-founder of the engine manufacturer White and Poppe.

Biography Poppe was born at Skogn in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. He graduated from Horten Technical School (Horten tekniske skole) in Vestfold. He was employed by Kongsberg Gruppen and later lent by them to the weapons factory, Steyr Mannlicher at Steyr, Austria.

In August 1897 he met with trained watchmaker Alfred James White, son of English watchmaker Joseph White (1836–1906). In September 1899, with financial backing from the White family, they incorporated White and Poppe Limited and started in business in Coventry, England. Peter August Poppe was technical director.

It is claimed that after the Armistice in 1918 Poppe's partner, White, was offered a knighthood which he declined because Poppe, as a foreign national, was unable to receive the same honour.

He had been elected a member of the Institution of Automobile Engineers by 1909.

Poppe put into production at Rover his already-completed design for a new 2-litre car, which became their 14/45. Poppe's new engine was considered very advanced but complex, particularly in its valve gear. There were numerous other smaller complexities as well. Within twelve months Rover had added a 2.4-litre 16/50 to their range, a sister car with a larger engine. They were a disaster for Rover, expensive to build and not popular with customers; around 2,000 were built. In response, Poppe designed another car with a 2-litre six-cylinder engine but similar results. His last design became the foundation of all Rover engines until 1948.

In 1929, he fell out with managing director Frank Searle and left in September of that year. His wife had predeceased him by five years.

Family Eldest son Erling Poppe was a motorcycle designer. Olaf Poppe was Rover's chief planning engineer in 1949 and was also one of the team that developed Rover's gas turbines. In the same period Gunnar Poppe was works manager for Sunbeam-Talbot, having joined the Rootes Group after ten years (1923 to 1932) with Austin. He was captain of the London Welsh Rugby fifteen.