Siegfried J. Meurer played a key role in shaping the development of engine design. After studying mechanical engineering at Dresden Technical University, he was jointly responsible for the development of high-speed diesel engines for commercial vehicles at MAN from 1938. This was followed by several years at the French Aviation Ministry, and he returned to MAN in 1950. As head of engine research, Meurer introduced the center-ball process, which stood for low consumption and quiet running, whisper engines. In 1962, the engineer was appointed to the MAN Executive Board, where he was responsible for all research and development until 1975.
Meurer achieved 427 patents in the field of mechanical engineering and received several awards for his research, including the Johann Joseph Ritter von Prechtl Medal in 1965, the Siemens Ring in 1968, the James Watt International Medal in 1975 and an honorary doctorate from the University of Technology Loughborough in 1982. He was president of the International Federation of Automotive Engineers.