In 1884, Edouard Sarazin, a Belgian patents Lawyer and Pioneer of automotive engineering, represented 'Gasmotorenfabrik Otto & Langen' (Deutz AG) and acquired the license to build Deutz engines in France, which he duly contracted to Perin, Panhard & Cie (later Panhard et Levassor) in Paris.

[5][6]: p.11 : p.14 [7]: p.101 [8] Famous people who have worked for Deutz include Eugen Langen, Nicolaus Otto, Gottlieb Daimler (from 1872 until 1880), Wilhelm Maybach (from 1872 until 1880), Prosper L'Orange (from 1904 until October 1908), Ettore Bugatti (in 1907), and Robert Bosch.

During World War II, the company was ordered to produce artillery and operated under the name Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG (KHD).

[9] In 1942, KHD was declared a war model company by the National Socialist German Workers' Front for its "services to the defense economy".

Deutz's head office is in the Porz district of Cologne and, as of 2004, was manufacturing liquid and air-cooled diesel engines.

The larger engines in the Deutz range were manufactured in Mannheim at a production facility that once belonged to Süddeutsche Bremsen-AG as MWM-Diesel.

[12] Deutz engines are available in the power range of 5 to 500 kW, with air, oil or water cooling and with life expectancy of 20,000 to 30,000 running hours TBO (Time Between Overhauling) on rebuilt and brand-new units.

[citation needed] Deutz also makes engines with a tandem oil cooler/radiator configuration; these also do not require antifreeze or coolant agents.

[13] In 2012, SAME Deutz-Fahr sold 22 million shares, the majority of its holding in Deutz AG, to Volvo, making of it the largest shareholder at just over 25%.

After the interest group formed in 1953 with the United Westdeutsche Waggonfabriken AG (Westwaggon) and their final takeover in 1959, KHD was also able to build large bogie diesel locomotives.