On This Day

This was the last day of Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition, a great fair that celebrated the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the New World and offered fairgoers a chance to see the first gas-powered motorcar in the US: the Daimler quadricycle. The exposition introduced Americans to all kinds of technological wonders—for instance, an alternating-current power plant, a 46-foot-long cannon, a 1,500-pound Venus de Milo made of chocolate, and Juicy Fruit gum—along with replicas of exotic places and carnival-style rides and games.

1.8 hp Daimler - the only automobile exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition

The first Packard engine was completed and was found to produce 7.1 horsepower.

The Remington automobile was introduced.

The fifth Vanderbilt Cup Race is held on Long Island, New York. The fanatic drive of Billy Knipper's Chalmers had seemingly clinched the Cup at 225 miles, but it was the unswerving Grant who subsequently thundered home in the long, rakish Alco chasis, a winner by five minutes over Parker's Fiat, and averaging 62.8 mph for the 278 miles.

Vanderbilt Cup Race 1909

Corbin recorded its first racing victory as Frank Free won a race at Ascot Park, California, US with a four-cylinder model.

The Little Motor Car Company was founded primarily by William H. Little and William C. Durant in Flint, Michigan (US). Continue Reading →

1913 Little Four Roadster

The Abner Doble Motor Vehicle Company was founded in Waltham, Massachusetts, US. The first car was the Model A. Up to five cars were thought to be made. Continue Reading →

MG made its official racing debut with Alberto Sanchez Cires driving a 14/28 to victory in a race at San Martin, Argentina.

The 1928 Hudson/Essex "Winged God" mascot was patented by designer F C Ruppel.

Hudson/Essex "Winged God" mascot

1949 NASCAR champion Red Byron, who ranked sixth in the 1950 NASCAR Grand National standings, had all 1315.5 points stripped for participating in a non-NASCAR-sanctioned race at Atlanta's Lakewood Speedway. Byron drove at Atlanta rather than the NASCAR Grand National finale at Hillsboro. The Lakewood race was sanctioned by the National Stock Car Racing Association (NSCRA).

Red Byron

Lee Petty captured the NASCAR Grand National finale at Hillsboro, North Carolina, US., as 23-year-old Bill Rexford wraps up the national driving cham­pionship. Rexford edges Fireball Roberts by 110.5 points.

Lee Petty - 1950

The 1953 Chrysler model range were introduced.

1953 Chrysler brochure

Wilbur Shaw, winner of the 1937 Indianapolis 500 and President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1951, was killed at the age of 51 in an airplane crash near Decatur, Illinois, US.

Wilbur Shaw

Tim Flock led from start to finish to score his record 18th victory of the season in the finale at Hillsboro, North Carolina, US. Flock's record-shattering 1955 performance includds 11 races in which he led from green flag to checkered flag.

Tim Flock - 1955

The 1957 Dodge cars and four-wheel-drive trucks were introduced, with the cars featuring torsion-bar front suspension.

Maschinen Augsburg-Nurnburg of Germany, makers of MAN trucks, acquired a license to manufacture Wankel rotary engines.

Enzo Ferrari put 26 year old Mauro Forghieri in charge of the entire Scuderia Ferrari racing program.

The Maserati Quattroporte was unveiled. The name translated from Italian literally means "four doors". Regular production began in 1964. Continue Reading →

The 350 GTV, Lamborghini's first prototype design and forerunner of the later 350GT, the marque's first production model, was unveiled at the Turin Auto Show. Lamborghini had not completed the prototype in time for the deadline, and the 350 GTV was presented with a crate of ceramic tiles in place of an engine. Lamborghini's first car was not particularly well received, and only one GTV was ever completed. Continue Reading →

Lamborghini 350 GTV

Bobby Marshman set an unofficial Indianapolis Motor Speedway track record of 162.3 mph in a Lotus-Ford.

Bobby Marshman

33 American cars by 4 makers, 18 English cars by 11 makers, 25 German cars by 8 makers, 5 French cars by 3 makers, 8 Italian cars by 4 makers, 4 Swedish cars by 2 makers, and 2 Australian cars by 1 maker for a total of 95 cars by 33 makers from 7 countries were exhibited at the 17th Tokyo Motor Show. Test cars made public included a Toyota electric car based on the Commuter, a Nissan electric car with a 120V-60AH battery, a Toyo Kogyo (now Mazda) hybridelectric car with a combination motor and a small rotary engine, a Mitsubishi electric car and a Daihatsu hybrid car. Nissan, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Honda, and Fuji Heavy Industries also displayed electronic injection systems, and Nissan and Mitsubishi publicized gas turbine engines. Continue Reading →

Charles Chayne (80), Chief Engineer of Buick (1936-51), died in Carmel, California. He is best remembered for saving the Bugatti Type 41 Royale Weinberger cabriolet and later donating it to the Henry Ford Museum.

Sam Ard started second and converted a dominant day into a Cardinal 250 victory at Martinsville Speedway (Virginia, US) and the first of two straight NASCAR Nationwide Series championships. Ard led 211 of 250 laps on the .526-mile track, holding off pole-starter Dale Jarrett at the finish to clinch the title by 87 points over Jack Ingram, who came home third.

Nelson Piquet clinched the Formula 1 World Driving Championship when his only title rival, Nigel Mansell, was injured in a crash during practice for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Mansell missed the final two races of the season because of his injuries.

Nelson Piquet

Grand Prix newcomer Ayrton Senna won the Formula 1 World Championship title after winning the final race in Suzuka against team-mate Alain Prost to become the third Brazilian after Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet to take the crown.

Ayrton Senna - 1991

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The total cost of construction was £120 million (£246 million as of 2015), including £30 million (now £58 million) for the approach roads.The proposed name had been simply the Dartford Bridge, but Thurrock residents objected and suggested the Tilbury Bridge, leading to a compromise. Continue Reading →

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge as viewed from Greenhithe, 2.5 km east of the bridge in Kent

Proton acquired an 80% stake in Lotus Group International Limited, valued at £51 million.

The Subaru Forester won the renowned Hulman Trophy, a US 24-hour endurance speed record of mass-produced and marketed vehicles, setting a new world record with an average speed of 112 mph.

Subaru Forester

The world's first three-door coupe was unveiled at the New England International Auto Show in Boston. While a three and four door configurations have become quite popular on pickup trucks in America, Saturn was the first company to manufacture a coupe with a third door. To the critics' surprise, the design has proven to be a hit with buyers.

Saturn SC2 3-Door Coupe

Entertainer, author, and comedian Steve Allen (78) was driving to Encino, California to see his son Bill when his car was struck by a sports utility vehicle backing out of a driveway. The impact of the hit ruptured a blood vessel in Allen's chest, allowing blood to leak into the sac surrounding his heart. He died later that evening. Continue Reading →

A fire in a double-decker bus damaged the eastbound 1.1-mile Limehouse Link tunnel carrying the A1203 road under east London, severely enough to put it out of use for several weeks, causing severe traffic congestion in the area. The Limehouse Link is reported to be the longest city-centre road tunnel in the world.

The eastern portal of the Limehouse Link tunnel.

Wales rugby star Gavin Henson was banned from driving for a month after he was caught driving at 110mph (177kph) on the M4 motorway.