On this day in…
1826
198 years ago
Samuel Morey of Oxford, New Hampshire, US was issued a patent for his ‘gas and vapour engine’ Read more…
1898
126 years ago
The Winton Motor Carriage Company completed its first sale as Robert Allison of Port Carbon, Pennsylvania, US received a one cylinder Winton phaeton Read more…
1901
123 years ago
The first White vehicle was sold, a steam-powered Model A Stanhope Read more…
1903
121 years ago
The Polish Count Eliot Zborowski, father of the creator of the ‘Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang cars, became the first competitor to be killed during a hillclimb, when he crashed his Mercedes at Le Turbie., near Nice, France Read more…
1904
120 years ago
Henry Royce’s Manchester engineering company produced its first motor car, a 10 hp 2 cylinder model, which was driven from the factory to Royce’s home and back, a distance of some 15 miles Read more…
1904
120 years ago
Clarence W Read more…
1905
119 years ago
Jean-Marie Letourneur and Jean-Arthur Marchand formed a partnership in Paris, France to design and construct custom automobile bodies Read more…
1908
116 years ago
Frank Newton driving a Napier won the Brooklands April 90HP race Read more…
1909
115 years ago
The Welch Motor Car Company of Pontiac, Michigan (US) registered ‘Welch’ as a trademark Read more…
1919
105 years ago
The first Cleveland was produced by the Cleveland Automobile Company, a subsidiary of the Chandler Motor Car Company Read more…
1923
101 years ago
The British Government’s classification of roads was published Read more…
1931
93 years ago
The first DeVaux was produced at the Grand Rapids, Michigan, US factory Read more…
1932
92 years ago
The DAF company was founded when a machine construction company led by Huub and Wim van Doorne, changed its name to Van Doorne’s Aanhangwagen Fabriek (Van Doorne’s Trailer Factory), abbreviated DAF Read more…
1932
92 years ago
Ford introduced its new offering: the high-performance Ford V-8, the first Ford with an 8-cylinder engine Read more…
1932
92 years ago
The Franklin V-12 was introduced Read more…
1941
83 years ago
The first Packard Clipper was produced Read more…
1951
73 years ago
Marshall Teague drove his Hudson Hornet to victory in the season-opening NASCAR Grand National race on Daytona’s Beach-Road course Read more…
1958
66 years ago
The White Motor Company acquired the Diamond T Motor Car Company for $10,400,000 Read more…
1959
65 years ago
AMC and Sonotone Corporation announced a joint research effort to produce an electric car that was to be powered by a “self-charging” battery Read more…
1960
64 years ago
The Lancaster Bypass (UK) opened as the second part of the M6, leaving the A6 just north of Carnforth going south to a junction with the A683, then continuing east of Lancaster to rejoin the A6 at Hampson Green Read more…
1961
63 years ago
The Amphicar, the first mass-produced amphibious automobile for sale to the public, was introduced in New York Read more…
1962
62 years ago
People who had held more than seven provisional licences were required to take a driving test In Britain; if they failed to do so, the licensing authority could refuse a further application for a licence Read more…
1962
62 years ago
Willy Mairesse won the non-championship Brussels Grand Prix in a Ferrari Dino Read more…
1963
61 years ago
The first “Ford GT”, the GT/101 was unveiled in England and soon after exhibited in New York Read more…
1964
60 years ago
The Plymouth Barracuda was released to the public, 15 days ahead of the Ford Mustang Read more…
1967
57 years ago
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was created as an independent organization, but was reliant on the United States Department of Transportation DOT for administration and funding Read more…
1967
57 years ago
Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren teamed in the new Ford Mk Read more…
1967
57 years ago
Seat belts for both front seats became compulsory in Great Britain for all new cars registered after this date. Read more…
1969
55 years ago
The Mercedes-Benz C111 made its first test run at the Daimler-Benz AG test track in Unterurkheim, Germany Read more…
1970
54 years ago
American Motors Corp Read more…
1971
53 years ago
AM General Corporation (producers of Hummer vehicles) was founded as a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Motor Corporation and separate from the Jeep Corporation Read more…
1972
52 years ago
Neil ‘Soapy’ Castles won the 200-mile Grand National NASCAR Eastern Division race at Greenville, South Carolina, US – his first victory in over 400 starts dating back to 1950 Read more…
1973
51 years ago
David Pearson recorded a runaway win, the 68th of his career, in the Atlanta 500 at Atlanta International Raceway, Georgia, US Read more…
1978
46 years ago
Triumph TR7 V8 was homologated for rallying Read more…
1979
45 years ago
Dale Earnhardt scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Southeastern 500 Read more…
1979
45 years ago
The final Cannonball Run began at Darien, Connecticut Read more…
1979
45 years ago
David Kennedy driving a Wolf-Cosworth WR won the Belgian Cup at Zolder Read more…
1980
44 years ago
Rear fog lamps become mandatory in the UK to most vehicles manufactured after 1 October 1979 and used from this day. Read more…
1980
44 years ago
John Egan was appointed Chairman of Jaguar Cars Ltd Read more…
1984
40 years ago
Darrell Waltrip captured his seventh straight win at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Valleydale 500 after leading 205 laps Read more…
1987
37 years ago
As from this date all cars had to have rear seat belts fitted at the point of manufacture in UK. Read more…
1988
36 years ago
The Chevrolet Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition was introduced at the New York Auto Show Read more…
1988
36 years ago
All new cars manufactured after this date for the UK market were required to run on unleaded petrol. Read more…
1989
35 years ago
Geoffrey Bodine captured his second consecutive win in the spring NASCAR Xfinity (Busch Grand National) Series race in the Country Squire 200 Read more…
1990
34 years ago
The tour bus of American sing-songwriter Willie Nelson crashed into a car in Riverdale, Canada, killing the car driver Read more…
1990
34 years ago
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) was created as an executive agency of the Department of Transport Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Dale Earnhardt edged Mark Martin to win the TranSouth 500 at Darlington, South Carolina (US), an event in which veteran Neil Bonnett was injured after a 212th-lap crash Read more…
1992
32 years ago
All coaches first used from this date in the UK had to be fitted with 70 mph limiters. Read more…
1993
31 years ago
Alan Kulwicki (38), nicknamed “Special K” and the “Polish Prince”, an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver, died in a plane crash returning from an appearance at the Knoxville Hooters in a Hooters corporate plane on a short flight across Tennessee before the Sunday spring race at Bristol Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Daewoo began selling cars in the United Kingdom Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Steve Grissom won the Goody’s 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway Read more…
1998
26 years ago
In China a new law requiring motorists in Beijing to install pollution-reduction devices went into effect Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Pranksters painted a zebra crossing across three lanes of the M3 between junctions 4 and 4A on the northbound carriageway near Farnborough in Hampshire, England. Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Implementation of a road safety camera programme began in eight trial areas – Clevel and, Essex, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, South Wales, Strathclyde and Thames Valley Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Mark Martin won for the second consecutive time at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity (Busch) Series when he took the checkered flag in the Albertson’s 300 Read more…
2001
23 years ago
David Coulthard in a McLaren won the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos Read more…
2005
19 years ago
Mercedes-Benz lined up three cars for a world record-breaking attempt on the high-speed circuit in Laredo, Texas Read more…
2006
18 years ago
David Starr outran Ted Musgrave to the checkered flag to win a caution-filled Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway Read more…
2006
18 years ago
The toll booth on the Erskine Bridge, which connects the M898 motorway (the highest numbered motorway in the United Kingdom, and one of the shortest at just a mile long, was removed Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Jimmie Johnson won the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway when he held off his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon Read more…
2010
14 years ago
In Fremont, California, the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc Read more…
2010
14 years ago
The Chevrolet Camaro was named the World Car Design of the Year at the World Car of the Year Awards Read more…
2012
12 years ago
Ryan Newman outran AJ Allmendinger to the checkered flag to score a thrilling victory in a wild ending to the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway Read more…
2012
12 years ago
The Humber Bridge toll was reduced from £3 Read more…
2017
7 years ago
Chase Elliott won the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Alpha Energy Solutions 250 at Martinsville Speedway for his second series victory Read more…
