On this day in…
1828
195 years ago
The first Paris omnibus (France) began service, running every fifteen minutes between La Madeleine and la Bastille Read more…
1887
136 years ago
Paul Faussier, President of the Sport Velocipedique Metropolitaine, staged the first automobile race in France, but the only entrant was Georges Bouton in a steam-powered DeDion, Bouton et Trepardoux quadricycle who averaged 14 mph for the nearly 20 mile race in and around Paris Read more…
1899
124 years ago
The 90 km Limone-Cuneo-Turin road race was won by De Gras driving a Peugeot 10 hp at an average speed of 50.86 mph. Read more…
1900
123 years ago
L Gastè riding a Perfecta 6 hp tricycle won the 48 km road race between Turin and Asti in a time of 52 minutes 2 seconds Read more…
1903
120 years ago
A group of 10 motor manufacturers including Cadillac, Northern, Thomas, and Pope joined the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers (ALAM) Read more…
1908
115 years ago
Ludwig ‘Louis’ Kissel (66), father of the Kissel brothers and manager at the Kissel Motor Car Company, died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US from a gunshot wound inflicted nine days earlier by an angry employee Read more…
1921
102 years ago
Douglas Davidson riding a Harley Davidson at the Brooklands circuit became the first motorcyclist to exceed 100 mph in Britain Read more…
1922
101 years ago
The Ford Motor Company began manufacturing its own storage batteries Read more…
1926
97 years ago
J G Parry Thomas, driving the Thomas Special ‘Babs’ at the Pendine Sands in Wales, raised the land speed record to 170 Read more…
1938
85 years ago
Eric Fernihough crashed while attempting to break the motorcycle land-speed record at Gyón, Hungary Read more…
1939
84 years ago
Powell Crosley, who in his own words had 50 jobs in 50 years, produced America’s first miniature or “bantam” car Read more…
1940
83 years ago
Despite a suspension of the Mille Miglia by Mussolini due to the fatal accident in 1938 that resulted in the death of 10 spectators a smaller version of the event, officially called the Gran Premio di Brescia was held over a triangular course with Brescia, Mantua and Cremona at its apexes Read more…
1945
78 years ago
Ugo Gobbato of Alfa Romeo (56) was killed by the Italian Partigiani during a period of post-World War II anti-Fascist violence Read more…
1949
74 years ago
The Jersey Road Race held in St Read more…
1951
72 years ago
Luigi Villoresi, driving a Ferrari Tipo 340 Vignale, won the Mille Miglia in Italy Read more…
1953
70 years ago
Kaiser bought the ailing Willys-Overland company for US$63,381,175 and merged the Kaiser and Willys operations under the name Kaiser-Willys Corporation Read more…
1956
67 years ago
The Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner – the world’s first mass produced retractable hardtop – debuted at the New York Auto Show Read more…
1957
66 years ago
Paul Goldsmith drove his Smokey Yunick Ford to victory in the 250 lap NASCAR Grand National race at the Greensboro Agricultural Fairgrounds 1/3 mile dirt track in Northa Carolina, US Read more…
1957
66 years ago
The Ferrari Dino 156 F2 debuted in the Naples Grand Prix, Italy with Luigi Musso at the wheel Read more…
1967
56 years ago
Lotus Cars Ltd Read more…
1967
56 years ago
Bobby Allison drove away from a duel with James Hylton to win the 100 mile NASCAR GN race on the 1/2 mile dirt Savannah Speedway, Georgia Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Mark Donohue drove Roger Penske’s McLaren 6A-Chevy to victory in the United States Road Racing Championship Sports Car race at Riverside International Raceway Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Former Italian Formula One racing driver and coachbuilder Piero Drogo (46) died in a car accident Read more…
1974
49 years ago
Niki Lauda won the Spanish Grand Prix at the Jarama circuit, his first victory in Formula 1 and the 50th win for Ferrari, after a nearly two year winless streak Read more…
1974
49 years ago
Cale Yarborough dominated from the pole position, leading 360 laps — including the final 259 — to win the Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway (Virginia, US) Read more…
1975
48 years ago
The last International light truck was built, a model 500 4×4 cab and chassis, ending 68 years of production of such vehicles Read more…
1991
32 years ago
At the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, polesitter, Ayrton Senna in his McLaren, narrowly won over his teammate Gerhard Berger who set fastest lap Read more…
1994
29 years ago
Ford China Research & Development Fund awarded grants worth$1 Read more…
1995
28 years ago
The last ZR-1 Corvette – “King of the Hill” – rolled off the assembly line Read more…
1996
27 years ago
Jacques Villeneuve driving a Williams-Renault FW18 won the European Grand Prix at Nürburgring Read more…
1996
27 years ago
Sterling Marlin held on for a narrow victory in the Winston Select 500 at Talladega, Alabama (US) an event that sent Ricky Craven and Bill Elliott to the hospital Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Rookie Jimmie Johnson surged into the lead with 13 laps remaining and outran Kurt Busch to win the California 500 held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, US Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Contested over 65 laps of the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, the Spanish Grand Prix was won by Michael Schumacher driving a Ferrari F2002 car after starting from pole position Read more…
2003
20 years ago
BMW Online in-car telephone and GPS satellite navigation was launched to coincide with the UK launch of new 730d and 760i/Li models Read more…
2006
17 years ago
In South Korea prosecutors arrested Hyundai Motor Co Read more…
2007
16 years ago
BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld made history as the first driver in over 30 years to tackle the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in a contemporary Formula One car Read more…
2012
11 years ago
A storm struck Louisville, Kentucky, US and hail damaged some 3,500 Ford Escapes assembled at a plant nearby Read more…
2019
4 years ago
Valtteri Bottas led home Lewis Hamilton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after seeing him off at the start and then maintaining a small gap until the end of the race Read more…
