On this day in…
1896
127 years ago
Housewife Mrs Bridget Driscoll (44) travelling from Old Town, Croydon to a folk-dancing display in Crystal Palace, became the first pedestrian in the UK to be killed by a car Read more…
1904
119 years ago
The Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd Read more…
1915
108 years ago
The ‘engine-starting device’ was patented by Charles F Read more…
1925
98 years ago
The stockholders of the Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company approved a merger with General Motors Read more…
1937
86 years ago
Toyota Motor Co Read more…
1948
75 years ago
On the orders of the Soviet military administration in Germany, the Saxon plants of Auto Union were dismantled in 1945 as reparations Read more…
1952
71 years ago
Bob Flock, made his first start since breaking his neck in a crash at Mobile, Atlanta, US Read more…
1952
71 years ago
Alberto Ascari driving a Ferrari 500 won the Dutch Grand Prix (F2) held at Zandvoort Read more…
1956
67 years ago
The 6,000,000th Pontiac was produced, a 1956 Star Chief Custom Catalina Read more…
1959
64 years ago
Sodium road lighting was tested in the UK for the first time Read more…
1964
59 years ago
The first Ford Mustang 2+2 GT fastback was produced Read more…
1966
57 years ago
Racer Ken Miles (47) was killed when his Ford J-car racing prototype crashed during a test run at the Riverside International Raceway, California, US Read more…
1968
55 years ago
The founder of the Cummins Engine Co Read more…
1968
55 years ago
The first British eight second run at Santa Pod Raceway was recorded by Tony Densham Read more…
1969
54 years ago
The Porsche 917 made its racing debut, with Jo Siffert competing in the Can-Am Mid-Ohio race in Lexington, Ohio, US without success Read more…
1973
50 years ago
The automotive engineer and mechanic Fred Offenhauser (84) who designed the Offenhauser racing engine, nicknamed the “Offy”, which dominated competition in the Indianapolis 500 race for decades, died Read more…
1975
48 years ago
Racer DeWayne ‘Tiny’ Lund (45) was killed during the Talladega 500 in Talladega, Alabama, US Read more…
1975
48 years ago
Vittorio Brambilla took his first Formula One win at the Austrian Grand Prix for March Read more…
1976
47 years ago
Jensen Motors Ltd ceased trading after 42 years Read more…
1980
43 years ago
Cale Yarborough took command 12 laps from the end and roars to victory in the Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan International Speedway Read more…
1980
43 years ago
Reserve Lotus driver, Nigel Mansell, made his Grand Prix debut at the Osterreichring, Austria Read more…
1985
38 years ago
Austrian driver Niki Lauda announced his retirement Read more…
1986
37 years ago
Alain Prost won the Austrian Grand Prix at the Osterreichring in a McLaren MP4/2C-TAG, with Ferrari drivers Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson second and third respectively Read more…
1988
35 years ago
There were 22 miles of stationary traffic between junctions 9 and 8 on London’s (UK) orbital motorway, M25. Read more…
1994
29 years ago
Luigi Chinetti (93), Italian-born racecar driver, who emigrated to the United States during World War II and became an American citizen, died Read more…
2001
22 years ago
RM Auctions at Monterey, California sold a 1956 Ferrari 410 Sport Spyder for $3 Read more…
2003
20 years ago
Ryan Newman won the Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway (US) Read more…
2003
20 years ago
The Lincoln Highway Association (LHA) sponsored the 90th Anniversary Tour of the entire road, set out from New York City at Times Square to Lincoln Park in San Francisco Read more…
2006
17 years ago
Several large Californian auto insurers said they would set premiums based on driving records rather than ZIP codes, and that doing so would reduce rates for most motorists. Read more…
2013
10 years ago
Proton launched the Suprima S, the hatchback complement to the Prevé saloon Read more…
2017
6 years ago
South Korea-based Hyundai Motor said it planned to launch early next year a second-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that would travel more than 580 km (360 miles) between fill-ups Read more…
