On this day in…
1831
193 years ago
New London Bridge (19th century) was opened to traffic with great splendor by King William IV, accompanied by Queen Adelaide, and many of the members of the royal family Read more…
1872
152 years ago
Gottlieb Daimler joined Deutz AG to work with Nikolaus A Otto and Eugen Langen in the design and construction of gasoline engines Read more…
1872
152 years ago
Dugald Clerk received a British patent for his two stroke engine Read more…
1898
126 years ago
The National Motor Carriage Company was incorporated in New Jersey, US with Ernest E Lorrilard as President, General O Howard as Vice President, Arthur S Winslow as Secretary, David Allen Reed as Treasurer and J W Howard as Consulting Engineer Read more…
1905
119 years ago
The streets of Dover, England were packed for the first stage of the latest crusade by the leader of the Salvation Army, General Booth Read more…
1908
116 years ago
Frank Newton driving a Napier won the August International Plate at Brooklands Read more…
1910
114 years ago
North America’s first driver-licensing law came into effect in the state of New York, though it initially applied only to professional chauffeurs. Read more…
1915
109 years ago
The Ford Motor Company announced that Model T sales for the previous twelve months were 308,213 units, and that they will honour their rebate offer by mailing $50 “Profit Sharing” checks to each buyer for a total payout of $15,410,650 Read more…
1916
108 years ago
Edsel Ford married Eleanor Lowthian Clay Read more…
1916
108 years ago
William C Durant officially became President of General Motors, succeeding Charles W Nash who had left two months earlier to form the Nash Motors Company Read more…
1917
107 years ago
The Olds Motor Works became a Division of General Motors rather than a separate company owned by General Motors Read more…
1919
105 years ago
The 1920 Winton Model 24 and Model 25 were introduced, the marque’s first totally redesigned cars since 1916 Read more…
1922
102 years ago
Hungarian inventor of the carburettor for the stationary engine, Donát Bánki (63) died Read more…
1923
101 years ago
The 1924 Buicks were introduced on “Buick Day”, staged to commemorate the 25th anniversary of David D Buick’s Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company which would evolve into the Buick Motor Company in 1904 Read more…
1923
101 years ago
Alexander Y. Malcomson Read more…
1929
95 years ago
The first prototype Ruxton front-wheel-drive car was completed Read more…
1935
89 years ago
The last Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental was completed Read more…
1941
83 years ago
Parade magazine called it “the Army’s most intriguing new gadget – a tiny truck which can do practically everything Read more…
1947
77 years ago
Ferdinand Porsche, arrested for war crimes 2 years earlier, was released from a French prison after his children Ferry and Louise paid 1,000 francs to the French government. Read more…
1951
73 years ago
Austin raised their car prices Read more…
1954
70 years ago
The German Grand Prix at Nürburgring was won by 1951 World Champion, Juan Manuel Fangio driving a Mercedes-Benz W196 Read more…
1957
67 years ago
The first Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia convertible was produced Read more…
1959
65 years ago
Jean Behra (38) was killed driving for Porsche in a Formula 2 support race at the German Grand Prix Read more…
1959
65 years ago
The Bristol Motorcycle and Light Car Club (BM&LCC) organised the first race meeting in conjunction with the Bristol Corporation at the then disused airfield at Whitchurch, Shropshire, England Read more…
1964
60 years ago
“Big Daddy” Don Garlits became the first drag racer to run the 1/4 mile at over 200 mph Read more…
1965
59 years ago
Jim Clark in his Lotus-Climax, took pole position, the fastest lap, and led every lap of the German Grand Prix Read more…
1966
58 years ago
The last Ferrari Superfast Type 500 was completed Read more…
1969
55 years ago
Gerhard Mitter (33) died during qualifying session for the 1969 German Grand Prix with BMW’s 269 F2 project Read more…
1970
54 years ago
George Follmer drove a Ford-powered Lotus 70 to victory in the L&M Continental Formula A race at St Read more…
1971
53 years ago
Richard Petty won his 134th race in the Dixie 500 at Atlanta International Raceway (now Atlanta Motor Speedway) Read more…
1976
48 years ago
Richard Petty won the NASCAR Winston Cup Talledega 500 in a Dodge Charger Read more…
1976
48 years ago
Austrian World Champion Niki Lauda was seriously burned in an accident during the German Grand Prix Read more…
1977
47 years ago
Patricia Montgomery was named Cadillac’s Director of Public Relations, the first woman to hold such a position in any General Motors Division Read more…
1978
46 years ago
The financially stressed Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini was placed under the “controlled administration” of the Italian government official Alessandro Artese Read more…
1982
42 years ago
NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip edged Buddy Baker by a car-length at Talladega Superspeedway (Alabama, US) to become the first repeat winner of the Talladega 500 Read more…
1983
41 years ago
Q registration plates were introduced in Britain for vehicles of indeterminate age, such as kit cars or rebuilds using new components Read more…
1984
40 years ago
Brian ‘Club’ Keene and James ‘Wilbur’ Wright began an epic 37 day journey driving their Chevrolet Blazer 9031 miles in reverse through 15 US States and Canada, Though it was prominently named ‘Stuck In Reverse’, police officers in Oklahoma refused to believe it and insisted they drove in reverse reverse, that is, forwards out of the State Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Patrick Depailler (35) died during Alfa Romeo free practice, ten days before the German Grand Prix Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Robert Stempel took charge at General Motors Read more…
1997
27 years ago
Ford introduced its new small coupe, the Puma, in the UK Read more…
1999
25 years ago
Construction of the Bedford Autodrome (England), a modern, purpose-built, private facility, owned by Jonathan Palmer, was completed Read more…
1999
25 years ago
Although Hakkinen took McLaren’s 100th pole, Eddie Irvine won the German Grand Prix for Ferrari Read more…
2000
24 years ago
The Boycott the Pumps campaign, also referred to as Dump the Pumps, was organised in the UK, with motorists being urged not to visit petrol stations Read more…
2003
21 years ago
An original Citroën 2CV prototype appeared as the centrepiece at the opening of an exhibition at the Design Museum in London exploring the work of the flamboyant Italian and former Citroën designer Flaminio Bertoni Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Market share of Detroit auto companies fell to 52% in July 2006, its lowest point in history (52 Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Citibank opened China’s first drive-through automated teller machine (ATM) at the Upper East Side Central Plaza in Beijing Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Stockholm congestion tax came into use on a permanent basis after a successful seven month trial period Read more…
2008
16 years ago
Full-scale car manufacturing resumed at the historic Longbridge plant, in the West Midlands, with the production of the two-seater MG TF LE500 sports car Read more…
