On this day in…
1868
155 years ago
Harvey Samuel Firestone, founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, one of the first global makers of automobile tires and an important contributor to North American economic growth in the 20th century, was born Read more…
1892
131 years ago
Alexander Brown and George Stillman of Syracuse, New York, patented the first inflatable automobile tire Read more…
1895
128 years ago
The world’s first petrol-powered bus service connecting Siegen, Netphen, and Deuz, Germany was discontinued after nine months, having transported approximately 10,600 paying customers Read more…
1912
111 years ago
The Stewart-Warner Speedometer Company was incorporated in Virginia, US Read more…
1922
101 years ago
New York City’s last horse drawn fire engine made its final run Read more…
1929
94 years ago
The last Stearns-Knight automobile was produced Read more…
1940
83 years ago
The 1,000,000th Volkswagen Kubelwagen was produced Read more…
1945
78 years ago
Rationing of automobile tires instituted in 1941 ended in the US Read more…
1947
76 years ago
Horace T Thomas (73), the Chief Executive of the Olds Motor Works who helped design the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, and Vice President of the Reo Motor Car Company 1914-17 who designed the first Reo automobile and Reo Speed Wagon truck, died Read more…
1953
70 years ago
Giuseppe Farina and Piero Scotti drove a 4 Read more…
1954
69 years ago
Buick Motor Company signed comedian Jackie Gleason to one of the largest contracts ever entered into with an entertainer Read more…
1957
66 years ago
The first 1958 Ford Thunderbird (2nd generation), the first car completely designed by the styling team headed by George W Read more…
1963
60 years ago
Just two weeks after the announcement was made that the plant would close, all production ceased at Studebaker’s South Bend plants in Indiana, US Read more…
1970
53 years ago
Britain’s highest motorway (1,220 ft), the M62 section around junction 22 opened Read more…
1972
51 years ago
Adolfo Orsi (84), Italian industrialist, known for owning the Maserati marque, died Read more…
1977
46 years ago
British automobile executive Sir Reginald Rootes (81) died in London Read more…
1989
34 years ago
Filmmaker Michael Moore’s satirical documentary “Roger & Me” opened in theatres across the US Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Some 500 motorists rallied in Russia’s far east to protest the government’s decision to raise car import tariffs Read more…
2008
15 years ago
The Canadian and Ontario state governments announced they would follow the US in providing C$4 billion ($3 Read more…
2009
14 years ago
Dutch sports carmaker Spyker said it had made a new bid for Sweden’s Saab Automobile, two days after General Motors said it would close the loss-making unit Read more…
