On this day in…
1892
131 years ago
Rudolf Diesel received a German patent for the diesel engine Read more…
1906
117 years ago
The Aerocar Motor Company of Detroit, Michigan, US registered its ‘Aerocar’ logo, but the firm failed in 1908 and its factory was taken over by Hudson Read more…
1924
99 years ago
Patrick L Hussey, a cofounder of the Cadillac Motor Car Company and founder of the Husey Drop Forging & Manufacturing Company, died in Cleveland, Ohio, US Read more…
1929
94 years ago
Baroness Mercedes Adrienne Manuela Ramona von Schlosser Weigl (nee Jellinek), died in Vienna, Austria, aged 39 Read more…
1947
76 years ago
The Stockholm Grand Prix at Vallentuna was won by Reg Parnell in an ERA A-Type Read more…
1953
70 years ago
Ernesto Ceirano (79) of Fiat, winner of the 1911 and 1914 Targa Florio, died in Turin, Italy Read more…
1954
69 years ago
The 500,000th post-World War II Jeep was produced Read more…
1955
68 years ago
The Nash-based Hudson Hornet and Wasp were introduced at the Chicago Auto Show Read more…
1958
65 years ago
Communist guerrillas in Havana, Cuba, one day before the second Havana Grand Prix, kidnapped Argentine racing champion Juan Manuel Fangio Read more…
1958
65 years ago
Paul Goldsmith drove Smokey Yunick’s Pontiac to victory in the 160-mile NASCAR Grand National race on Daytona’s Beach-Road course Read more…
1964
59 years ago
Driving a potent Plymouth with the new Hemi engine, Richard Petty led 184 of the 200 laps to win the 1964 Daytona 500 Read more…
1967
56 years ago
The Pontiac Firebird was introduced Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Artist Peter Arno (64), creator of the unique 1939 Albatross, died Read more…
1969
54 years ago
Lee Roy Yarbrough chased down Charlie Glotzbach who had an eleven second lead to win the Daytona 500 Read more…
1969
54 years ago
The Stardust International Raceway, Las Vegas, Nevada held it last race Read more…
1971
52 years ago
Beatle George Harrison was fined and banned from driving for a year for speeding Read more…
1971
52 years ago
23 days after Rolls Royce Ltd had entered receivership, a new company, Rolls Royce (1971) Ltd, was registered Read more…
1974
49 years ago
The 66th Chicago Auto Show opened as the OPEC oil embargo remained in force Read more…
1975
48 years ago
Richard Petty drove his Dodge to a convincing win in the ‘Richmond 500’ NASCAR GN race Read more…
1980
43 years ago
Over 700 vehicles went on display at the 1980 Chicago Auto Show Read more…
1983
40 years ago
The Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 4WD rally car was launched on the same day as its two-wheel-drive road version Read more…
1986
37 years ago
At the Miller High Life 400 rivals Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt battled for the win on the half-mile short track for the better part of the race Read more…
1992
31 years ago
Ford, America’s second largest car manufacturer reported a 1991 loss of £3 Read more…
1992
31 years ago
The Jaguar XJR-14 made its race debut in the IMSA Camel GT race at Miami, Florida, USA Read more…
2000
23 years ago
Newspaper editor Earl Selby (82) was killed in an automobile crash in Monterey, California Read more…
2003
20 years ago
An Athens-bound intercity bus plunged into a river near Thessaloniki, Greece killing 16 Read more…
2006
17 years ago
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Rolls-Royce, the company unveiled its 100EX Experimental Centenary car Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Oliver Tomlinson (71), father of NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, was killed when the 1969 Chevy pickup truck in which he was riding blew a tyre, causing the truck to swerve out of control and flip on a highway near Waco, Texas Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Paul Frere died at the age of 91 in Brussels Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at the Auto Club Speedway , Fontana, California, US Read more…
2009
14 years ago
New York City announced testing camera enforcement of bus lanes on 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan where a New York City taxi illegally using the bus lanes would face a fine of $150 adjudicated by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission Read more…
2009
14 years ago
The Spygate legal case against McLaren engineers Paddy Lowe, Jonathan Neale and Rob Taylor was dropped, after a ‘no contest’ agreement between the lawyers representing them and the Modena district attorney was reached Read more…
2010
13 years ago
India’s biggest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India announced it has recalled 100,000 of its best-selling A-Star hatchback cars due to a fuel leakage problem Read more…
2014
9 years ago
For the second year in a row, a rookie won the pole position, in this case, Austin Dillon in his first ride in the newly renumbered #3 Chevy SS for Richard Childress Racing, the first time the #3 had been used in a NASCAR Cup Series race since Dale Earnhardt’s death Read more…
2015
8 years ago
Bugatti sold its last Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, which was named La Finale Read more…
