On this day in…
1902
122 years ago
The first automobile race in Japan was staged at Uyeno Park in Yokohama and was won by T Sudo driving an Auto-Bimotorcycle, a predecessor of the Thomas Flyer Read more…
1909
115 years ago
A motorised hearse was used for the first time in the US in a Chicago funeral procession by funeral director H Read more…
1911
113 years ago
1925
99 years ago
The Ford Airport in Dearborn, Michigan, one of the first modern airports in the world, was formally dedicated Read more…
1936
88 years ago
Henry Ford established the Ford Foundation, a philanthropic organization Read more…
1942
82 years ago
The first ‘blackout’ Cadillacs were completed Read more…
1948
76 years ago
The 20,000th Volkswagen was produced Read more…
1950
74 years ago
Johnny Mantz won the 50 lap Pacific Coast AAA Sprint Car race at the Oakland Speedway, Oakland, California, US Read more…
1950
74 years ago
General Motors opened its “Mid-Century Motorama” at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, featuring the Cadillac Debutante convertible with leopard skin upholstery and gold plated interior hardware Read more…
1950
74 years ago
The General San Martín Grand Prix at Mar del Plata, Argentina was won by Alberto Ascari, in a Ferrari 166 Read more…
1953
71 years ago
The 100,000th 1953 Dodge automobile was produced Read more…
1958
66 years ago
The Ford Motor Company created the Lincoln-Edsel-Mercury Division, hiring former Packard President James J Nance as Vice President in charge of the Division Read more…
1964
60 years ago
The first bus lane in France was designated along the quai du Louvre in Paris Read more…
1964
60 years ago
Volkswagen de Mexico was established Read more…
1972
52 years ago
Bob DeJong won the 25-lap indoor midget feature on the 1/10th mile oval at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, California, US Read more…
1975
49 years ago
The 43rd Monte Carlo Rally, Round 1 of the World Rally Championship started Read more…
1978
46 years ago
Sonny Easley, best known for competing in the NASCAR Winston West Series and a handful of Winston Cup Series events, died Read more…
1978
46 years ago
Emerson Fittipaldi lined up his Copersucar-Fittipaldi F5A on the grid for the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix – his 100th Formula 1 Grand Prix start Read more…
1979
45 years ago
The Ferrari 312T4, which Enzo Ferrari considered the ugliest car to leave his factory, was unveiled Read more…
1981
43 years ago
Graham Whitehead (58), British racing driver, who participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, scoring no championship points, died Read more…
1982
42 years ago
Mark, son of the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who went missing in the Sahara Desert 6 days earlier while competing in the Paris-Dakar Rally, was found safe and well after a massive search, involving rescuers from four different countries, spotter planes and helicopters Read more…
1984
40 years ago
American Motors set up the first automobile-manufacturing joint venture in the People’s Republic of China Read more…
1984
40 years ago
The Hyundai Pony was introduced in Canada, the first Korean car to be marketed in North America Read more…
1988
36 years ago
Edsel B Ford II and William Clay Ford Jnr, great grandsons of Henry Ford, were elected to the Board of Directors of the Ford Motor Company Read more…
1991
33 years ago
The final phase of the 89 mile long M40 motorway through Oxfordshire was opened by UK Transport Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, giving the West Midlands conurbation its first direct motorway link with London Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Vic Willis of the Willis Brothers country singing group died in a one-car accident near Hohenwald, Tennesee, USA Read more…
1996
28 years ago
Max Mosley announced the introduction of written tests for F1 drivers before they were allowed to compete in races Read more…
1996
28 years ago
Moshoeshoe II (57), King of Lesotho (formerly Basutoland), was killed when his car plunged off a mountain road Read more…
2001
23 years ago
The Chrysler LMP racer was unveiled to the press Read more…
2001
23 years ago
After almost 10 years of planning and 23 months of construction work, the Rockingham Motor Speedway in Northamptonshire officially opened Read more…
2003
21 years ago
FIA boss Max Mosley announced a ban on a number of drivers aids including traction control and launch control, as well as all telemetry and radio communication between the team and drivers during races Read more…
2007
17 years ago
In South Korea unionised workers at Hyundai Motor Co Read more…
2012
12 years ago
X-raid Team driver Stéphane Peterhansel and co-pilot Jean-Paul Cottret won the 2012 Dakar Rally in South American in their No Read more…
