January 15th


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

W Read more…

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

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

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

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

Volkswagen de Mexico was established Read more…

1964

60 years ago

The first bus lane in France was designated along the quai du Louvre in Paris 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

The Hyundai Pony was introduced in Canada, the first Korean car to be marketed in North America 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…

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

Moshoeshoe II (57), King of Lesotho (formerly Basutoland), was killed when his car plunged off a mountain road 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…

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…

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