On this day in…
1862
162 years ago
Alphonse Beau de Rochas, a French civil engineer, patented but did not build a four-stroke engine (French patent #52,593) Read more…
1900
124 years ago
James W Read more…
1905
119 years ago
The Autocar Type XI, featuring the marque’s first 4-cylinder engine, was introduced Read more…
1905
119 years ago
The Sunbeam Motor Car Company Ltd was registered in Wolverhampton, England with John Marston as Chairman and Thomas Cureton as Managing Director Read more…
1906
118 years ago
The French Automobile Club licensed the department of Sarthe to organise a motor race that eventually resulted in both the 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans) and the French Grand Prix. Read more…
1913
111 years ago
Frank Duryea at the Stanley Motor Show introduced the first closed car for four passengers Read more…
1916
108 years ago
The Hudson Super-Six was officially introduced to the public Read more…
1934
90 years ago
Joseph B Read more…
1937
87 years ago
The Grosvenor Grand Prix run in Cape Town, South Africa was won by Ernst von Delius in a Auto Union Type C Read more…
1944
80 years ago
The Divco-Twin Truck Company of Detroit, Michigan, US changed its name to the Divco Corporation Read more…
1945
79 years ago
French car manufacturer, Renault was nationalised Read more…
1948
76 years ago
Ford introduced its post-war line-up of light, medium and heavy trucks called the F-Series range from F-1 (1/2 ton) to F-8 (3-ton), as a replacement for the previous car-based pickup line introduced in 1941 Read more…
1950
74 years ago
Saab delivered its first cars, the Saab 92, to waiting customers Read more…
1953
71 years ago
The Chevrolet Corvette and Pontiac Parisienne show cars were introduced to the press at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City Read more…
1955
69 years ago
Argentina hosted the first round of the F1 championship, and what was an endurance race in fierce heat – only seven starters finished – was won by Juan Manuel Fangio Read more…
1958
66 years ago
The first of just eight Scarab sports car, the brain-child of Lance Reventlow − whose father was a European count, whose mother was heiress to the Woolworth fortune, and whose wife at the time was Jill St John – was tested Read more…
1960
64 years ago
Bobby Allison won the 30 lap Modified Stock Car race at the Hollywood Speedway, Hollywood, Florida, US Read more…
1960
64 years ago
The Chicago Auto Show opened to the public Read more…
1965
59 years ago
United States President Lyndon B Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson signed the United States & Canada Automotive Trade Agreement Read more…
1966
58 years ago
Racers Jose-Luis Pampyn and Rafael Taravilla were killed during the Monte Carlo Rally when their Fiat crashed between Ales and Uzes, France Read more…
1970
54 years ago
Production commenced at Ford’s plant in Saarlouis, Germany and was formally opened in the presence of Henry Ford II six months later in June 1970 Read more…
1978
46 years ago
The Ford Ecoline Super Wagon and Super Van were introduced Read more…
1984
40 years ago
Ford agreed to purchase from the Edison Institute the historic Dearborn Inn, a luxurious historic hotel, conceived by Henry Ford, who saw a need for food and accommodations for visitors flying into the nearby Ford Airport Read more…
1988
36 years ago
The 56th Monte Carlo Rally, Round 1 of the World Rally Championship started and was won 5 days later by Bruno Saby and Dean-Franbois Fauchille in a Lancia Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Pop singer Ike Turner was convicted of driving under the influence of cocaine and sentenced to a four year prison sentence in California Read more…
1992
32 years ago
William Rootes (74), 2nd Baron Rootes of Ramsbury, Chairman of Chrysler UK 1967-73, died in Hungerford, England Read more…
1995
29 years ago
Reliant cars was acquired by the Avonex Group Read more…
1996
28 years ago
Michael Schumacher’s career with Ferrari got off to an inauspicious start when he escaped uninjured after his Ferrari bounced off a guard rail during a test drive at Fiorano at a speed between 60 and 95mph Read more…
1997
27 years ago
Bill Cosby’s son, Ennis Cosby (27), was shot to death while changing a flat tyre on a dark freeway exit ramp just outside Los Angeles, California Read more…
2000
24 years ago
John Morris Rankin (40), a member of the Celtic group ‘The Rankin Family’, drowned when his Toyota 4-Runner truck hit a large pile of rock salt, swerved, and then plunged over a 25-meter cliff into the Gulf of St Read more…
2000
24 years ago
The driver of a truck loaded with evaporated milk was killed when his truck went wild and rammed into the state capitol building in Sacramento, California Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Former Formula One driver Ian Ashley was arrested at Heathrow airport for carrying offensive weapons Read more…
2003
21 years ago
A report issued by The Road Information Program (TRIP) showed that traffic in the US from 1991 to 2001 increased 37% while system mileage grew only 5% Read more…
2004
20 years ago
The French Grand Prix returned to the schedule after months of financial wrangling, but not everyone was happy with the decision as it extended the season to 18 races, “the absolute threshold,” according to Jaguar boss Tony Purnell Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Benny Parsons (66), who drove in Winston Cup for almost 20 years and won the 1973 championship, and is the answer to a popular trivia question of who is the only driver to win championships in Cup and ARCA (1969), died of cancer Read more…
2008
16 years ago
The first Smart ED, a Fortwo modified for operation by Zytek Electric Vehicles as a battery electric vehicle, was delivered to Coventry City Council in the West Midlands Read more…
2010
14 years ago
Kevin Swindell won the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway, Tulsa, Oklahoma, US Read more…
