On this day in…
1899
125 years ago
Camille Jenatzy captured the land speed record in an electric car of his own design: 41.425mph at Acheres Park, France Read more…
1903
121 years ago
The third annual National Automobile Show (the first since 1900) opened in Madison Square Garden in New York City Read more…
1908
116 years ago
The Harrison Wagon Works of Grand Rapids, Michigan, manufacturers of the Harrison that was equipped with an unsuccessful attempt at the first self-starter, was declared bankrupt Read more…
1920
104 years ago
The Motor Wheel Corporation was incorporated in Michigan, US Read more…
1921
103 years ago
The first United States-built Rolls Royce was completed Read more…
1922
102 years ago
George Selden (78), patent lawyer and inventor who was granted a U Read more…
1930
94 years ago
Australian Norman ‘Wizard’ Smith in his 20-litre Anzac averaged 148 Read more…
1945
79 years ago
Renault was nationalised by the French government as a result of the alleged Nazi-collaboration of Louis Renault Read more…
1948
76 years ago
The Juan Perón & Buenos Aires Grand Prix held at Palermo Park was won by Luigi Villoresi driving a Maserati 4CL Read more…
1949
75 years ago
The first Volkswagen Beetle, designed by Ferdinand Porsche at the request of Adolf Hitler, arrived in the US from Germany Read more…
1953
71 years ago
The deadliest Grand Prix that ever took place, the Grand Prix of Argentina, was held on the Buenos Aires circuit Read more…
1953
71 years ago
The prototype Chevrolet Corvette “Dream Car” was introduced at General Motors’ (GM) Motorama auto show at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City Read more…
1954
70 years ago
The Maserati 250F recorded its first racing victory as Juan Manuel Fangio won the Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires – Giuseppe Farina, who finished second in a Ferrari 625, qualified for the pole position, at age 47 years, 80 days the oldest driver to accomplish this feat in a Formula 1 championship race Read more…
1955
69 years ago
The 1955 Packards were introduced to the US public, featuring the marque’s first V-8 engines and new Torsion-Level suspension Read more…
1955
69 years ago
Coachbuilder Walter O Briggs (74), Chairman of the Briggs Manufacturing Company and owner of the Detroit Tigers baseball team, died in Miami Beach, US Read more…
1956
68 years ago
Sale of Ford common stock began Read more…
1959
65 years ago
A number of firsts marked the opening of the 51st Chicago Auto Show, including Toyota’s inaugural Chicago appearance and introductions of the Rambler American, the Pontiac Wide-Track Bonneville and the Renault Caravelle (promoted by entertainer Sammy Davis Jr) Read more…
1959
65 years ago
Cooper-Climax drivers Bruce McLaren and Syd Jensen battled out the Hudson Trophy race at Levin, New Zealnad, with the older man winning after his rival went off with a sticking throttle Read more…
1963
61 years ago
The three hour sports car race at Daytona, Florida, USA, was won by Pedro Rodriguez at the wheel of a Ferrari 250 GTO Read more…
1964
60 years ago
The first Porsche Carrera GTS, a lasting favorite in the world of luxury sports cars was delivered to a Los Angeles customer Read more…
1964
60 years ago
The Monte Carlo Rally started Read more…
1965
59 years ago
The 1965 NASCAR Grand National season got underway at the Riverside Raceway in California Read more…
1967
57 years ago
Technology Minister, Tony Wedgewood-Benn stated in the House of Commons that the US car manufacturer Chrysler would be allowed to take-over the Rootes Group Read more…
1968
56 years ago
Ford officially unveiled ‘The new Escort: the small car that isn’t’ Read more…
1968
56 years ago
British Motor Corporation and Leyland announced that they would merge to form the British Leyland Corporation Read more…
1970
54 years ago
Billy Stewart (32), an American musical artist, with a highly distinctive scat-singing style, who enjoyed popularity in the 1960s, died in a car accident Read more…
1976
48 years ago
Round 1 of the World Rally Championship began with the first stage of the 44th Monte Carlo Rally (23 stages, 530km) Read more…
1981
43 years ago
In light of new guidelines requiring the use of downsized cars (110-inch wheelbase vs Read more…
1985
39 years ago
Emilio Scotto of Argentina (30), quit his job, jumped on his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle, affectionately named “the black princess”, and with $300 in hand, he headed down the street Read more…
1989
35 years ago
51 died and 110 were injured when a bus collided with a train at a level crossing 45 miles south of Columbo, Sri Lanka Read more…
1991
33 years ago
A Citroën ZX Rallye-Raid driven by Ari Vatanen won the 13th Paris-Tripoli-Dakar Rally (9,186 km) Read more…
1994
30 years ago
Andrew Craig was hired as President and CEO of CART Read more…
1995
29 years ago
What seemed at the time to be the end of an era as Lotus announced it was withdrawing from F1 because of chronic financial problems Read more…
1997
27 years ago
A drunk driver killed University of California Davis All-American track and field athlete Jill Peckler, her father, and her brother Read more…
1998
26 years ago
A section of Memphis’ Highway 51 South was renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard Read more…
1999
25 years ago
Round 1 of the World Rally Championship began with the 44th Monte Carlo Rally (23 stages, 530km), which won by Tommi Makinen and Risto Mannisenmaki in a Mitsubishi Read more…
1999
25 years ago
The French car producer Renault acquired a 20% interest in the Japanese Nissan Motor Co Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Retired Admiral John B Read more…
2001
23 years ago
Jaguar was the first team to unveil its new car ahead of the F1 season and eight days later became the first to crash it when Eddie Irvine went off the circuit in Valencia at about 140mph, wrecking the front end on the tyre barrier after skating across the gravel trap Read more…
2005
19 years ago
The Bentley Arnage Convertible, also known as the Arnage Drophead Coupé, was revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show.”We knew that the Drophead Coupe would create quite a stir,” said Bentley chairman Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen, “because it is the most sensationally beautiful convertible with strikingly contemporary lines and an unashamed luxurious interior.” The Arnage Drophead Coupe was the fourth new model to go on sale in just four years at Bentley, reflecting the incredible success of the brand since becoming part of the Volkswagen Group in 1998 Read more…
2008
16 years ago
Former Pittsburgh Steeler defensive tackle Ernie Holmes (59) died in a one-car accident Read more…
2018
6 years ago
A British-born former land-speed record-holder, Charles Burnett III (61), died in a helicopter crash in the US state of New Mexico Read more…
