On this day in…
1853
170 years ago
The world’s first practical steam fire engine Read more…
1873
150 years ago
Wilhelm Maybach was named Chief Design Engineer for Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz AG Read more…
1879
144 years ago
Karl Benz successfully operated his first two-stroke petrol engine for the first time Read more…
1904
119 years ago
The first motor vehicle registration plate in Great Britain Read more…
1906
117 years ago
The first car using the Lion-Peugeot name was introduced Read more…
1910
113 years ago
The Ford Motor Company occupied it’s new Highland Park, Michigan factory that was designed by architect Albert Kahn Read more…
1911
112 years ago
The Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company and the Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Company, builders of the E-M-F merged as the Studebaker Corporation Read more…
1914
109 years ago
Walter O Bentley wed Leonie Withers, in his first of three marriages Read more…
1915
108 years ago
The Dort Motor Car Company was incorporated, with J Dallas Dort as President, David M Averill as Vice President, Fred A Aldrich as Secretary-Treasurer, John D Mansfield as General Manager, and Etinne Planche as Chief Engineer Read more…
1916
107 years ago
Future auto racer and speed record holder Henry Seagrave received his wings from the Royal Flying Corp Read more…
1919
104 years ago
Edsel Ford succeeded his father, Henry Ford, as president of the Ford Motor Company Read more…
1921
102 years ago
Road car tax discs for obligatory display on windscreens were introduced in Britain Read more…
1922
101 years ago
Vancouver BC, Canada started driving on the right side of road Read more…
1924
99 years ago
Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company was declared bankrupt Read more…
1926
97 years ago
Ford Parts Depot and assembly operation was established in Berlin, Germany Read more…
1927
96 years ago
Massachusetts became the first state in the US to require automobile insurance Read more…
1927
96 years ago
Assar Gabrielsson was named Managing Director of AB Volvo Read more…
1928
95 years ago
The 1929 Hudson and Essex Super-Sixes were introduced Read more…
1928
95 years ago
The Dixi-built Austin Seven was introduced, an event often cited as the automotive beginning of BMW Read more…
1931
92 years ago
The Road Traffic Act 1930 came into force in Great Britain, abolishing the 20mph speed limit and set different limits for different classes of vehicle Read more…
1932
91 years ago
“Babe” Stapp was declared winner of the accident shortened 100-mile AAA Pacific Coast championship race at Oakland Speedway Read more…
1932
91 years ago
A merger of Praga, Skoda and Tatra became effective for a projected 20 years, but the Czech combine only lasted two months Read more…
1932
91 years ago
Auto Union AG acquired Wanderer-Werk AG of Siegmar-Schonau, Germany Read more…
1932
91 years ago
Production of GAZ Model A cars and GAZ Model AA trucks (based on the Ford Model A and Model AA) began at the Gor’kiy (USSR) Automotive Plant Read more…
1933
90 years ago
The Dodge Series DO was introduced; a car that was destined to be the marque’s last straight-8 Read more…
1933
90 years ago
The Pierce Silver Arrow concept car Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Mr Tom L. Williams of Tamworth Read more…
1937
86 years ago
Safety glass in windshields became mandatory in Great Britain Read more…
1937
86 years ago
Pat Fairfield won the South African Grand Prix in East London driving an ERA R4A, the first victory for the marque in the hands of a private owner Read more…
1938
85 years ago
Ford reported that a car was being completed every three minutes at its Cologne assembly plant, in Germany Read more…
1940
83 years ago
HGV licences and tests were suspended in Britain for the duration of World War II Read more…
1942
81 years ago
The U Read more…
1942
81 years ago
The Olds Motor Works officially became the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors Read more…
1944
79 years ago
The Motor Truck Division of the International Harvester Company is created Read more…
1948
75 years ago
The infamous ‘Horsepower Tax’ was done away with, replaced by the flat rate for motor cars that has survived until recent years, when the UK Government has again started to tax vehicles according to engine size but this time to encourage reduced overall emissions from car exhausts Read more…
1952
71 years ago
Colin Chapman and Michael Allen formed the Lotus Engineering Company Read more…
1954
69 years ago
Flashing direction indicator lights became legal on motor vehicles in Great Britain Read more…
1955
68 years ago
Studebaker modified its 1955 line up by changing the windshield to a wraparound design on all sedans and station wagons Read more…
1960
63 years ago
Production at Luton’s Vauxhall car plant halted because the men were ‘too hot’ Read more…
1963
60 years ago
Registration plate identifiers were introduced in the Britain with the suffix A Read more…
1964
59 years ago
The US government required front seat belts as standard equipment on all newly manufactured new cars Read more…
1965
58 years ago
Jim Clark in a Lotus-Climax celebrated Hogmanay by dominating the South African Grand Prix at East London, leading from pole and breaking the 100mph barrier, winning by half a minute from Graham Hill and John Surtees and even had time to complete an extra lap after the chequered flag was waved a lap too early Read more…
1966
57 years ago
Viewers of the Rose Bowl were first introduced to the new “Leader of the Dodge Rebellion”, the 1966 Dodge Charger Read more…
1967
56 years ago
The ‘blanket’ speed limit of 70 mph in Britain came into force, the first time that such legislation had been applied since the 1930s, apart from the 20mph speed limit imposed in blackout hours during World War II Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Most seat belt legislation in the United States is left to the states Read more…
1968
55 years ago
FIA declared there could be sponsorship on cars participating in racing they sanction, providing the sponsor’s logo was no larger than one square foot Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Collapsible safety-steering columns became mandatory for all US cars. Read more…
1968
55 years ago
The South African Grand Prix held at Kyalami Circuit, the first round of the 1968 Formula One season, contested over 73 laps, was won by two time World Drivers’ Champion and 1965 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Clark for Lotus-Ford after starting from pole position Read more…
1973
50 years ago
All vehicles registered before this day are eligible for a free vehicle licence under the “Historic Vehicles” legislation Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Robert D Lund was named General Manager of Cadillac, succeeding George R Elges Read more…
1973
50 years ago
All vehicles manufactured and driven in Britain after this date had to display number plates of reflex-reflecting material, white at the front and yellow at the rear, with black characters. Read more…
1974
49 years ago
The UK Government introduced a 50mph speed limit to conserve fuel, as oil prices rose five-fold from $2 Read more…
1975
48 years ago
Iveco was created by FIAT manager and mechanical engineer Bruno Beccaria through the merger of five companies operating in Italy, France and Germany; Fiat Veicoli Industriali (located in Turin), OM (Brescia), Lancia Veicoli Speciali (Bolzano), Unic (Trappes) and Magirus (Ulm) Read more…
1975
48 years ago
The Honda Civic CVCC was introduced in the US Read more…
1976
47 years ago
A snarling cougar head was introduced as the new Ford Cougar emblem Read more…
1976
47 years ago
Full driving licences become valid until the age of 70 from 1 January 1976 Read more…
1980
43 years ago
Chrysler UK Ltd became Talbot Motor Co Read more…
1981
42 years ago
The two millionth Fiesta came off Ford’s Cologne (Germany) assembly lines Read more…
1981
42 years ago
Mauri Rose (74), American racecar driver, winner of the Indianapolis 500 three times during the 1940s and inventor of a device that made it possible for amputees to drive an automobile, died aged 85 years Read more…
1981
42 years ago
Roger B Smith was elected Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors Read more…
1982
41 years ago
Ford introduced the Escort convertible in Germany Read more…
1982
41 years ago
Volvo assumed responsibility to market the Renault 5 through its dealer network Read more…
1984
39 years ago
Hong Kong officially had the highest traffic density in the world- 302,118 motor vehicles on 778 Read more…
1985
38 years ago
Audi NSU Auto Union AG was renamed AUDI AG Read more…
1985
38 years ago
US’s first mandatory seat belt law came into effect in New York Read more…
1985
38 years ago
Switzerland began charging its citizens for using public highways Read more…
1988
35 years ago
Dr Ferdinand Piech, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, was named Chairman of Audi NSU Auto Union AG Read more…
1996
27 years ago
The TV channel, which eventually became SPEED Channel was launched by Roger L Read more…
1997
26 years ago
A new test category was created for a car with a large trailer (B+E) Read more…
1999
24 years ago
Ford announced its intention to acquire 51% interest in Norway’s PIVCO Industries, maker of the TH!NK two-seat electric city car Read more…
1999
24 years ago
Sir Alex Trotman, Chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Co Read more…
2001
22 years ago
Alexander Dennis was formed as TransBus International when Mayflower Corporation (owner of Dennis and Alexander) merged with Henlys Group (owner of Plaxton) Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Pop singer Shakin’ Stevens was stopped by the police and was found to have 83 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35mgs Read more…
2003
20 years ago
BMW AG assumed the rights to use the Rolls-Royce marque Read more…
2004
19 years ago
A fee of £38 was payable on the first registration and licensing of a motor vehicle in the United Kingdom Read more…
2004
19 years ago
The Mitsubishi Outlander, Mitsubishi’s first new European car since 2000, went on sale in the UK Read more…
2005
18 years ago
Mandatory tolls were introduced for heavy trucks using the German autobahn system Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Roady’s Truck Stops was founded, when two trucking industry marketing groups merged Read more…
2007
16 years ago
The last appearance of the name Rootes was at a garage, still extant in Maidstone (England), which bore the name Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Former world boxing champion Naseem Hamed was stripped of his MBE after served 16 weeks of a 15-month term in 2006 year for seriously injuring Anthony Burgin in the high speed car crash in Sheffield in May 2005 Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Denver Broncos starting cornerback Darrent Williams was shot dead in a stretch limousine Hummer, in Denver Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Washington became the first US state to ban text messaging while driving Read more…
2015
8 years ago
A total of 103 cars got in sync to burn rubber at the 28th annual Street Machine Summernats in Canberra, Australia, smashing the previous record of 68 vehicles set at the same event in 2013 Read more…
