On this day in…
1447
576 years ago
The Memminger Chronicle (Germany) mentioned the trial of a carriage “without horse, oxen or people, yet the man who built it sat in it”, an event often cited as the first reference of a self-propelled vehicle Read more…
1839
184 years ago
Charles Goodyear developed rubber vulcanization after accidentally dropping some India rubber mixed with sulfur on a hot stove Read more…
1869
154 years ago
The first traffic lights in the world was installed in London on 9 December 1868 and hailed with immediate enthusiasm Read more…
1897
126 years ago
The first motor van manufactured in Britain was delivered to the South Wales Motor Car & Cycle Co Read more…
1900
123 years ago
The first electric omnibus was installed in New York City Read more…
1904
119 years ago
Charles Scmidt, driving the Packard Gray Wolf car at Daytona Beach, broke US 1-mile and 5-mile sprint records Read more…
1915
108 years ago
Chevrolet introduced its Four-Ninety at the New York Auto Show Read more…
1915
108 years ago
Armand Peugeot (65), French industrialist, pioneer of the automobile industry and the founder of the French firm Peugeot, died Read more…
1915
108 years ago
The legendary Cadillac “The Penalty of Leadership” advertisement appeared in the US newspaper, Saturday Evening Post Read more…
1923
100 years ago
Chevrolet debuted their first air-cooled engine Read more…
1923
100 years ago
Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company was forced into receivership Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Auburn introduced their Series 851 “Super Charged” line of six models, including the Speedster, at the New York Auto Show Read more…
1935
88 years ago
The 1935 Chryslers were introduced Read more…
1947
76 years ago
Production of 1947 Cadillacs officially began, although the cars are essentially identical to the 1946 models Read more…
1953
70 years ago
The Hudson Jet, the automaker’s response to the popular Nash Rambler, was introduced Read more…
1957
66 years ago
The Chrysler Crown Imperial Ghia-bodied limousine was introduced Read more…
1961
62 years ago
The Pat Fairfield Trophy was held at the Roy Hesketh circuit at Pietermaritzburg in South Africa Read more…
1962
61 years ago
The Cape Grand Prix at Killarney, South Africa, was won by British driver Trevor Taylor in a Lotus-Climax 21 Read more…
1965
58 years ago
The first production Renault R16 was completed, just days before it was presented to the press Read more…
1967
56 years ago
The first South Africa Grand Prix held on the Kayalami track near Johannesburg was won by Pedro Rodriguez at the wheel of a Cooper-Maserati Read more…
1969
54 years ago
Terry Ehrich purchased Hemmings Motor News from magazine founder E R ‘Ernie’ Hemmings of Quincy, Illinois, US Read more…
1974
49 years ago
President Nixon signed legislation-requiring states to limit highway speeds to 55 miles-an-hour Read more…
1974
49 years ago
Errett Lobban “E Read more…
1985
38 years ago
The first High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (aka Hummer) rolled off the assembly line of AM General’s South Bend facility in Indiana, US Read more…
1988
35 years ago
After almost 10 years of development, the Lexus brand made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show Read more…
1994
29 years ago
The Chrysler Corporation introduced the Neon compact car Read more…
2000
23 years ago
Jan Barbara Michelle Vusich (28), director of development at Sanford/Pillsbury Productions, died of injuries sustained in an automobile accident on the Pacific Coast Highway in California Read more…
2001
22 years ago
Renault V Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Buddy, the chocolate Labrador retriever owned by the Clinton family was run over by a car near the former President’s home in Chappaqua, New York Read more…
2003
20 years ago
Scion, a marque of vehicles produced by Toyota Motor Corporation founded in 2002 unveiled the production ready concepts, xA and xB, at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show Read more…
2003
20 years ago
The end of the road for Arrows as they were forced to make all 300 staff redundant, calling in the receivers after not getting a place in the 2003 championship Read more…
2004
19 years ago
Six years after the launch of the original Prius and with more than 130,000 examples sold worldwide, Toyota unveiled the second-generation version Read more…
2004
19 years ago
Daniel Bedingfield suffered two fractured vertebrae in his neck after the jeep he was driving rolled over and crashed when on holiday in New Zealand Read more…
2008
15 years ago
A pollution charge road pricing scheme began a trial in Milan Read more…
2014
9 years ago
Italy-based Fiat secured full ownership of Chrysler in a $4 Read more…
2020
3 years ago
Interpol issued a wanted notice for former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who jumped bail in Japan and fled to Lebanon Read more…
