On this day in…
1883
139 years ago
The Long steam tricycle was patented in the US by George A Read more…
1907
115 years ago
The fourth Glidden Tour began in Cleveland, Ohio, with an indirect route to Chicago, Illinois, and then back to New York City Read more…
1907
115 years ago
A post office – a sign of permanent settlement–was established at the north end of Tampa Bay, Florida, serving a settlement that would become Oldsmar, Florida, a planned community financed by Oldsmobile icon Ransom Eli Olds Read more…
1912
110 years ago
The White “Whistling Billy” steamer race car was written-off when Chris Dundee crashed during in a race in Portland , Oregon, US Read more…
1916
106 years ago
Woodrow Wilson toured the Highland Part, Michigan plant of the Ford Motor Company, marking the first time that a sitting President had visited an automobile factory Read more…
1920
102 years ago
The Available Truck Company of Chicago, Illinois, registered “Available” as a trademark Read more…
1927
95 years ago
The legendary Rheims circuit staged its first major race, the Grand Prix de la Marne, won by Philippe Etancelin in a Maserati Read more…
1931
91 years ago
The Bentley Company found it could no longer meet its financial obligations and, with Chairman Woolf Barnato unwilling to continue baling it out, it was put into receivership Read more…
1949
73 years ago
The second race of the inaugural NASCAR Strictly Stock season was held at the Daytona Beach Road Course (Florida, US) Read more…
1950
72 years ago
New York City imported car dealer Max Hoffman received a shipment of twenty Volkswagens, the first to be imported into the United States Read more…
1955
67 years ago
Jerry Hoyt (26) died while taking part in a sprint race in Oklahoma City Read more…
1957
65 years ago
Driver Stirling Moss and project manager George Eyston sailed on board the Queen Mary from England to the US, where they would attempt class Land Speed Record runs for MG Read more…
1958
64 years ago
The Trabant, that started out as East Germany’s answer to the Volkswagen Beetle as the people’s affordable car, went into regular production Read more…
1958
64 years ago
Britain’s first parking meters started operating in Mayfair Read more…
1962
60 years ago
The first motorway in Ireland, M1, from Belfast to Dungannon through County Down and County Armagh, opened Read more…
1962
60 years ago
The US Patent Office issued a patent for a three-point automobile safety belt “for use in vehicles, especially road vehicles” to Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin Read more…
1965
57 years ago
It was a British 1-2-3-4-5 at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, with Jim Clark winning the race for Lotus, followed by Graham Hill, John Surtees, Mike Spence and Jackie Stewart. The race itself was dramatic Read more…
1969
53 years ago
The one millionth Citroen DS rolled off the production line: a DS 21 with gold bodywork Read more…
1973
49 years ago
11 July 1972: The first-generation Honda Civic was introduced, but sold as a 1973 model in Japan Read more…
1978
44 years ago
The Driver, a crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill, starring Ryan O’Neal, Bruce Dern, and Isabelle Adjani, was released Read more…
1979
43 years ago
Peugeot announced the revival of the ‘Talbot’ trade name Read more…
1986
36 years ago
Ford acquired 10 percent interest in Kia Motor Company of South Korea Read more…
1986
36 years ago
Austin Rover launched its new Honda-based Rover 800 executive car, which replaced the decade-old Rover SD1 and was part of a joint venture with Japanese carmaker Honda Read more…
1988
34 years ago
Ayrton Senna won a wet British Grand Prix at Silverstone, but the loudest cheers of the day were reserved for Nigel Mansell who chipped his way through the field to take second Read more…
1994
28 years ago
What started as a poor weekend for Damon Hill when the suspension on his Williams fell apart on the first practice lap finished with him winning the British Grand Prix Read more…
1994
28 years ago
Ricky Rudd, in his first season as owner/driver, ran down Dale Earnhardt and scored a close win in the Slick 50 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway (US) Read more…
2003
19 years ago
21 died in the Tuen Mun Road bus accident, Hong Kong, when a bus plunged off a motorway viaduct after being hit by lorry Read more…
2003
19 years ago
Details of BMW’s new 6 Series were announced Read more…
2003
19 years ago
Rover built its five-millionth car since production began in 1904, a 75 Saloon Read more…
2005
17 years ago
Before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, a minute of silence was held as a mark of respect for those who had lost their lives in the London bombings three days earlier Read more…
2008
14 years ago
Dick Dean (73), American automobile designer and builder of custom cars, died Read more…
2008
14 years ago
Tony Stewart announced he is leaving Joe Gibbs Racing and would be driver and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing Read more…
2009
13 years ago
A 1925 Bugatti Brescia Type 22 which had lying at the bottom of Lake Maggiore on the border of Switzerland and Italy for 75 years was recovered Read more…
2011
11 years ago
Fernando Alonso won the British Grand Prix for Ferrari Read more…
2012
10 years ago
Ten years after their first WRC win, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena shattered the standing records in motorsports when they clinched their ninth WRC title in Alsace, France Read more…
2018
4 years ago
Germany-based BMW Group and the biggest Chinese SUV brand, Great Wall Motor, announced a partnership to produce electric MINI vehicles in China as global automakers ramped up development under pressure from Beijing Read more…
