On this day in…
1860
163 years ago
Charles Goodyear (59), American inventor of vulcanised rubber, died a pauper Read more…
1898
125 years ago
German-Austrian inventor and automobile pioneer, Siegfried Samuel Marcus (66), died Read more…
1899
124 years ago
Mme Labrousse, believed to be the first woman to compete in an automotive speed event, finished fifth in the Paris-Spa race Read more…
1900
123 years ago
Vincenzo Lancia made his racing debut, winning a speed trial at Padua, Italy in a 6-hp Fiat Read more…
1904
119 years ago
The first Rover prototype 8hp was completed Read more…
1905
118 years ago
The Office of Public Roads (OPR) was established in the US, successor to the Office of Road Inquiry created in 1893 Read more…
1907
116 years ago
The Welseley Tool and Motor Car Company Limited in Birmingham, England, issued an internal order to build three race cars to be run in the Coppa Florio in Italy, later in the year Read more…
1909
114 years ago
A contract was signed by William C Durant and Henry M Leland leading to the acquisition of the Cadillac Motor Car Company by General Motors Read more…
1910
113 years ago
Maryland (US) state-issued license plates were introduced Read more…
1911
112 years ago
Charles Kettering announced his invention of the self-starter for automobiles Read more…
1913
110 years ago
The Lincoln Highway Association decided to call its coast-to-coast highway the Lincoln Highway, and it was officially incorporated as the Lincoln Highway Association Read more…
1920
103 years ago
The 500,000th Dodge automobile was produced Read more…
1924
99 years ago
UK Police warned cyclists to avoid roads heavily used by cars, following a steep rise in fatal accidents Read more…
1925
98 years ago
Ground breaking ceremonies were held for the Ford Motor Company of Australia, PL factory in Geelong, Victoria Read more…
1927
96 years ago
Production of Protos cars ended after 27 years Read more…
1929
94 years ago
The Hudson Motor Car Company introduced the Dover light commercial vehicles, based on the Essex chassis Read more…
1930
93 years ago
Carl Wickman’s bus empire Northland Transportation Company extended its bus service across the United States and became known as The Greyhound Corporation and adopted the running dog as its trademark Read more…
1931
92 years ago
The first Canadian-built Graham Prosperity Six was produced Read more…
1931
92 years ago
An era ended on the New York City subway system as the nickel ride came to an end when there was a 100 percent increase to a dime Read more…
1933
90 years ago
Albert Russel Erskine (62), Studebaker’s President from 1915 until it the firm encountered severe financial problems in 1933 committed suicide by shooting himself Read more…
1934
89 years ago
The French Grand Prix (formally the XX Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France) held at Montlhéry over 40 laps of the 12 Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Lord Nuffield (Sir William Norris) sold the MG Car Company Ltd and Wolseley Motors Ltd to the public corporation Morris Motors Ltd Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Neoplan Bus GmbH, the German automotive company that manufactures buses, trolleybuses and coaches, was founded Read more…
1941
82 years ago
Australian adventurer, Francis Edwin Birtles (61), who set many long-distance cycling and driving records, including becoming in 1927 the first man to drive a car from England to Australia, died Read more…
1946
77 years ago
The Master Tire and Rubber Company changed its name to the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Read more…
1948
75 years ago
Italian racing driver Archille Varzi (43) died during practise for the Swiss Grand Prix Read more…
1951
72 years ago
Round 4 four of the 1951 World Drivers’ Championship, the French Grand Prix was won by Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli driving an Alfa Romeo 159 Read more…
1952
71 years ago
The first NASCAR Grand National event staged outside the U Read more…
1953
70 years ago
Packard introduced air conditioning as a $625 option, and hired Ray Powers of LIncoln-Mercury as Vice President for manufacturing Read more…
1956
67 years ago
The Highway Revenue Act of 1956 was put into effect by Congress, outlining a policy of taxation with the aim of creating a fund for the construction of over 42,500 miles of interstate highways over a period of 13 years Read more…
1956
67 years ago
Peter Collins showed his win at Spa was no fluke with a thrilling victory over Ferrari team-mate Eugenio Castellotti at the French Grand Prix, a result which gave him a four-and-a-half point lead in the drivers’ championship Read more…
1959
64 years ago
The Chrysler Corporation reorganised into three automotive divisions – Chrysler-Imperial, Dodge and Plymouth-DeSoto Read more…
1961
62 years ago
Learner riders in Britain were restricted to machines of 250 cc capacity, to try to reduce motorcyclist fatality figures Read more…
1962
61 years ago
Racer Hugh Randall (29) died when his Vargo Special crashed during the 100-mile USAC Championship Race in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, US Read more…
1965
58 years ago
Matra recorded its first racing victory, with Jean-Pierre Beltoise winning the Formula 3 International Trophy race at Reims, France Read more…
1969
54 years ago
John Lennon and Yoko Ono were hospitalized after a car crash Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Ayrton Senna entered and won his first go-kart race Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Swede Ronnie Peterson in a Lotus-Cosworth 72E, won his first Formula 1 race, the French Grand Prix held at the Paul Ricard Circuit Read more…
1979
44 years ago
The French Grand Prix was held at Dijon Read more…
1980
43 years ago
A consortium headed by Aston Martin-Lagona failed in its attempt to buy British Leyland’s MG Works at Abingdon Read more…
1980
43 years ago
British Leyland (BL) launched the Morris Ital Read more…
1981
42 years ago
Rushton Moreve, bass player with Steppenwolf (1968 US No Read more…
1989
34 years ago
Davey Allison took control when pole-starter Mark Martin runs out of fuel while leading with five laps left to win the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, Florida, US Read more…
1992
31 years ago
Ford acquired 50 percent of Mazda Motor Manufacturing and renamed the company AutoAlliance International Read more…
1995
28 years ago
Jeff Gordon held off Dale Earnhardt in a one lap dash to the checkers after a late caution to win the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
1996
27 years ago
A separate written-theory driving test was introduced in Britain, replacing questions asked about the Highway Code during the practical test. Read more…
1997
26 years ago
Ferrari acquired 50% of Maserati and total managerial control Read more…
1997
26 years ago
The Lincoln Navigator, a full-size luxury SUV marketed and sold by the Lincoln brand of Ford Motor Company was introduced in the United States Read more…
1998
25 years ago
Production of the rear-engined two-door, two-seat mono-box city car, the 2 Read more…
2000
23 years ago
Radiance, a sleek solar car built by the Queen’s University Solar Vehicle Team of Ontario, Canada, began a 29 day, 4,376 Read more…
2000
23 years ago
Jeff Burton held off the competition to win the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway Read more…
2001
22 years ago
Contested over 72 laps, the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours was won by Michael Schumacher driving a Ferrari car, from a second position start Read more…
2002
21 years ago
A bus traveling from Poland to Bosnia flipped over at a roundabout near Lake Balaton in Hungary, killing 19 Read more…
2003
20 years ago
Tesla, Inc Read more…
2004
19 years ago
The Mitsubishi Grandis went on sale in the UK – with prices ranging from £18,499 to £22,999 Read more…
2005
18 years ago
The last Thunderbird (eleventh generation), Ford Motor Company’s iconic sports car, emerged from a Ford factory in Wixom, Michigan, US Read more…
2006
17 years ago
A1 Grand Prix underwent an official branding change and the series officially became known as A1GP World Cup of Motorsport to better convey its nation versus nation concept Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Contested over 70 laps of the Magny-Cours Circuit, the French Grand Prix was won by Kimi Räikkönen for the Ferrari team after starting from third position Read more…
2007
16 years ago
A Vauxhall 30-98, was auctioned by Bonham& Goodman in Sydney, Australia for £176,321(AUD$417,195) including premium Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Talal Ali Mohammad Khouri, a businessman and member of the board of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, paid £1,491,743 or Dh11 million for the single-digit number plate “7” at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Almost four years after the release of the first Logan, a face-lifted version called the Dacia New Logan was announced Read more…
2009
14 years ago
The US government ‘cash for clunkers’ program began Read more…
2011
12 years ago
Mercedes-Benz USA took over the distribution, sales and marketing of the Smart brand from Penske Automotive Group Read more…
2019
4 years ago
Paris banned all diesel vehicles aged 13 years or over from the city centre, the latest move in a campaign to tackle pollution on the city’s streets Read more…