On this day in…
1903
120 years ago
The Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated in Michigan, US Read more…
1905
118 years ago
Léon Théry won the Gordon Bennett Elimination Trial in the Auvergne, France, driving a 96 hp (72 kW; 97 PS) Read more…
1917
106 years ago
American Harry Miller completed the Golden Submarine, a new kind of car with a metal roll cage inside the driver’s compartment, for renowned US racer Barney Oldfield Read more…
1928
95 years ago
A monument honouring racer Louis Zborowski was dedicated at Le Mans, France Read more…
1929
94 years ago
The British overseas territory of Gibraltar changed to driving on the right hand side of the road, in order to avoid accidents involving vehicles from Spain Read more…
1929
94 years ago
Bentleys swept the first four places at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Read more…
1930
93 years ago
Elmer A Sperry (69), inventor of the Sperry Gyroscope and cofounder of the Sperry Rand Corporation, but remembered in automotive circles as the designer of the Sperry Electric of 1899-1901 and pioneering the usage of disc brakes, died in Brooklyn, New York Read more…
1935
88 years ago
The IX Adac Eifelrennen at Nürburgring was started by the new coloured light system (red, yellow and 15 seconds later green) Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Robert Cazaux (29) in a Bugatti T35B, won at Sézanne, France Read more…
1935
88 years ago
At the Florence – Lucca autostrada, Tazio Nuvolari driving an Alfa Romeo 6 Read more…
1937
86 years ago
The Long Island Motor Parkway Corporation dissolved after 31 years and donated the deeds of its pioneering toll highway to the public Read more…
1945
78 years ago
The Willys Universal, the first civilian Jeep, was introduced Read more…
1948
75 years ago
Double yellow lines were used for the first time to restrict parking on British roads Read more…
1951
72 years ago
Driving a Studebaker, Frank Mundy won the 100-mile NASCAR Grand National event on a Saturday night at Columbia Speedway in South Carolina Read more…
1953
70 years ago
Ford Rotunda, closed to the public during World War II, reopened on the company’s 50th anniversary Read more…
1953
70 years ago
The Ford Motor Company sponsored a two-hour television special to celebrate its 50th year of existence that was broadcast live on both CBS and NBC Read more…
1954
69 years ago
The Chrysler Corporation opened the new Chelsea (Michigan, US) Proving Grounds Read more…
1964
59 years ago
The 8,000,000th Volkswagen was produced Read more…
1965
58 years ago
The 7 Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Don Garlits won the Top Fuel Finals at the fourth annual NHRA Spring Nationals drag races at Englishtown, New Jersey, USA Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Donnie Allison roared to his first triumph in NASCAR’s premier series, finishing two laps ahead of his brother Bobby at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham (US) Read more…
1972
51 years ago
The first race was staged at the new circuit near Estoril, Portugal Read more…
1978
45 years ago
Ford Motor Company marked its 75th anniversary with observances at World Headquarters and around the globe Read more…
1985
38 years ago
Michele Alboreto in a Ferrari 156/85 won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal Read more…
1991
32 years ago
Riccardo Patrese in a Williams-Renault FW14 won the Mexican Grand Prix held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit Read more…
1996
27 years ago
The Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was won by Damon Hill driving a Williams-Renault FW18, ahead of home hero Jacques Villeneuve, Gilles’ son Read more…
1996
27 years ago
Jeff Gordon rolled to his fifth win of the season at Pocono, Tennessee (US) Read more…
2000
23 years ago
The newest Ford dealership in Europe, believed to be the world’s first purpose-built ‘green’ dealer facility, opened at Umeå in northern Sweden Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Ford concept and memorabilia auction with Christie’s raised $4,365,968 for Ford Fund charities Read more…
2003
20 years ago
Ford Motor Company celebrated its centenary Read more…
2006
17 years ago
The 8-mile Hsuehshan Tunnel in Taiwan opened to traffic, connecting the city of Taipei to the north-eastern county of Yilan and cutting down the journey time from 2 hours to just 30 minutes Read more…
2007
16 years ago
The Volkswagen Golf GTI W12 concept made its UK debut at the GTI International show, an independently organised event at Bruntingthorpe proving ground in Leicestershire Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Australian Troy Critchley, 36, was driving in a charity event in Selmer, Tennessee, on Saturday, when his drag racing car skidded off the road and into hundreds of spectators, who were not protected by guard rails Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Zero emission, hydrogen fuel cell cars rolled off line for first time Read more…
2009
14 years ago
GM and Sweden’s Koenigsegg said they had struck a deal for Koenigsegg, a niche manufacturer of some of the world’s fastest and most expensive sports cars, to buy loss-making Saab Automobile from General Motors Read more…
2009
14 years ago
A new hydrogen car designed for use in cities and backed by Sebastian Piech, a relative of the founder of German luxury sportscar maker Porsche, was unveiled in London Read more…
