On this day in…
1904
120 years ago
The Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Company was incorporated by Jonathan D Maxwell and Benjamin Briscoe with financial help from banker John Pierpont Morgan Read more…
1907
117 years ago
The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost began its 15,000 Miles Official Trial Read more…
1911
113 years ago
A stock Metz roadster left Iron Hill, Maryland at 12:01 AM, and arrived in Winchester, New Hampshire before the days end, having crossed Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont Read more…
1925
99 years ago
The 2nd Coppa Acerbo held in Italy, named after Tito Acerbo, the brother of Giacomo Acerbo, a prominent fascist politician, was won by Guido Ginaldi in an Alfa Romeo RL Read more…
1929
95 years ago
The last MG 14/40 Mk IV was completed Read more…
1930
94 years ago
British cars took the first 4 places at the Le Mans Grand Prix Read more…
1931
93 years ago
The XVII Grand Prix of the AC de France was run to the 10-Hour International Formula, demanding two drivers per car Read more…
1936
88 years ago
The first Hungarian Grand Prix (Magyar Nagydij) was held over a 3 Read more…
1945
79 years ago
The Ford Motor Company of Great Britain commenced post war production of private cars Read more…
1947
77 years ago
William Clay Ford married Martha Firestone, uniting two of the greatest fortunes in the American automotive industry Read more…
1947
77 years ago
The first postwar Mille Miglia (“Thousand Miles”) began in Brescia, Italy Read more…
1953
71 years ago
A record crowd of over 100,000 spectators crammed into the forest track Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps to watch the Belgium Grand Prix Read more…
1953
71 years ago
Dick Rathmann led all the way to win the International 200 at Langhorne Speedway (Philadelphia, US), the first NASCAR event open to both domestic and foreign cars Read more…
1958
66 years ago
Racers Guido Zerneri and Luigi Mora were killed during the Mille Miglia Read more…
1959
65 years ago
Santa Ana Drags dragstrip, the first drag strip in the United States, closed Read more…
1966
58 years ago
Singer Tom Jones needed 14 stitches in his forehead after his Jaguar was involved in a car crash in Marble Arch, London Read more…
1969
55 years ago
Jackie Stewart driving a Matra-Cosworth MS80 claimed victory at the Dutch Grand Prix held at Zandvoort Read more…
1969
55 years ago
Pole-sitter Bobby Isaac dominated at Greenville (South Carolina, US)-Pickens Speedway, leading all but three laps of the Pickens 200 Read more…
1970
54 years ago
The wedge-shaped Lotus 72, with side-mounted radiators, made its debut Read more…
1978
46 years ago
The Aston Martin Volante, the marque’s first 8-cylinder convertible,made its long awaited appearance, almost nine years after the launch of the DBS V8 Read more…
1981
43 years ago
The Spanish Grand Prix held at the Circuito Permanente del Jarama, featured the second closest finish ever of a Formula One race: after Gilles Villeneuve’s Ferrari 126CK, the four following cars finished in just 1 Read more…
1987
37 years ago
Drivers Roy Lambert and Ray Hancock, with navigator John Taylor, completed a 3,609-mile course around Britain in a diesel-powered Ford Fiesta 1600 Read more…
1987
37 years ago
The Detroit Grand Prix held in Detroit, Michigan over 63 laps of the four kilometre circuit for a race distance of 253 kilometres, was won by Ayrton Senna in the active ride suspension equipped Lotus 99T Read more…
1987
37 years ago
Jim Richards drove a BMW M3 to victory in the Australian Touring Car Championship race at Amaroo Park in New South Wales, Australia Read more…
1992
32 years ago
A Jaguar XJ220 driven by British Formula One driver Martin Brundle at the Nardò test track in Italy achieved a speed of 217 Read more…
1992
32 years ago
British racing drivers Derek Warwick and Mark Blundell, helped by Yannick Dalmas won Le Mans 24 hour race ina Peugeot 905, at an average speed of 123 Read more…
1996
28 years ago
The last Corvette of the fourth-generation “C4” body style (used since 1984) was produced and was purchased by Mike Yager, owner of Mid-America Design, for his museum in Illinois Read more…
1998
26 years ago
Jeremy Mayfield held off Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett in a stirring finish to bag his first career NASCAR Winston Cup win in the Pocono 500, Pennsylvania (US) Read more…
1998
26 years ago
Mobile without a car (MoA or MOa), a Germany-wide Car Free Mobility Day was held Read more…
2000
24 years ago
Ford announced that it was to cease car production at its Dagenham plant in east London after 68 years. Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Following England’s victory over Denmark MG Rover Group employees were given an extra day’s holiday to watch England play Brazil Read more…
2005
19 years ago
MINI announced three special 2006 models: MINI One Seven at £12,565, MINI Cooper Park Lane at £15,260, and MINI Cooper S Checkmate at £17,635 Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Three Aston Martin DBSs, which weren’t even yet on sale at the time, were smashed up in one afternoon by the film crew of Casino Royale, the twenty-first Bond film Read more…
2007
17 years ago
The new Maserati GranTurismo was officially unveiled in Britain at London’s Royal Horticultural Halls Read more…
2007
17 years ago
What Diesel Car? magazine voted the Alfa Brera its Best Sports/Coupe, in the publication’s annual Car of the Year Awards Read more…
2008
16 years ago
In New Jersey Scott Kalitta (46) died when his Funny Car crashed and burst into flames during the final round of qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, New Jersey Read more…
2009
15 years ago
The British Grand Prix, contested over 60 laps of the Silverstone circuit was won by Sebastian Vettel, who started on pole, with championship leader Jenson Button finishing in sixth position Read more…
