On this day in…
1897
128 years ago
Emile Levassor (54) died from complications arising from injuries suffered near La Palud, France during the Paris-Marseille road-race Read more…
1899
126 years ago
Ettore Bugatti in a Prinetti & Stucchi 3 won the 100 mile (161 km) Verona-Brescia-Mantua-Verona road race in just over 5 hours Read more…
1903
122 years ago
The first Boston Auto Show was held in Symphony Hall, Boston, US Read more…
1909
116 years ago
Prosper L’Orange, Benz engineer, was issued with a patent for a pre-combustion chamber type diesel engine that led to the manufacturing of diesel-powered automobiles Read more…
1910
115 years ago
Antonio Santoni was issued an Italian patent for his centrifugal supercharger Read more…
1922
103 years ago
John “Jack” Mack, who co-founded what would become one of North America’s largest makers of heavy-duty trucks, was killed when his car collided with a trolley in Pennsylvania Read more…
1935
90 years ago
The great “romantic” age of South American road racing began with the start of the first Gran Premio International Read more…
1937
88 years ago
Tommy Elmore drove a Ford V-8 Special to victory in a 100 mile Stock Car race on a 1 mile beach course in Florida Read more…
1951
74 years ago
Plymouth introduced its XX500 prototype showcar Read more…
1952
73 years ago
The 1952 Nash Ambassador and Statesman were introduced Read more…
1954
71 years ago
Jim Kimberly won a 150 mile Sports Car race on a 5 mile airport course at Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, US Read more…
1954
71 years ago
The Fiat experimental gas-turbine car, the Turbina, was given its first road test Read more…
1957
68 years ago
Eugenio Castellotti (26) was killed during a private Ferrari test session at the Modena Autodrome Read more…
1957
68 years ago
The Ford Skyliner with a retractable hardtop was introduced, with the first car presented to US President Dwight D Eisenhower Read more…
1957
68 years ago
World preview of the Maserati 3500GT 2+2 seater sports coupé at the Geneva Motor Show, that also saw the launch of the Ferrari 250TR Read more…
1957
68 years ago
The new Meadows Frisky made its first public appearance at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show, with fibreglass bodywork designed by top Italian stylist Michelotti and produced by Vignale of Turin Read more…
1958
67 years ago
The first ‘For Sale’ Series II Land Rover vehicles rolled off the production line Read more…
1962
63 years ago
General Motors produced its 75,000,000th car, a 1962 Pontiac Bonneville convertible Read more…
1962
63 years ago
The Ford Motor Company dropped plans to produce the sub-compact Cardinal in the US – the car debuted in Germany as the 1963 Taunus 12M Read more…
1963
62 years ago
Mercedes caused a sensation at the Geneva Show with the 230S Read more…
1964
61 years ago
The first Ford Mustang was inadvertently sold to Stanley Tucker of Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada three days before the car’s official launch Read more…
1964
61 years ago
The Daily Mirror Trophy at Snetterton, England was won by Innes Ireland in a BRP-BRM 1 Read more…
1965
60 years ago
The 1,500,000th Volkswagen Transporter was produced Read more…
1968
57 years ago
Launched at the Geneva Motor Show, the Lamborghini Islero 400 GT featured an aluminum, quad cam V12 engine; all wheel independent suspension and disc brakes; comprehensive cockpit fittings and luxury interiors Read more…
1972
53 years ago
David Pearson drove a Chevrolet Camaro to victory as NASCAR inaugurated it’s new Grand National East division with a 100 mile race on the 1/2 mile dirt Jacksonville Speedway Read more…
1974
51 years ago
The Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6 Read more…
1974
51 years ago
The Lamborghini Countach LP400 production vehicle debuted at the Geneva Motor Show Read more…
1976
49 years ago
Bobby Unser drove a Drake-Offenhauser powered Eagle to victory in the USAC Championship race at Phoenix, Arizona, US Read more…
1976
49 years ago
James Hunt won his second consecutive non-championship Race of Champions at Brands Hatch with his McLaren M23 Read more…
1979
46 years ago
The former administration building of the Willys-Overland Company in Toledo, Ohio, US was demolished to make room for a parking lot Read more…
1984
41 years ago
Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams, was shot and wounded in an attack in central Belfast when his car was riddled with bullets Read more…
1990
35 years ago
The Mazda MX-5 went on sale in the UK, priced at £14,249 Read more…
1992
33 years ago
Jeff Gordon notched his first-ever NASCAR victory, starting from the pole and dominating the Atlanta 300 Busch Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Georgia, US Read more…
1993
32 years ago
The Sauber made its Formula 1 debut in the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami with a Type C12 driven by J J Lehto finishing 5th Read more…
1993
32 years ago
The last South African Grand Prix was held at Kyalami Read more…
2001
24 years ago
Jackie Stewart, a long-time campaigner for a safer sport, called on the FIA to ensure stewards were properly protected Read more…
2001
24 years ago
Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell was banned from driving for six weeks and fined £400 for speeding in her Aston Martin DB7 Read more…
2005
20 years ago
Subaru sold its three-millionth Legacy worldwide Read more…
