On this day in…
1920
104 years ago
Bugatti delivered its first 16-valve car, a Type 13, to a customer in Basel, Switzerland Read more…
1920
104 years ago
Tazio Nuvolari claimed his first auto racing victory in the 170 mile Verona Cup regularity race driving an Ansaldo Tipo 4 Read more…
1925
99 years ago
The Opel 4/12 bhp “Laubfrosch” (German for tree frog) was exhibited at the Geneva Auto Show Read more…
1928
96 years ago
James Ward Packard, founder of the Ohio Automobile Company and the Packard Motor Car Company, died in Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of 64 Read more…
1930
94 years ago
Clessie L Cummins set the first official world land speed record for diesel-powered cars, reaching 80 Read more…
1936
88 years ago
The BMW 326 made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show, available in 3 versions: a 4-door limousine at a price of 5500 Reichsmark (RM), a 2-door cabriolet at 6550 RM, and a 4-door cabriolet at 7200 RM Read more…
1952
72 years ago
Fiat caused a sensation at the 1952 Geneva Show when it launched the 8V Berlinetta coupe with its exceptionally aggressive styling Read more…
1953
71 years ago
The Kaiser Carolina, a stripped down version of the Kaiser Deluxe, was introduced as a mid-year model Read more…
1955
69 years ago
American race driver Larry Crockett died, at the age of 28, in a crash at the Langhorne speedway Read more…
1957
67 years ago
Mercury discontinued the Turnpike Cruiser convertible Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica after producing 1,265 units Read more…
1966
58 years ago
The Lola T90 Indycar made its debut in the USAC Championship race at Phoenix, Arizona, USA Read more…
1969
55 years ago
Porsche officially submitted the 917 to the FIA for homologation Read more…
1972
52 years ago
The Penske L&M Porsche 917/10 Can-Am racer was unveiled to the press and sponsors at Road Atlanta in Brazelton, Georgia, US Read more…
1977
47 years ago
James Hunt driving a McLaren-Cosworth M23 won the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch Read more…
1985
39 years ago
The Ford Scorpio (Granada in Germany) was launched in Europe; it replaced the Consul and previous Granada Read more…
1988
36 years ago
The last Pontiac Fiero was produced Read more…
1990
34 years ago
Whilst on tour, a semi trailer rammed into a tour bus containing singer Gloria Estefan, husband Emilio, their son and three other passengers at Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, US severely injuring Gloria Read more…
1993
31 years ago
Morgan Shepherd took the lead with 12 laps remaining to win the Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 at Atlanta, Georgia (US) an event postponed six days due to a blizzard Read more…
1994
30 years ago
Michael Andretti won the Australian CART Indy Car race driving a Reynard Read more…
2000
24 years ago
An international jury of journalists, artists and designers awarded the new Opel Astra Coupé with a prize for “The Most Beautiful Car in The World” in a ceremony during the international exhibition “Design in Motion 2000” at the Triennale in Milan, Italy. Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Giulio Alfieri (77), the Italian automobile engineer, affiliated with Maserati in Modena, Italy since 1953, where he was central to the development of racing and production cars in the 1950s and 1960s, died Read more…
2005
19 years ago
The second round of the 2005 Formula 1 championship took place in Malaysia Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Bill Lester became the first African American to start a race at NASCAR’s top level since Willy T Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announced the first ever UK motorway car share lane – on the M606/M62 at junction 26 Read more…
2006
18 years ago
The Highway Agency began a £289 million scheme to widen the M1 motorway in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, between Luton and the M25 Read more…
2008
16 years ago
The X Prize Foundation and sponsor Progressive Casualty Insurance Co Read more…
