On this day in…
1896
127 years ago
The Arnold prototype, a German-made Benz with an engine designed by William Arnold, made its initial test run from East Peckham, Kent, England to Bromley and return Read more…
1899
124 years ago
1903
120 years ago
Sales Manager Charles Wardle was dismissed because it was found ‘his services can be dispensed with’ – becoming the first employee of the Ford Motor Company to be terminated Read more…
1904
119 years ago
French road racing cyclist and racing driver, Paul Baras set a new world land speed record Read more…
1908
115 years ago
The Ford Model T made its world show debut at the Olympia Motor Exhibition in London, just weeks after production had begun in Detroit Read more…
1916
107 years ago
The 20-year-old Errett Lobban Cord, the genius behind the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg family of automobiles won his first motor race in Arizona driving a Paige Read more…
1927
96 years ago
The Holland Tunnel between New York City and Jersey City was officially opened when US President Calvin Coolidge telegraphed a signal from the presidential yacht Mayflower, anchored in the Potomac River Read more…
1928
95 years ago
Capt Read more…
1934
89 years ago
The 10 millionth Chevrolet was produced, a 1935 Standard 4-door Sedan built in Flint, Michigan Read more…
1934
89 years ago
The 10,000,000th Chevrolet was produced, a 1935 Standard 4-door sedan built in Flint, Michigan, US that would later be presented to the Flint Fire Department Read more…
1940
83 years ago
The first Willys-built Jeep prototype was presented to the United States Army for testing Read more…
1947
76 years ago
The 20 millionth Chevrolet was produced Read more…
1953
70 years ago
The first-ever Seat car, a 1400 model, rolled off the assembly line in Barcelona, Spain Read more…
1955
68 years ago
Pole-starter Tim Flock fended off hard-charging Curtis Turner to win at Hickory (North Carolina, US) Speedway’s 0 Read more…
1958
65 years ago
Dr Heinz Nordhoff, President of Volkswagenwerk AG, and the late Dr Ferdinand Porsche were given the 1958 Elmer A Sperry Award for the design of the Volkswagen Beetle Read more…
1966
57 years ago
British driver John Surtees won the final race of the inaugural Can-Am season, in the Las Vegas Valley in Nevada, driving a Chevrolet-powered Lola T70, to become the series’ first champion Read more…
1971
52 years ago
The film Duel, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson, based on Matheson’s short story of the same name, was released Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Jerry Lee Lewis Jr (19) was killed in a car accident near Hernando, Mississippi Read more…
1973
50 years ago
The Copper Development Association leased their experimental CDA Electric van to Birmingham, MI Waster Meter Department to test vehicle’s feasibility under real-world conditions Read more…
1974
49 years ago
Karen Silkwood was killed at the age of 28 in a car accident near Crescent, Oklahoma, north of Oklahoma City Read more…
1986
37 years ago
Racer Franco Cortese (83), winner of the 1951 Targa Florio, died Read more…
1988
35 years ago
Alain Prost recorded his 35th career win at the Australian Grand Prix despite suffering major handling problems after hitting debris while McLaren team-mate Ayrton Senna took second despite a malfunctioning gearbox Read more…
1990
33 years ago
SEAT produced its 8 millionth vehicle, coinciding with the company’s 37th anniversary of production Read more…
1994
29 years ago
Michael Schumacher won his first World Driver’s Championship in controversial style at the Australian Grand Prix Read more…
1995
28 years ago
Mika Hakkinen left the intensive care unit after his life threatening crash during practice for the Australian Grand Prix just over a week earlier Read more…
1997
26 years ago
Larry Shinoda (67) died of a heart attack at his home in Novi, Michigan, US Read more…
1999
24 years ago
Bob Sutherland (56), creator of the Colorado Grande, California Mille, and the Copperstate 1000 road races, died Read more…
2005
18 years ago
French police took 212 people into custody overnight Read more…
2005
18 years ago
Nigel Mansell was on the top step of the podium again after winning the Altech Grand Prix Masters in Kyalami, South Africa from Emerson Fittipaldi in front of a crowd of 70,000 Read more…
2005
18 years ago
Motor Trend magazine named Tesla Model S its 2013 Car of the Year, the first time a non-petrol-powered vehicle received the honour Read more…
2009
14 years ago
The Dutch government announced it would bring the polluter-pays principle into the home garage Read more…
