On this day in…
1902
120 years ago
Frenchman M Augieres drove a Mors Z Paris-Vienne internal combustion engined car to a record of 77 Read more…
1916
106 years ago
The Edward G Read more…
1927
95 years ago
The Leyland Titan double deck bus was introduced in Britain Read more…
1929
93 years ago
Gastone Brilli-Peri in an Alfa Romeo P2 won the Tunis Grand Prix run over the street circuit at Le Bardo, west of Tunis Read more…
1950
72 years ago
The Kaiser Golden Dragon, a trim option and later a model of car produced by the American Kaiser Motors Corporation, was introduced Read more…
1954
68 years ago
Chrysler Corporation introduced its 1955 Chrysler, Desoto, Dodge and Plymouth automobiles featuring ‘Forward Look’ styling by Virgil M Exner Read more…
1955
67 years ago
The 1956 Nashes were introduced, featuring ‘Speedline’ styling Read more…
1957
65 years ago
Carroll Shelby, best known by many for his Shelby Cobras and his modified Mustangs, drove John Edgar’s Maserati 450S to victory in an SCCA National race at Riverside, California, US Read more…
1959
63 years ago
Five British police chiefs said that the design and operation of the newly opened M1 was unsatisfactory Read more…
1966
56 years ago
Art Arfons, driving the Green Monster at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, crashed at more than 600 mph, his final attempt at raising the land speed record Read more…
1968
54 years ago
Richard Petty took the lead from David Pearson with 21 laps remaining to win the Georgia 500 at Middle Georgia Raceway’s (US) half-mile asphalt track in Macon Read more…
1969
53 years ago
Reinhardt Stenzel won the Sembach Hill-Climb in Germany driving an Alfa Romeo T33/2 Read more…
1970
52 years ago
An unmanned Soviet lunar probe, Luna 17, soft-landed in the Sea of Rains on the surface of the moon Read more…
1971
51 years ago
The inaugural 2,900 mile Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, from the Red Ball Garage in New York City to the Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach, California was won by Dan Gurney and Brock Yates in a Ferrari Daytona coupe Read more…
1986
36 years ago
Georges Besse (58), who had halved Renault’s deficit, was assassinated outside his Paris home Read more…
1986
36 years ago
Racing driver Rick Mears set a US closed-course record at the Michigan International Speedway Read more…
1987
35 years ago
A 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold for $8 Read more…
1988
34 years ago
34 students of the École supérieure de commerce (France) crammed themselves into a Renault Espace to set a new world record Read more…
1990
32 years ago
David Crosby from Crosby Stills Nash & Young was admitted to hospital after breaking a leg, shoulder and ankle after crashing his Harley Davidson motorbike Read more…
1991
31 years ago
Mark Martin scored his first win of the season in the finale at Atlanta, Georgia (US) Read more…
1993
29 years ago
The M40 Minibus Crash occurred just before midnight Read more…
1998
24 years ago
The brand-new DaimlerChrysler began trading its shares on the New York Stock Exchange Read more…
1998
24 years ago
The new Ford Focus won the prestigious ‘European Car of the Year’ award Read more…
1998
24 years ago
After many years of public debate and argument, the 9 mile Newbury (A34) bypass, Berkshire (England) was officially opened Read more…
2001
21 years ago
Flavio Briatore announced that would remain in charge of the Renault Sport F1 team for the next three years Read more…
2002
20 years ago
Kurt Busch won his fourth race of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway (US) and Tony Stewart coasted to an 18th-place finish to put the lid on his championship campaign Read more…
2003
19 years ago
McLaren announced that Juan Pablo Montoya would be leaving Williams to drive for them in 2005 Read more…
2005
17 years ago
Citroen’s elegant and sophisticated C6 made its very first public appearance in the UK at the MPH ’05 show, at London’s Earls Court Read more…
2008
14 years ago
US Automakers begged governments to save them amid a spreading global recession Read more…
2008
14 years ago
Martin Brundle told the audience at the Autocar Awards in London that he would be commentating with the BBC in 2009 Read more…