On this day in…
1836
187 years ago
John McAdam (80), Scottish engineer who introduced the ‘macadamising’ system of road making, died in Moffat, Dumfriesshire Read more…
1908
115 years ago
Louis Wagner drove his Fiat to victory in the first American Grand Prize race, in Savanah, Georgia (US), finishing less than a minute ahead of Victor Hémery’s Benz Read more…
1920
103 years ago
Racer Eddie O’Donnell (33) died in Beverly Hills, California from injuries suffered the previous day when his Duesenberg collided with the Frontenac driven by Gaston Chevrolet Read more…
1927
96 years ago
The Ford Motor Company announced the introduction of the Model A, the first new Ford to enter the market since the Model T was introduced in 1908 Read more…
1927
96 years ago
The Chrysler Imperial Series L80 was introduced Read more…
1929
94 years ago
Leonard C Baldwin (31), Standard Oil Company of New Jersey sales engineer who had been involved in the production of the Hispano-Suiza and Bugatti aero engines during World War I, was killed in an automotive accident Read more…
1931
92 years ago
The first cloverleaf interchange to be built in the United States, at the junction of NJ Rt Read more…
1946
77 years ago
Hearse manufacturer John W Henney, owner if the Henney Motor Company, died in Illinois, US Read more…
1946
77 years ago
The Dearborn Motors Corporation was organised to market Ford tractors Read more…
1948
75 years ago
The first Holden automobile was produced Read more…
1958
65 years ago
The FIA approved flame-proof clothing, a move considered long overdue given the high number of injuries and fatalities in the sport Read more…
1963
60 years ago
A German Ford Taunus 12M set a world automotive endurance record of 221,475 miles—equal to a one-way trip to the moon Read more…
1963
60 years ago
The Porsche Carrera GTS Type 904 was introduced Read more…
1966
57 years ago
Mangusta, the first De Tomaso produced in significant numbers was introduced Read more…
1967
56 years ago
Dan Gurney drove an Eagle to victory in the Rex Mays 200 Indycar race at Riverside, California, USA Read more…
1968
55 years ago
The Audi 100 was shown to the press at the Ingolstadt City Theatre, Germany Read more…
1971
52 years ago
The Austin Apache was launched in South Africa Read more…
1972
51 years ago
The Bertone X1/9, a badge-engineered version of the discontinued Fiat X1/9, was introduced at the Birmingham (UK) Motor Show Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Peter Walker, the UK’s Secretary for Trade and Industry, told the House of Commons that due to the Middle East crisis the government was printing 16 million petrol-ration books Read more…
1975
48 years ago
Timo Makinen and Henry Liddon won the RAC Rally with a Ford Escort RS1800 Read more…
1980
43 years ago
Peter DePaolo, who won a dazzling victory at the 1925 Indy 500, died at the age of 82 Read more…
1986
37 years ago
Ernesto Prinoth (58), racing driver from Italy, and founder of Prinoth AG, manufacturer of snow grooming vehicles and equipment, died Read more…
1994
29 years ago
British car designer David Bache (69) died Read more…
1997
26 years ago
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, formally opened Pakistan’s first stretch of motorway (M2), which went from the capital, Islamabad, to the capital of Punjab province, Lahore Read more…
2000
23 years ago
Richard Burns and Robert Reid won Great Britain Rally with a Subaru Impreza WRC Read more…
2001
22 years ago
Marcus Gronholm and Timo Rautiainen won Great Britain Rally with a Peugeot 206 WRC Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Niki Lauda was asked to stand aside as team principal of Jaguar by Richard Parry-Jones, the head of the Formula One programme for Ford, which owned the team Read more…
2005
18 years ago
The new Porsche Cayman S went on sale in the UK Read more…
2006
17 years ago
A bus collided with a truck southwest of Teheran, Iran, killing 13 and injuring 17 Read more…
2006
17 years ago
David Hermance (59), a US engineer for Toyota, was killed when his experimental plane, a Interavia E-3, crashed off San Pedro near Los Angeles, California Read more…
2007
16 years ago
The first production Jaguar XF was driven out of the Castle Bromwich factory, near Birmingham (UK) Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Bernie Ecclestone unveiled proposals to revamp the Formula One points system by awarding gold, silver and bronze medals for the podium places Read more…
