On this day in…
1832
190 years ago
The Grosvenor Bridge, a single-span arch road bridge constructed from stone, was opened by Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, although it was not open to traffic until November 1833 Read more…
1895
127 years ago
John Henry Knight and his assistant James Pullinger were stopped in Castle Street, Farnham and charged with using a locomotive without a licence Read more…
1902
120 years ago
The first Cadillac, a single-cylinder lightweight vehicle, was given its maiden test drive by Alanson P Read more…
1917
105 years ago
Production began in Dearborn, Michigan of the Fordson, the world’s first mass-produced tractor Read more…
1919
103 years ago
A 10/30 Mercedes fitted with a Roots supercharger began road tests between Degerloch and Echterdingen in Germany Read more…
1922
100 years ago
The 1923 Nash model range was introduced Read more…
1924
98 years ago
H H Kohlsaat (71), publisher of the Chicago Times-Herald 1894-1901 and the sponsor of the first automobile race staged in the US, died Read more…
1925
97 years ago
William Livingstone Jr Read more…
1931
91 years ago
Henry Birkin driving a Maserati 26M won the Mountain Championship at Brooklands Read more…
1933
89 years ago
Barney Oldfield became the first to drive a farm tractor more than one-mile-a-minute, reaching 64 Read more…
1935
87 years ago
The Rolls Royce Phantom III, featuring the marque’s first V-12 engine, was officially introduced Read more…
1935
87 years ago
The first car to carry the Jaguar name – the Jaguar SS90 – was launched to tremendous acclaim at the London Motor Show Read more…
1945
77 years ago
The first post-World War II Cadillac was completed, just 54 days after the last M-54 tank was produced by the company Read more…
1947
75 years ago
Baroness Hélène van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar née de Rothschild (84), the French socialite who entered the 1898 Paris–Amsterdam–Paris Trail using the pseudonym Snail, thus becoming the first woman to compete in an international motor race, died Read more…
1951
71 years ago
The ‘Docker Daimler’, or ‘Gold Car’, appeared at the 1951 London Motor Show Read more…
1956
66 years ago
The Opperman Unicar Model T, was the cheapest car (£400) shown at the 1956 London Motor Show Read more…
1962
60 years ago
Leonard Lee, Chairman of Coventry Climax Engines Ltd, announced the company’s withdrawal from Grand Prix racing Read more…
1962
60 years ago
The Triumph Spitfire was launched at the London Motor Show Read more…
1962
60 years ago
Hyde Park underpass in London was opened, resulting in large traffic jams Read more…
1968
54 years ago
The movie “Bullitt” starring Steve McQueen was released in the US Read more…
1971
51 years ago
Richard Petty took advantage of Bobby Allison’s misfortune to prevail in the Delaware 500 at Dover International Speedway, Delaware, US Read more…
1971
51 years ago
The final race held at Langhorne Speedway (Pennsylvania, US) took place, with Roger Treichler claiming the checkered flag at the National Open for Modified stock cars Read more…
1973
49 years ago
11 Arab oil producers increased oil prices and cut back production in response to the support of the United States and other nations for Israel in the Yom Kippur War Read more…
1974
48 years ago
Nebraska became the first US state to complete all of its mainline interstate highways with the dedication of its final piece of I-80 Read more…
1979
43 years ago
John R Read more…
1981
41 years ago
The Las Vegas Grand Prix also referred to as the Caesar’s Palace Grand Prix was won by Alain Jones in a Ferrari Read more…
1982
40 years ago
Jackie Ickx and Derek Bell drove a Rothmans Porsche 956 to victory in the endurance race at Brands Hatch, England Read more…
1984
38 years ago
The Vauxhall Astra Mark 2 was launched Read more…
1994
28 years ago
Taxicab driver Jeremy Levine returned to London from a round-trip journey to Cape Town, South Africa Read more…
1995
27 years ago
UK petrol prices fell by 9 Read more…
1998
24 years ago
Jeff Gordon passed Kenny Irwin, Jr Read more…
1999
23 years ago
Dario Franchitti won the CART Honda Grand Prix in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia Read more…
2000
22 years ago
Alice Huyler Ramsey, the first woman to drive across the United States from coast to coast, became the first woman inducted into the US Automotive Hall of Fame Read more…
2004
18 years ago
Citroën clinched its second world title at the Corsica Rally, without waiting for the end of the season Read more…
2005
17 years ago
Freddie Mercury’s 1974 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow failed to sell in an eBay auction, having not met its reserve price Read more…
2005
17 years ago
General Motors Corporation and the United Automobile Workers reached a tentative agreement that would help the embattled automaker lower its health care costs even as GM reported a whopping $1 Read more…
