On this day in…
1847
175 years ago
The world’s first sale of pneumatic tires was made to Lord Lorane of Albany Park, Guilford, England Read more…
1883
139 years ago
Benz & Company Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik, usually referred to as, Benz & Cie, was founded by Karl Benz, FriedrichWilhelm Esslinger and Heinrich Kleyer in in Mannheim, Germany Read more…
1896
126 years ago
The first Mercedes truck, of 1 Read more…
1896
126 years ago
The Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club was founded Read more…
1899
123 years ago
‘Levegh’ driving a Mors 16 hp won the 163 mile (262 Read more…
1903
119 years ago
The Ford Motor Company was immediately profitable Read more…
1908
114 years ago
The first Ford overseas sales branch opens in Paris, France Read more…
1908
114 years ago
The Ford Model T was introduced to the American public, and Ford’s affordable revolution had begun Read more…
1909
113 years ago
Ford opened a sales company in London, England Read more…
1910
112 years ago
The Vanderbilt Cup was won by Harry Grant in an ALCO-6 Read more…
1911
111 years ago
Ford opened its first an assembly plant outside North America, a former tram factory in Trafford Park, Manchester, England, employing 60 staff to assemble the Ford Model T Read more…
1912
110 years ago
David Bruce-Brown (25), an American racecar driver, was killed during practice for the 1912 American Grand Prize and Vanderbilt Cup races held in Milwaukee Read more…
1913
109 years ago
Eugene J Read more…
1915
107 years ago
The Henry Ford Hospital opened in Detroit, Michigan, US Read more…
1925
97 years ago
Dodge Brothers, Inc Read more…
1927
95 years ago
The II Royal Automobile Club Grand Prix, commonly referred to as the 1927 British Grand Prix was held at the Brooklands circuit Read more…
1929
93 years ago
The 1930 Nash Motor Company’s model range were introduced, including the new top-of-the-line Series 490 Read more…
1931
91 years ago
Oxford Street’s new traffic lights in London were reported to speed up evening rush-hour traffic by 90 per cent Read more…
1931
91 years ago
Production began at Ford’s Dagenham Plant in east London, then Europe’s largest factory Read more…
1933
89 years ago
The 1934 Nash Motor Company’s model range were introduced featuring new styling by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky Read more…
1936
86 years ago
At the Paris Motor Show, Citroën presented its first diesel-powered light utility vehicles: the 500DI (500 kg diesel), the 850DI (850 kg diesel) and the 23DI (1,500 kg diesel) Read more…
1939
83 years ago
Buses began replacing trams in Sydney, Australia and heralded the end of the tram network Read more…
1940
82 years ago
The Pennsylvania Turnpike, America’s first example of a toll superhighway, officially opened for service on this day Read more…
1943
79 years ago
The GMC Truck & Coach Division of General Motors was created from the former Yellow Truck & Coach Manufacturing Company Read more…
1947
75 years ago
Austin unveiled the A40, to replace the ‘8’ and ‘10’ models Read more…
1954
68 years ago
Packard purchased Studebaker, creating the Studebaker-Packard Corporation Read more…
1955
67 years ago
The Ohio Turnpike opened to the public Read more…
1959
63 years ago
General Motors stylists began developing the XP-727, a clay mock-up that would evolve into the front wheel drive 1967 Cadillac Eldorado sport coupe Read more…
1961
61 years ago
Rex White passed pole-sitter Junior Johnson just past halfway to win the Wilkes 200 at North Wilkesboro (North Carolina, US) Speedway Read more…
1963
59 years ago
The Pontiac GTO was introduced as an option package for the deluxe Tempest, available with the two-door coupe, hardtop, and convertible body styles Read more…
1964
58 years ago
Ferrari introduced the 275 GTB at the Paris Motor Show Read more…
1964
58 years ago
The first traffic to use the new £5-million Leicestershire (England) section of the M1 was led by two white, police-patrol Jaguars, which travelled from Misterton to Crick at 7 Read more…
1964
58 years ago
The 1965 Ford Mustangs were officially introduced, including the new 2+2 fastback coupe Read more…
1967
55 years ago
Richard Petty beat Dick Hutcherson by two laps at North Wilkesboro, to win his milestone 75th NASCAR Grand National Series race, and record his 10th consecutive victory Read more…
1967
55 years ago
Jim Clark finished six seconds ahead of Lotus teammate Graham Hill after nursing his limping car through the final two laps, to win his third and final American Grand Prix Read more…
1968
54 years ago
The 1969 AMC models were introduced, including the last cars to bear the historic Rambler name Read more…
1969
53 years ago
Austin 1300GT and Morris 1300GT were both launched (OTR £910) in Britain Read more…
1970
52 years ago
The Citroën GS, part of a new wave of forward thinking European saloons that rode on a crest of a wave with cars such as the Alfasud and Fiat 128, was introduced in Paris Read more…
1976
46 years ago
The Bristol Britannia was introduced as the successor to the Bristol 603 Read more…
1978
44 years ago
Carlos Reutemann won the US Grand Prix, the fourth and final win in his last season before leaving Ferrari, while championship leader Mario Andretti, driving the JPS team’s second car after an accident in practice, retired when his engine blew Read more…
1979
43 years ago
Rear fog lamps become mandatory in Britain for most vehicles manufactured after this day and used from 1 April 1980 Read more…
1980
42 years ago
The Rolls Royce Silver Sprite was introduced to replace the Silver Shadow Read more…
1982
40 years ago
Warren Johnson set an NHRA Pro Stock 1/4-mile top speed record when he ran 181 Read more…
1985
37 years ago
Ninian Sanderson (60), winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans, died from cancer in Glasgow, Scotland Read more…
1986
36 years ago
Andy McVann (21) of indie group, The Farm died when he lost control of his car during a high speed police chase Read more…
1988
34 years ago
Sir Alec Issigonis, Greek-British designer of the Morris Minor and the Mini, knighted in 1969, died at his home in Edgbaston, Birmingham aged 81 Read more…
1989
33 years ago
A new accompanied motorcycle test was introduced in Britain Read more…
1989
33 years ago
A flag-to-flag victory for Ayrton Senna in a McLaren at the Spanish Grand Prix only came after he held of a determined challenge from the Ferrari of Gerhard Berger Read more…
1989
33 years ago
Dick Johnson and John Bowe drove a Ford Sierra to victory in the Toohey’s 1000 at Mount Panorama in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia Read more…
1995
27 years ago
Damon Hill conceded the title was Schumacher’s after crashing out of the European Grand Prix on the ninth lap Read more…
1995
27 years ago
Mark Martin held off Rusty Wallace to win the Tyson Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro, North Carolina (US) Read more…
1996
26 years ago
The driving theory test pass mark in the UK was raised from 26/35 to 30/35 Read more…
2002
20 years ago
The Durham City congestion charge, the first congestion charge to be introduced in the UK, commenced Read more…
2004
18 years ago
The AA left the Centrica group, following its acquisition for £1 Read more…
2004
18 years ago
The City of Los Angeles, California offered free parking to all hybrid electric vehicles, extending an existing offer of free parking for all pure electrical vehicles Read more…
2005
17 years ago
The Ford Focus ST became available to order in the UK Read more…
2011
11 years ago
The MINI Cooper Coupe, MINI Cooper S Coupe, and MINI John Cooper Works Coupe went on sale worldwide Read more…
2012
10 years ago
VDL NedCar announced that it has signed a contract to build future MINI models in Born, The Netherlands Read more…
2013
9 years ago
A Tesla Model S caught fire after the vehicle hit metal debris on a highway in Kent, Washington, US Read more…
2014
8 years ago
The tax disc was no longer required to be displayed on vehicles in the UK Read more…
2017
5 years ago
A Koenigsegg Agera RS set an unofficial record for 0–400–0 km/h (0–249–0 mph) with a time of 36 Read more…
2017
5 years ago
Parisians and tourists were encouraged to stroll through the City of Light as officials banned cars from its streets for a day Read more…
