On this day in…
1896
128 years ago
William Jennings Bryan, riding in a Mueller-Benz provided by local dealer and manufacturer Henry Mueller, became the first US presidential candidate to campaign in an automobile during a stop in Decatur, Illinois Read more…
1898
126 years ago
Ceirano & Cie, Societe per la Costruzione di Campioni per la Fabbricazione di Vetture Automobil was founded in Turin, Italy – located in a building by the parents of Vincenzo Lancia Read more…
1900
124 years ago
The first Thomas automobile was tested by F P Nehrbas Read more…
1903
121 years ago
The first 6-cylinder Napier was introduced Read more…
1911
113 years ago
The first Ford car to be made in Britain, a Model T, was produced at the Ford Motor Company (England) plant at Trafford Park in Manchester Read more…
1921
103 years ago
John Boyd Dunlop (81), veterinary surgeon and inventor of the pneumatic tyre, died Read more…
1927
97 years ago
Edward Joseph Dunn (61), President of the Eclipse Machine Company and an advocate of the Bendix drive for electric starting devices, died Read more…
1936
88 years ago
The 1937 Buick model range were introduced featuring the ‘Aerobat’ carburettor Read more…
1937
87 years ago
The 1938 Chevrolets were introduced Read more…
1938
86 years ago
The Mercury was previewed for the press in Dearborn, Michigan, where it was announced that the new marque would be officially be called ‘Mercury’, not the ‘Ford-Mercury’ as originally suggested by Edsel Ford Read more…
1938
86 years ago
The Marmon-Herrington Company, Inc Read more…
1946
78 years ago
Rolls Royce Ltd Read more…
1949
75 years ago
Promoter Sam Nunis scheduled a 150-mile Strictly Stock race at Atlanta’s Lakewood Speedway with the National Stock Car Racing Association (NSCRA) as the sanctioning body Read more…
1949
75 years ago
The Triumph Mayflower was unveiled to invited members of the Technical Press and the Company’s Distributors in a specially decorated section of the main canteen at the Banner Lane factory, Coventry (UK) Read more…
1952
72 years ago
The 1953 Dodge model range was introduced, featuring the marque’s first V-8 engines Read more…
1953
71 years ago
Troops were called into London to operate petrol tankers, replacing striking tanker drivers Read more…
1953
71 years ago
Chrysler Corporation acquired the Briggs Manufacturing Company of Detroit, automobile body manufacturers Read more…
1955
69 years ago
Buck Baker steamed from the pole position to prevail in the Wilkes 160, leading every lap at North Wilkesboro (North Carolina) Speedway Read more…
1955
69 years ago
Tony Brooks made his Formula 1 debut driving a Connaught B-Type at the Syracuse Grand Prix in Sicily, and became the first British driver in a British car to win a Grand Prix since Sir Henry Segrave’s victory in a Sunbeam at San Sebastian in 1924 Read more…
1955
69 years ago
The 1956 Cadillac Sedan DeVile and Eldorado Seville coupe were introduced Read more…
1956
68 years ago
Buck Baker’s Kiekhaefer Chrysler tiptoed around a nasty crash involving former Kiekhaefer teammate Herb Thomas, to win the 100-mile race at Shelby, North Carolina, US Read more…
1957
67 years ago
The short-lived Edsel sponsorship of TV’s Wagon Train began Read more…
1966
58 years ago
The Mexican Grand Prix held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was won by British driver John Surtees driving a Cooper T81, his first such victory since leaving Scuderia Ferrari to join Cooper Car Company Read more…
1970
54 years ago
At the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, American Gary Gabelich attained a record 622 Read more…
1972
52 years ago
The 19th Tokyo Motor Show opened to the public Read more…
1973
51 years ago
Only five days after 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, Toyota U Read more…
1977
47 years ago
James Hunt’s 10th (and final) Grand Prix win at Japan’s Fuji circuit was overshadowed by a heavy accident after Ronnie Peterson is collected by a young and over-eager Jacques Villeneuve Read more…
1980
44 years ago
Traditional MG production ended as a MGB was completed at the Abingdon, England factory Read more…
1983
41 years ago
A suicide bomber drove a truck filled with 2,000 pounds of explosives into a U Read more…
1994
30 years ago
With a narrow victory over Rick Mast in the 500-miler at Rockingham, Dale Earnhardt won a record-tying seventh NASCAR Winston Cup championship Read more…
2002
22 years ago
Kanye West was involved in a car crash after he fell asleep at the wheel while driving home from a recording studio in West Hollywood Read more…
2004
20 years ago
A V12, 600-bhp Ferrari Enzo, with just 250 miles on the clock, became the most expensive car ever sold on eBay Motors in Europe when bidding closed on eBay’s Swiss site at CHF1,200,050 (£544,000) Read more…
2006
18 years ago
Toyota announced details of the Auris Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Nissan Motor Co Read more…
2007
17 years ago
Sussex Police Force’s revealed its latest new recruit – a £35,000, 148 mph Lotus Exige S Read more…
2017
7 years ago
London brought in a new ‘toxicity charge’ on the oldest and most polluting cars entering the city center, on Mondays to Fridays from 7am to 6pm Read more…
2017
7 years ago
London brought in a new levy on the oldest and most polluting cars entering the city center, almost doubling how much motorists had to pay Read more…
