On this day in…
1902
121 years ago
The Ohio Automobile Company became Packard Motor Car Company Read more…
1907
116 years ago
The Moon Motor Car Company was incorporated with Joseph W Moon as President, Stewart McDonald as Vice President and General Manager, Alfred F Moberly as Treasurer and George H Schelp as Secretary Read more…
1912
111 years ago
Only eight race cars participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Race held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Read more…
1925
98 years ago
London’s red buses, with a roofed-in upper deck and jump-on entrance, went into service Read more…
1930
93 years ago
The Ford Motor Company Aktiengensellschaft, as Ford-Germany was originally known, began constructing a new factory in Cologne, which is still the headquarters of the company Read more…
1930
93 years ago
Daimler-Benz AG presented its biggest, heaviest and most expensive passenger car, the 770 model, “Big Mercedes” (W07) at the Paris Motor Show; it had a 7 Read more…
1933
90 years ago
The Bentley 3½ Litre (later enlarged to 4¼ Litre) was presented to the public, shortly after the death of Henry Royce, and was the first new Bentley model following Rolls-Royce’s acquisition of the Bentley brand in 1931 Read more…
1935
88 years ago
Rolls-Royce announced their new 7 Read more…
1936
87 years ago
The first Kenworth cab-over-engine truck was produced Read more…
1945
78 years ago
BMW’s assets were seized and the US Army declared it subject to reparations Read more…
1945
78 years ago
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited was founded Read more…
1947
76 years ago
The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) formally established Formula One racing in Grand Prix competition for the first time Read more…
1948
75 years ago
Law student Cameron Argetsinger’s vision of bringing European style racing competition to the place where he spent his summer vacations became a reality Read more…
1948
75 years ago
The Royal Automobile Club International Grand Prix was staged at Silverstone Airfield in Northamptonshire Read more…
1949
74 years ago
The seventh race of the inaugural NASCAR Strictly Stock season was held at Heidelberg Raceway, near Pittsburgh (US) Read more…
1952
71 years ago
The first street car to use Gioacchino Colombo’s 250 V12 engine, the Ferrari 250 Europa GT, was introduced Read more…
1954
69 years ago
The 100,000th Volkswagen Transporter was produced Read more…
1954
69 years ago
The last Detroit-built Hudson was produced Read more…
1957
66 years ago
Vauxhall introduced its Cresta and Velox models Read more…
1959
64 years ago
The Jaguar Mark 2 saloon was introduced Read more…
1959
64 years ago
Chevrolet debuted the Corvair Read more…
1962
61 years ago
The MG 1100 four-door saloon costing £949 was launched in Britain Read more…
1964
59 years ago
Tom Green driving the Wingfoot Express, raised the land speed record to 413 Read more…
1966
57 years ago
The American Grand Prix won by Jim Clark in a Lotus 43 powered by the BRM H-16 – the only 16- cylinder car to win a Grand Prix – at an average speed of 114 Read more…
1969
54 years ago
The Renault 12 was officially launched in Paris Read more…
1975
48 years ago
The Pininfarina-styled Ferrari 308 GTB was introduced at Paris as a supplement to the odd Bertone-shaped Dino 308 GT4 and a replacement for the 246 Dino Read more…
1977
46 years ago
Fourth at the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen was enough to secure Niki Lauda his second world championship in three years, with James Hunt, who was champion in between Lauda’s triumphs, winning a wet race from Mario Andretti Read more…
1978
45 years ago
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the DeLorean Motor Car Company factory in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland Read more…
1980
43 years ago
The limited edition Citroen 2CV Charleston, with a two-tone paint scheme and round headlamps, was introduced Read more…
1982
41 years ago
The Citroen BX was unveiled in Paris under the Eiffel Tower Read more…
1983
40 years ago
A monument to Count Albert de Dion was dedicated in Puteaux, France Read more…
1986
37 years ago
The Citroen AX was launched at the Paris Motor Show Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Mike Dunn became the first man to record a top speed in excess of 280 mph in an NHRA Funny Car, when he ran 280 Read more…
1988
35 years ago
John Force became the first NHRA Funny Car driver to run the 1/4-mile in less than 4 Read more…
1988
35 years ago
Alain Prost secured a crucial victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, his second win in eight days, to gain five-point lead over McLaren team-mate and rival Ayrton Senna, who managed fourth after problems with his fuel consumption computer Read more…
1994
29 years ago
Oscar De Vita (Italy) driving the Bertone ZER (Zero Emission Record) prototype at the Nardo Circuit, Italy recorded the greatest distance covered in 1 hour by an electric car – 124 Read more…
1998
25 years ago
Olivier Gendebien died at the age of 74 Read more…
1999
24 years ago
The largest parade of “Utes” – Australian utility vehicles – took place at Deniliquin, New South Wales, Australia, when 2,839 gathered for the “Play On The Plains” festival Read more…
2007
16 years ago
The American automobile executive J Edward Lundy (92), former chief financial officer of Ford Motor Company, died Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Nissan unveiled the Nuvu, a prototype for an electric city car Read more…
2010
13 years ago
The Paris Motor Show opened Read more…
2019
4 years ago
The US National Transportation Safety Board recommended that new vehicles that are stretched into limousines should have safety belts for all seats and seats that better protect passengers in a crash Read more…
