On this day in…
1897
126 years ago
Giuseppe Cobianchi drove a Benz to victory in an Italian road race from Arona to Stresa and back Read more…
1912
111 years ago
Carl G Read more…
1912
111 years ago
The United States Motor Company was forced into receivership Read more…
1918
105 years ago
‘Cannonball’ Baker, born Erwin G Read more…
1926
97 years ago
Alfred Neubauer introduced a code system for communicating with drivers during his first appearance as manager of the Mercedes-Benz racing team in a race at the Solitude circuit near Stuttgart, Germany – Otto Merz led the team to a one-two-three finish Read more…
1937
86 years ago
Rudolf Caracciola in a Mercedes-Benz W125 took an early lead from pole at the Italian Grand Prix at the Montenero Circuit in Livorno Read more…
1940
83 years ago
The Alfa Romeo Tipo 512 monoposto race car was given its first road test with Consalvo Sanesi at the controls Read more…
1960
63 years ago
The British Ministry of Transport’s Roadworthiness Test for cars – the MOT – came into force, covering brakes, lights and steering Read more…
1963
60 years ago
The first production car in the world to be powered by a Wankel rotary engine, the open two-seater NSU Wankel Spider, was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
1965
58 years ago
Jackie Stewart led home Graham Hill for a BRM 1-2 at the Italian Grand Prix Read more…
1966
57 years ago
The Chevrolet Camaro was first shown at a press preview in Detroit, Michigan Read more…
1968
55 years ago
The Peugeot 504 made its public debut at the Paris Salon Read more…
1971
52 years ago
Peter Revson and Denny Hulme, driving McLaren M8F-Chevrolets, finish 1-2 for Team McLaren in the Can-Am race at Donnybrook, Minnesota, US Read more…
1976
47 years ago
Just five weeks after a priest was summoned to his bedside to read him the last rites following his horrific accident at the Nurburgring, a heroic Niki Lauda was back in his cockpit to participate in the Italian Grand Prix despite horrific burns Read more…
1980
43 years ago
Stephen Reisten ran the UKs first seven second run on a bike, 7 Read more…
1987
36 years ago
Mark Martin rose up from 16th starting position to win the Freedlander 200, the final race for the NASCAR Nationwide Series on the old Read more…
1988
35 years ago
Ford and Nissan announced plans to design and build a new minivan together in the hope of cashing in on an expanding market Read more…
1988
35 years ago
William L Read more…
1989
34 years ago
The Land Rover Discovery was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
1991
32 years ago
The first Frankfurt International Automobile Exhibition to focus solely on “passenger cars”, opened its doors Read more…
1991
32 years ago
Interstate 90 became the final coast-to-coast Interstate Highway (Seattle, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts) to be completed with the dedication of an elevated viaduct bypassing Wallace, Idaho Read more…
1993
30 years ago
The rebuilt Lacey V Read more…
1993
30 years ago
Damon Hill got away with a first-corner collision with Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger to win the Italian Grand Prix from Jean Alesi and Michael Andretti Read more…
1995
28 years ago
The 250,000th Australian-built Toyota Camry was produced at the Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Ltd plant in Altona, Victoria Read more…
1995
28 years ago
Citroën signed a major contract with the Malaysian carmaker Proton for the assembly and distribution of a vehicle based on the AX Read more…
1995
28 years ago
Possibly the world’s most advanced sports car for its time was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show – the new Lotus Elise Read more…
1998
25 years ago
The first four second Top Fuel run took place at Santa Pod Raceway’s European Finals Read more…
1999
24 years ago
With Michael Schumacher out of the championship picture having broken his leg at Silverstone, Mika Hakkinen was expecting a clear run to his second successive drivers’ title, but Eddie Irvine had other ideas Read more…
2000
23 years ago
UK fuel protests had closed 3,000 petrol stations due to a lack of fuel Read more…
2004
19 years ago
At the Italian Grand Prix staged at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Ferrari took a 1-2 in front of the delighted Tifosi, with Rubens Barrichello ahead of team mate Michael Schumacher Read more…
2005
18 years ago
At the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt, Bentley Motors revealed the production version of the new 168 mph Azure Read more…
2015
8 years ago
Four technicians from tyre specialist Reifen Umert set the record for the fastest wheel change on a road car at 58 Read more…