On this day in…
1892
131 years ago
Achille Philion was issued a United States Patent for his ‘Steam Carriage’ Read more…
1898
125 years ago
W L Elliott of Oakland, California, US completed a 56 mile trip to the summit of Mt Hamilton in his Elliott Gasoline Carriage, one of the first cars built in California Read more…
1899
124 years ago
The first American automobile fatality resulted when Henry H Bliss was run over as he alighted from a streetcar at West 74th Street and Central Park West in New York Read more…
1902
121 years ago
Alfred Nipper of Prospect Place,Weston Super Mare, England was riding his 1898 Werner Motorcycle on Bristol Road, Worle, Somerset when he was reported for the following offence as written on the summons Read more…
1915
108 years ago
Durant incorporated Chevrolet Motor Co Read more…
1916
107 years ago
Hudson launched a series of publicity stunts to promote its new ‘Super Six’ engine, including a “Twice Across America” run from San Francisco to New York and back, which began on this day [13 September 1916] Read more…
1924
99 years ago
The first party to drive Cape to Cairo, Major C Court Treatt with two 25/30hp RFC-type Crossley tenders set off from the Cape Read more…
1925
98 years ago
General Motors dropped its planned purchase of the Austin Car Company Read more…
1925
98 years ago
The Ministry of Transport announced that white lines were to be painted on roads all over Britain in an attempt to reduce accidents Read more…
1928
95 years ago
Henry Alexander drove up Ben Nevis (4406 ft), Inverness-shire, Scotland in a Ford Model A Read more…
1929
94 years ago
The British Transport Minister announced that traffic lights, which were in use in 21 provincial towns, were to be standardised Read more…
1936
87 years ago
Bernd Rosemeyer in an Auto Union Typ C won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza Read more…
1945
78 years ago
The first post World War II Pontiac was produced, a Streamliner Sedan Coupe Read more…
1948
75 years ago
Rollie Free broke the US national motorcycle speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah riding the first Vincent Black Lightning Read more…
1953
70 years ago
Juan Manuel Fangio spoiled the party for the hordes of assembled Ferrari fans by stealing victory in the Italian Grand Prix from the scarlet trio of Giuseppe Farina, Luigi Villoresi and Mike Hawthorn Read more…
1954
69 years ago
James Scripps Booth (66), designer of the Biautogo, Scripps-Booth, and daVinci, died Read more…
1955
68 years ago
The first Ford Squire 100E estate, costing £669, rolled off the production line Read more…
1957
66 years ago
The Osceola Dragway opened in Indiana Read more…
1959
64 years ago
British driver Stirling Moss won the Italian Grand Prix driving a Cooper T51 for the privateer Rob Walker Racing Team Read more…
1961
62 years ago
The first Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster, a 1962 model, was produced Read more…
1964
59 years ago
One of the worst pile-ups in British motorway history occurred on the M6 near Wigan Read more…
1964
59 years ago
Ron Fry drove a Ferrari 250GTO to victory in the Yeovilton Sprint at Yeovilton, a former RAF airbase in Somerset, UK Read more…
1967
56 years ago
Leonard Percy Lord, 1st Baron Lambury KBE (70), a captain of the British motor industry who was the General Manager of both Morris and Austin, died Read more…
1968
55 years ago
Bobby Isaac took advantage of pole-starter Cale Yarborough’s crash near the midway point to win the Maryland 300 at Beltsville Speedway, Maryland, US Read more…
1969
54 years ago
“Alabama International Motor Speedway” opened at a cost of $4 million Read more…
1970
53 years ago
Porsche won their first Can-Am race when Tony Dean drove his 908 to victory at Road Atlanta in Brazelton, Georgia Read more…
1973
50 years ago
The Chevrolet Corvette XP-897GT, designed by General Motor’s in-house studio and built by Pininfarina in Italy, made its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show Read more…
1977
46 years ago
Oldsmobile 88 and 98 models, the first diesel cars manufactured in the US, were introduced Read more…
1981
42 years ago
The Italian Grand Prix returned to its spiritual home in Monza after the 1980 race was held at Imola Read more…
1985
38 years ago
Bob Glidden became the first NHRA Pro Stock drag racer to record a sub-7 Read more…
1992
31 years ago
Ayrton Senna won the Italian Grand Prix on the day that Nigel Mansell announced that he would retire from F1 at the end of the season, blaming Williams for not doing enough to keep him Read more…
1997
26 years ago
At the European Finals at the Santa Pod Raceway Barry Sheavills became the quickest ever British Top Fuel driver with a 5 Read more…
1998
25 years ago
Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine gave Ferrari a 1-2 at the Italian Grand Prix Read more…
2000
23 years ago
Former Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona survived a dramatic car crash as he drove his jeep head on into an oncoming tourist bus on a darkened Cuban highway Read more…
2001
22 years ago
The first generation Citroen C3 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
2003
20 years ago
Bill France, Jr Read more…
2004
19 years ago
TV talk-show host Oprah Winfrey gave a brand-new Pontiac G-6 sedan, worth $28,500, to everyone in her studio audience: a total of 276 cars in all Read more…
2005
18 years ago
UK drivers stocked up on fuel as the protests against rising pump prices continued, with drivers reported to be waiting an hour to fill their vehicles with petrol Read more…
2006
17 years ago
A pink 1961 Cadillac once owned by Elvis Presley was sold at auction for £21,000 in Derbyshire Read more…
2007
16 years ago
A preview model of the Ford Kuga was presented to the press and public at the 2007 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
2007
16 years ago
McLaren were fined $100m and docked all their points in the constructors’ championship as a result of the Formula One spy scandal Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Aston Martin was named the coolest brand in the UK in a survey by independent brand-research firm Superbrands, which surveyed more than 2,000 consumers Read more…
2007
16 years ago
At the Defence Systems & Equipment International trade show, Chrysler LLC unveiled a Wrangler Unlimited version designed for military use dubbed the J8 Read more…
2007
16 years ago
SSC announced they had broken the speed record for the world’s fastest production car with the Ultimate Aero TT at 256 Read more…
2008
15 years ago
Sebastian Vettel’s victory at the Italian Grand Prix made him the youngest driver to win a Formula One race, in addition to giving Toro Rosso (which was formerly Minardi team) its maiden Formula One win Read more…
2014
9 years ago
The inaugural Formula E championship, a class of auto racing, sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and the highest class of competition for single-seater electrically powered racing cars, was staged in Beijing Read more…
2018
5 years ago
Volkswagen announced it would end production of its iconic “Beetle” cars in 2019 after adding a pair of final editions of the bug-shaped vehicles Read more…
