On this day in…
1888
134 years ago
The birth of one of Italy’s early motorsport heroes, Antonio Ascari, in Bonferraro Read more…
1908
114 years ago
The Republic Rubber Company of Youngtown, Ohio, US was issued with a United States for its tire tread pattern marketed as ‘Staggard’ Read more…
1909
113 years ago
George Selden reigned as the “Father of the Automobile” for almost 20 years, his name engraved on every car from 1895 until 1911 Read more…
1909
113 years ago
Charles F Read more…
1916
106 years ago
Tanks were first used in battle – by the British at the Battle of the Somme Read more…
1923
99 years ago
The last race staged at the Jamesville Fair Ground, Wisconsin, US, was won by Red Parkhurst Read more…
1924
98 years ago
Jimmy Murphy (29), American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1922 and the American Racing Championship in 1922 and 1924, died Read more…
1924
98 years ago
Gustav E Franquist (50), a founder of the Society of Automotive engineers who designed the first Simplex, died in Philadelphia, US Read more…
1938
84 years ago
British racing driver John Cobb, in the twin Napier Lion W-12 aero-engined Railton Special, established a new land-speed record (353 Read more…
1946
76 years ago
Racer Adelbert William ‘Al’ Putnam (37) was killed when his Palmer Speed crashed during a qualifying run in Indianapolis, US Read more…
1950
72 years ago
The first race staged at the Opa Locka Speedway, Florida, US was won by Bob Gegen in a supercharged MG TC Read more…
1951
71 years ago
The Aston Martin DB3/1 made its racing with debut at the RAC Tourist Trophy race at Dunrod, Ireland, but the car driven by Lance Macklin had to retire due to bearing failure Read more…
1965
57 years ago
The 10,000,000th Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the production line Read more…
1973
49 years ago
For the first time foreign cars outsold the British Leyland range Read more…
1976
46 years ago
Volkswagen AG purchased Chrysler Corporation’s assembly plant in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, US Read more…
1978
44 years ago
Willy Messerschmitt (80), airplane/manufacturer and namesake of the 1953-62 Messerschmitt bubblecar, died in Munich, Germany Read more…
1985
37 years ago
Ayrton Senna driving a Lotus 97T won the rescheduled Belgium Grand Prix Read more…
1991
31 years ago
The Bugatti EB110, an exclusive supercar from Bugatti Automobili SpA, the 1990s successor to one of the most celebrated marques in automotive history was unveiled in both Versailles and in front of the Grande Arche at La Défense in Paris, France exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti’s birth Read more…
1991
31 years ago
Harry Gant turned in a dominant second half of the race to win the Peak Antifreeze 500 at Dover International Speedway, Delaware, US lapping the field for his third win in a row in NASCAR’s premier series Read more…
1993
29 years ago
FBI Director William S Read more…
1994
28 years ago
Ford produced the three millionth Ford Transit Read more…
1996
26 years ago
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada (US) staged its first race, an IndyCar event, which was won by Richie Hearn Read more…
2000
22 years ago
Fuel protests that had paralysed Britain for 7 days, causing a crisis in the NHS, emptying supermarket shelves and closing schools, came to an end Read more…
2002
20 years ago
Freshman driver Ryan Newman held off a late-race gallop by Kurt Busch to win the rain-shortened event at New Hampshire International Speedway (US) Read more…
2002
20 years ago
In another dominating 1-2 finish for Ferrari, Rubens Barrichello won the Italian Grand Prix, on a two-stop strategy, in front of his one-stopping team mate Michael Schumacher Read more…
2005
17 years ago
The Porsche Cayman S had its public launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show During prototype testing, rally legend Walter Röhrl reportedly lapped the Nürburgring track faster than the 911 Carrera’s time of 8 minutes, 15 seconds Read more…
2005
17 years ago
The Midnight Sun solar car team from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, completed the longest journey ever undertaken by a solar powered electric vehicle Read more…
2005
17 years ago
BMW unveiled a Bangle-designed concept coupe version of the Z4 and Citroen introduced the C6 at the Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
2007
15 years ago
Rally driver Colin McRae (39) and three other people were killed when their helicopter crashed near Lanark in Scotland Read more…
2014
8 years ago
The Perodua Axia, a five-door hatchback produced by Malaysian automobile manufacturer, Perodua, was launched Read more…
2015
7 years ago
An evolution of the 2012 Bentley EXP 9 F concept car, the production Bentayga debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show, as Bentley’s first SUV Read more…
