On this day in…
1903
120 years ago
The new Packard Motor Company factory in Detroit, Michigan, US opened Read more…
1906
117 years ago
The Vanderbilt Elimination Race was run over ten laps on a 29-mile course near Westbury, Long Island, New York, to decide which five cars would represent the United States in the international 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Read more…
1908
115 years ago
George E Daniels became the first President of General Motors Read more…
1910
113 years ago
Shareholders of The Daimler Motor Company Limited “merged their holdings with those of the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) group of companies, receiving five BSA shares in exchange for four ordinary Daimler shares and ₤1 5s plus accrued dividend for each ₤1 preference share Read more…
1917
106 years ago
John Henry Knight (70), wealthy engineer and inventor died Read more…
1919
104 years ago
Harry Miller submitted a patent request to the US Patent Office for a car design which included 4-wheel brakes, pierced brake drums, flat spoke wheels, and the engine as a stressed member of the chassis Read more…
1921
102 years ago
The Metropolitan Police formed the Flying Squad, following an announcement on 17 February that their horses would be replaced by cars Read more…
1935
88 years ago
The Spanish Grand Prix was dominated by Mercedes who took the first three places, the win going to Rudolf Caracciola Read more…
1939
84 years ago
Petrol rationing was introduced in Great Britain Read more…
1953
70 years ago
The first four-level (or ‘stack’) interchange in the world opened in Los Angeles, California, at the intersection of the Harbor, Hollywood, Pasadena and Santa Ana freeways, where 32 lanes of traffic weaved in eight directions at once Read more…
1955
68 years ago
The BMW 507 was launched at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show Read more…
1955
68 years ago
British manufacturer MG Cars unveiled a new sports car, the MGA, capable of 97 Read more…
1957
66 years ago
Richie Ginther drove a Ferrari to victory in a race at Riverside, California, USA, during the track’s first weekend of formal competition Read more…
1962
61 years ago
Racer A W Faust (48) was killed when his Lotus-Buick crashed during a 101-mile sports car race at Watkins Glen, US Read more…
1963
60 years ago
Fred Lorenzen celebrated a dominant day at Martinsville Speedway, Virginia, US lapping the field to win the Old Dominion 500 Read more…
1963
60 years ago
Jim Clark sat on pole in a rear-engined Lotus, but it was A J Foyt who won the 200-mile USAC race at Trenton, New Jersey Read more…
1971
52 years ago
The first regular issue of ‘Old Cars’ newspaper was published Read more…
1973
50 years ago
Mick Hand took his 250cc Honda to a new World record of 10 Read more…
1974
49 years ago
The Canadian Grand Prix was held at Mosport Park, the fourteenth and penultimate round of the 1974 Formula One season Read more…
1989
34 years ago
In a move that sent ripples throughout the automotive world, the Chrysler Corporation sold 50% of its interest in the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Read more…
1990
33 years ago
TVR unveiled the prototype Griffth 2-seater roadster, which employed an S-type chassis and a 3 Read more…
1991
32 years ago
The first regular issue of ‘Old Cars’ newspaper was published Read more…
1991
32 years ago
Harry Gant (51) won the Goody’s 500 in Martinsville, Virginia, US, his fourth consecutive victory, to extend his own record as the oldest winner of a NASCAR race Read more…
1991
32 years ago
Another Nigel Mansell championship bid ended in heartache as well as semi-farcical circumstances at the Portuguese Grand Prix Read more…
1996
27 years ago
Williams’ Jacques Villeneuve won the Portuguese Grand Prix from team-mate Damon Hill and Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher, having overtaken the latter on the outside of the final corner while the two were lapping the slow-moving back-marking Minardi of Giovanni Lavaggi (who at the time was described by BBC TV commentator Jonathan Palmer as “desperately slow” and “there because of his money”) Read more…
1999
24 years ago
First European “Pilot Car Free Day” was held Read more…
2000
23 years ago
It was reported that 760 European towns jointly organized the first pan-European “In town, without my car!” day Read more…
2001
22 years ago
Toronto became first Canadian and North American city to officially host a Car Free Day Read more…
2001
22 years ago
The 1 Read more…
2002
21 years ago
Super Pro Truck driver Larry Costa, of College Point, Queens, New York died at Stony Brook University Hospital, NY after falling from a golf cart the previous night Read more…
2003
20 years ago
California signed into law a privacy bill, effective from 1st July 2004, that prevented the use of vehicle recorded data without the consent of the owner Read more…
2007
16 years ago
Britney Spears was charged with hit-and-run and driving without a valid licence after she was accused of hitting a parked car and driving away from a Los Angeles car park on 6 August Read more…
