On this day in…
1901
121 years ago
Compulsory car registration for all vehicles capable of driving over 18mph (29 km/h) took effect throughout France Read more…
1929
93 years ago
Opel sponsored tests of rocket-boosted gliders began near Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany Read more…
1931
91 years ago
The 25th “Salon de l’Automobile” in Paris opened to the public, with 39 French automobile makers and 37 non-French automobile makers exhibiting Read more…
1935
87 years ago
William Lyons announced that SS Cars would launch a new SS Jaguar touring saloon, capable of 90 mph, at the following month’s London Motor Show Read more…
1935
87 years ago
The one-millionth Olds automobile was built Read more…
1937
85 years ago
Dusenberg, considered the most luxurious cars in the world, hand-crafted and custom-made, heeded as the epitome of flamboyance and elegance, ceased production Read more…
1950
72 years ago
NASCAR promoted a 25-mile, nonpoints race for NASCAR Grand National cars at the 1/4-mile Civic Stadium in Buffalo, New York, US Read more…
1952
70 years ago
Herb Thomas sped to victory in the 1952 NASCAR Grand National season finale at West Palm Beach as Tim Flock captured the championship Read more…
1955
67 years ago
At 5:45 PM, 24-year-old actor James Dean was killed in Cholame, California, when the Porsche he is driving hits a Ford Tudor sedan at an intersection Read more…
1957
65 years ago
The first race staged at the Bridgehampton Road Course on Long Island, New York, a 75 mile SCCA event, was won by Walkt Hansgen in a Jaguar Read more…
1959
63 years ago
US actress Jayne Mansfield clutching a pair of gold scissors opened the Chiswick flyover – a short elevated section of the M4 motorway in west London Read more…
1959
63 years ago
The Ford Motor Company announced plans to produce the compact ‘Comet’ Read more…
1959
63 years ago
The London showrooms of Hooper & Company (Coachbuilders) Ltd closed after 63 years at the same location Read more…
1960
62 years ago
It was announced that the new Rootes car would be called Hillman ‘Imp’ Read more…
1966
56 years ago
Mercury Cougar was introduced as “America’s first luxury/sports car at a popular price Read more…
1968
54 years ago
The 1969 Mercury Marquis was introduced as the new top-of-the-line series with a full range of body styles Read more…
1968
54 years ago
Austin 1100 models with all-synchromesh gearbox were launched Read more…
1970
52 years ago
Richard Petty took the lead from Benny Parsons in the 89th lap at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh and led the rest of the Home State 200, the final race for NASCAR’s premier series on a dirt track Read more…
1978
44 years ago
AMC reported losses of $65 million on its conventional (non-Jeep) cars for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1978 Read more…
1979
43 years ago
Alan Jones in a Williams recorded his fourth win in five races at the Canadian Grand Prix, successfully fighting off a determined challenge from Gilles Villenenuve in a Ferrari Read more…
1982
40 years ago
The world record for most persons in a British Leyland Metro was established: 21, members of the Plymouth Young Wives Association at Davenport, UK Read more…
1984
38 years ago
Mariette Hélène Delangle (83) died Read more…
1986
36 years ago
The first British-built Nissan, a Bluebird was completed and presented to H R H Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales Read more…
1988
34 years ago
Six-time IMSA champion, Al Holbert (41) died when his privately owned propeller driven Piper PA-60 aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff near Columbus, Ohio when a clamshell door was not closed Read more…
1990
32 years ago
Mark Martin won the Tyson Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Carolina (US) and rookie driver Rob Moroso finishes 21st Read more…
1990
32 years ago
The first of three retirements in the last three races of the season by Ayrton Senna allowed rival Alain Prost to win the Spanish Grand Prix, team-mate Nigel Mansell making it a one-two weekend for Ferrari Read more…
1996
26 years ago
The 90 millionth Toyota, as silver Aristo 3 Read more…
1998
24 years ago
The Paris Motor Show celebrated its 100th anniversary Read more…
2000
22 years ago
Ferrari introduced a convertible version of the 550 at the Paris Motor Show in 2000 Read more…
2000
22 years ago
The production Koenigsegg CC prototype was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show Read more…
2001
21 years ago
Jeff Gordon scored a narrow victory over Ryan Newman to win the Protection One 400 at the new Kansas Speedway, US Read more…
2001
21 years ago
Mika Hakkinen’s last win before he retired came in front of 170,000 spectators at the US Grand Prix Read more…
2003
19 years ago
Henry Ford was named the most influential entrepreneur in American history in a poll of experts undertaken by Baylor University and the Center for the American Idea in Texas Read more…
2004
18 years ago
China, Great Britain, Lebanon, Pakistan, Portugal and South Africa were named as the first six nations to sign up to the A1 Grand Prix series at the official launch of A1 Team Great Britain Read more…
2006
16 years ago
Citroën launched the seven-seater Grand C4 Picasso Read more…
2006
16 years ago
At 12:30 pm three eastbound lanes and a pedestrian walk-way of the de la Concorde overpass in Laval, Quebec, Canada collapsed onto the busy Autoroute 19 Read more…
2007
15 years ago
The Spyker MF1 Team scored its first championship point at the Japanese Grand Prix Read more…
2009
13 years ago
The Penske Automotive Group Inc Read more…
