September 30th


On this day in…

1901

122 years ago

Compulsory car registration for all vehicles capable of driving over 18mph (29 km/h) took effect throughout France Read more…

1929

94 years ago

Opel sponsored tests of rocket-boosted gliders began near Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany Read more…

1931

92 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

88 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

88 years ago

The one-millionth Olds automobile was built Read more…

1937

86 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

73 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

71 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

68 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

66 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

64 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

64 years ago

The Ford Motor Company announced plans to produce the compact ‘Comet’ Read more…

1959

64 years ago

The London showrooms of Hooper & Company (Coachbuilders) Ltd closed after 63 years at the same location Read more…

1960

63 years ago

It was announced that the new Rootes car would be called Hillman ‘Imp’ Read more…

1966

57 years ago

Mercury Cougar was introduced as “America’s first luxury/sports car at a popular price Read more…

1968

55 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

55 years ago

Austin 1100 models with all-synchromesh gearbox were launched Read more…

1970

53 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

45 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

44 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

41 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

39 years ago

Mariette Hélène Delangle (83) died Read more…

1986

37 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

35 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

33 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

33 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

27 years ago

The 90 millionth Toyota, as silver Aristo 3 Read more…

1998

25 years ago

The Paris Motor Show celebrated its 100th anniversary Read more…

2000

23 years ago

Ferrari introduced a convertible version of the 550 at the Paris Motor Show in 2000 Read more…

2000

23 years ago

The production Koenigsegg CC prototype was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show Read more…

2001

22 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

22 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

20 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

19 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

17 years ago

Citroën launched the seven-seater Grand C4 Picasso Read more…

2006

17 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

16 years ago

The Spyker MF1 Team scored its first championship point at the Japanese Grand Prix Read more…

2009

14 years ago

The Penske Automotive Group Inc Read more…

365 Days Of Motoring

Recent Posts

Categories

Disclaimer

I We have no wish to abuse copyright regulations and we apologise unreservedly if this occurs. If you own any of the material published please get in touch.