1908 – Rolls-Royce Opens Its Derby Factory
Rolls-Royce officially opened its new purpose-built factory on Nightingale Road in Derby, England, on this day in 1908. Designed under the supervision of company cofounder Henry Royce, the facility replaced the automaker’s increasingly inadequate Manchester works and became the center of Rolls-Royce automobile production. Derby later played an equally important role in aviation history, producing aircraft engines that helped transform Rolls-Royce into one of Britain’s most important engineering companies.
1933 – Construction Begins on the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
The official groundbreaking for the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge took place on this day in 1933 at Yerba Buena Island. President Franklin D. Roosevelt remotely triggered a ceremonial dynamite blast from Washington, D.C., launching construction of one of the most ambitious engineering projects of the era. Completed in 1936, the bridge connected San Francisco and Oakland across more than four miles of water, dramatically improving travel and commerce throughout the Bay Area.
1979 – A Bomb Destroys the Klarsfelds’ Renault
A bomb destroyed a Renault belonging to Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld outside their home in France in July 1979, though historical sources disagree on whether the attack occurred on July 6 or July 9. Neither the couple nor anyone nearby was injured. A neo-Nazi group calling itself ODESSA claimed responsibility and threatened the Klarsfelds unless they stopped pursuing former Nazi officials, but the attack failed to deter their decades-long campaign to identify war criminals and bring them to justice.
1985 – Proton Launches Malaysia’s First National Car
Malaysian automaker Proton officially introduced the Saga on this day in 1985, marking the debut of the country’s first national automobile. Launched by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the compact sedan was based on the Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore and initially offered with 1.3- and 1.5-liter engines. The affordable Saga became a source of national pride, helped establish Malaysia’s domestic auto industry and remained central to Proton’s lineup for decades.
2010 – The Final Chrysler PT Cruiser Is Built
The last Chrysler PT Cruiser rolled off the assembly line in Toluca, Mexico, on this day in 2010, ending a decade-long production run. Originally conceived as a Plymouth, the retro-styled compact was sold as a Chrysler after the Plymouth brand was discontinued and became one of the most recognizable vehicles of the early 2000s. Although its styling eventually became polarizing, the practical hatchback proved commercially successful, with approximately 1.35 million examples produced worldwide.
