1918 – Cannonball Baker Completes 48-State-Capitals ReVere Run
Erwin “Cannonball” Baker brought a promotional endurance tour to an end on September 12, 1918, when his ReVere finished a coast‑to‑coast odyssey that had visited all 48 U.S. state capitals. Over roughly four months Baker covered about 16,234 miles in the slender, belt‑driven ReVere—an impressive distance for a car of the era—running from June through that September conclusion. The tour was staged to demonstrate reliability and garner publicity for the ReVere marque, and Baker’s feat was notable for its scope: nonstop publicity, tough roads, and the logistics of routing a single car to every capital in the continental United States during wartime America.
1963 – NSU Unveils the Wankel Spider at Frankfurt
At the open of the 41st Internationale Automobil‑Ausstellung in Frankfurt on September 12, 1963, NSU introduced the production‑intended Wankel Spider—the first car publicly displayed with Felix Wankel’s rotary engine destined for series manufacture. The compact Spider wore a glass‑backed, mid‑mounted single‑rotor engine and an airy convertible body that showcased the rotary’s smoothness and compact packaging compared with conventional piston units. Shown to press and public a year before limited production began in 1964, the NSU/Wankel Spider was as much a technology statement as a small sports car, signaling a radical alternative to conventional engine design for the European market.
1963 – Porsche Shows the Pre-Series 901 at Frankfurt
Porsche chose the same September 12, 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show that saw other engineering firsts to lift the veil on its new pre‑series Type 901, the compact 2+2 sports car intended to replace the 356. Presented as a nimble rear‑engine coupé with a flat‑six and a focus on everyday usability, the 901 was shown to press and potential distributors before the company adjusted the model name to 911 for production a year later. The debut at the IAA gave the car an immediate, wide audience—Porsche’s clear statement that it was ready to define a new generation of sporting cars beyond the 356 chassis and layout.
1966 – Chevrolet Presents the First Camaro to the Press
General Motors took the wraps off the Chevrolet Camaro for the automotive press at a formal preview on September 12, 1966, at its Milford proving grounds outside Detroit. The new pony‑car rival to the Ford Mustang was presented in multiple trim levels and powertrains to highlight its flexible platform; journalists were shown handling, engine, and trim options months before showroom deliveries. This carefully staged media introduction set the tone for a high‑profile fall public launch, emphasizing Chevrolet’s intention to contest the burgeoning performance‑compact market with a model designed expressly to appeal to sporty‑car buyers.
1989 – Land Rover Unveils the Discovery at Frankfurt
The Land Rover Discovery made its world premiere in public at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 12, 1989, presented as Project Jay’s family‑friendly all‑terrain model. The Series I Discovery combined Land Rover’s traditional ladder‑frame chassis and proven four‑wheel‑drive hardware with a more car‑like interior, stepped roof for headroom, and a distinctive stepped‑back greenhouse to improve visibility and cargo flexibility. Shown to an international audience at the IAA, the Discovery was positioned to slot between the utilitarian Defender and the luxury Range Rover, arriving in UK showrooms the following month with specifications that emphasized everyday versatility over pure off‑road extremity.
