1909 – Birth of Yutaka Katayama, ‘Mr. K’, Future Champion of the Z
Yutaka Katayama was born on September 15, 1909 — the man later nicknamed “Mr. K” who helped turn a modest export brand into an American performance favorite. As Nissan’s first U.S. president he pushed dealers, publicity, and product to build acceptance for Datsun in the 1950s and 60s, but his most lasting imprint was on the Datsun 240Z: Katayama championed the car’s sporty styling and U.S.-friendly packaging and relentlessly promoted it to American buyers and journalists. The 240Z’s balance of price, performance, and handsome coachwork owed much to his conviction that a Japanese car could be respected for driving pleasure as well as reliability.
1909 – Judge Hough Upholds the Selden Patent, Ford Files Appeal
On September 15, 1909, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Charles M. Hough issued a landmark opinion sustaining the validity of George B. Selden’s broad automobile patent, a ruling that momentarily vindicated the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers (ALAM) in its long-running suit against Ford and other builders. Judge Hough’s decision crystallized the legal theory that Selden’s application covered industry-wide automobile manufacture, forcing Ford to mount an immediate appeal. The ruling intensified the patent fight that constrained early automobile competition and set the stage for the appellate reversal two years later, which would decisively reshape how motorcarmakers could operate.
1924 – Champion Driver Jimmy Murphy Killed at Syracuse
James “Jimmy” Murphy, one of America’s premier open‑wheel racers of the early 1920s, lost his life on September 15, 1924, when his car shot through the inside rail during the 150‑mile AAA championship contest at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Contemporary press accounts describe a violent breach of the track barrier and fatal injuries sustained at the scene; Murphy’s name had already been associated with major victories, and his sudden death sent shockwaves through the racing community. The crash underlined the perilous state of track safety in the era and deprived American speed racing of a celebrated and talented competitor.
1938 – John Cobb Breaks 350 mph in the Railton Special
At the Bonneville Salt Flats on 15 September 1938, John Cobb hurled Reid Railton’s Napier‑powered Railton Special past the 350 mph barrier, recording timed miles in the neighborhood of 350.2–353.3 mph. Cobb’s runs that day averaged roughly 353.3 mph over the measured mile, making his car the first to be credited with sustained speeds above 350 mph on land. The Railton’s potent Napier engine and Railton’s aerodynamic chassis combined to produce a radical advance in absolute speed, and Cobb’s achievement pushed the envelope of what closed‑course engineering and high‑speed stability could accomplish before World War II intervened.
1965 – The Ten‑Millionth Volkswagen Beetle Rolls Off the Line
On September 15, 1965, the ten‑millionth Volkswagen Beetle trundled off the Wolfsburg assembly line — a figure the company itself highlighted in shareholder bulletins of the time. The milestone was noted within Volkswagen’s chronicle as the factory celebrated eight digits of cumulative output for its one‑model workhorse, the Beetle, whose simple air‑cooled flat‑four and unpretentious coachwork had powered global expansion. Rolling out the ten‑millionth car underscored the Volkswagen plant’s massive production capacity and the Beetle’s extraordinary production run, which continued to define the company’s mid‑20th‑century manufacturing identity.
