1903 – Selden Patent Suit Filed Against Ford
The legal grenade that would shadow the earliest auto industry was thrown on October 22, 1903, when the Electric Vehicle Company and patent-holder George B. Selden—backed by the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers—filed suit alleging Ford’s automobiles infringed Selden’s patent. The complaint targeted the rapidly growing Ford Motor Company and related parties, claiming that Selden’s broad 1879 patent covered the basic concept of a motor vehicle. What began as a single infringement action unfolded into years of appeals and courtroom drama, culminating in a decisive ruling that favored Ford in 1911; until then the case constrained licensing and rivalries across the fledgling American auto industry.
1952 – Reliant Shows the New Regal at Earls Court
When the British International Motor Show opened at Earls Court on 22 October 1952, Reliant rolled out its new Regal Mark I to the public for the first time. The little three-wheeled car represented Reliant’s move from utility to passenger transport—an economical, lightweight design powered by a small engine and built with simplicity and thrift in mind. Displaying the Regal at London’s premier motor show introduced the model to dealers and buyers at a pivotal moment in postwar Britain, positioning Reliant to capitalize on demand for affordable motoring without the expense or complexity of a conventional four-wheeler.
1954 – Ford’s Two-Seat Thunderbird Hits Dealer Lots
Dealers opened their showrooms to a sleek new contender on October 22, 1954, when Ford’s two-seat Thunderbird went on sale as a 1955 model. Conceived as a personal luxury roadster with attention to comfort and style rather than outright sportscar brutality, the Thunderbird paired V8 power with a well-appointed interior and a focus on driver enjoyment. The launch prompted brisk early orders and established the Thunderbird as Ford’s answer to European-inspired personal cars, defining a format—luxurious two-seaters with powerful engines—that would shape Ford’s product choices through the late 1950s.
1969 – Datsun 240Z Makes Its U.S. Debut at the Pierre Hotel
At a restrained but deliberate preview in the Grand Ballroom of New York’s Pierre Hotel on October 22, 1969, Nissan introduced American buyers to the Datsun 240Z—and began selling it in the U.S. the same day. The 240Z combined a long-hood, short-deck sports-car silhouette with a lightweight chassis and a lively inline-six, delivering engaging performance at a price far below many European rivals. Shown in New York before later West Coast and Japanese displays, the car immediately gave buyers an attainable sports-car experience and launched a lineage that would define Nissan’s performance image for decades.
1969 – First Plymouth Superbird Rolls Off the Line
The aerodynamic oddity built for NASCAR homologation began its short life on October 22, 1969, when the first Plymouth Superbird reportedly rolled off the assembly line. Destined for a production run that ended in mid-December, the Superbird grafted a towering rear wing and an elongated nose onto the Road Runner platform to coax higher speeds on superspeedways. Purpose-built to satisfy NASCAR rules while giving drivers improved straight-line stability, that first car started a brief but spectacular chapter in Chrysler’s factory-backed racing effort—one that produced some of the most instantly recognizable aero racers of the muscle-car era.
