January 31, 2000 – The first Ford Explorer Sport Trac is built
January 31, 2026
The Ford Explorer Sport Trac, first built on this day in 2000, was a game-changer in the automotive industry. In
This Day
January 30, 1951 – Ferdinand Porsche dies
January 30, 2026
Ferdinand Porsche, International Motorsports Hall of Fame member and Car Engineer of the 20th Century, died on this day in
January 29, 1929 – GM begins its overtake of Opel
January 29, 2026
In the tumultuous economic landscape of the late 1920s, General Motors (GM) seized a golden opportunity that would shape the
January 28, 1956 – Elvis Presley’s National TV Debut and His Love Affair with Cadillacs
January 28, 2026
On January 28, 1956, a young Elvis Presley stepped into the national spotlight with his first-ever television appearance on the
January 27, 1965 – Shelby GT350 goes on sale
January 27, 2026
The racing circuit changed forever when sales of the 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 launched on this day in 1965. The
January 26, 1925 – Actor and racing driver Paul Newman is born
January 27, 2026
Paul Newman was an American actor, film director, and entrepreneur, as well as a passionate auto racing enthusiast. He was
January 25, 1999 – Ford announces acquisition of Volvo
January 25, 2026
Ford’s Acquisition of Volvo: A Milestone in Automotive History On January 25, 1999, Ford Motor Company announced its $6.45 billion
January 24, 1860 – The jumping spark engine is patented
January 24, 2026
Patents for internal combustion engines date back to as far as 1807, but none were considered commercially successful until engineer
January 23, 1914 – Alex Tremulis, Cord, Duesenberg & Tucker designer, is born
January 23, 2026
Designing a successful, timeless automobile is no simple feat. It takes intuition, vision, a steady hand and an incurable desire
January 22, 1975 – Mercury Bobcat goes public
January 22, 2026
On January 22, 1975 Ford Motor Company announced that it would begin selling the Mercury Bobcat in the United States
January 21, 1862 – Opel is founded
January 21, 2026
At the time of Opel’s founding on this day in 1862 by Adam Opel, the business manufactured sewing machines in
January 20, 1909 – GM buys into Oakland Motor Car Company, later becomes Pontiac
January 20, 2026
After just one year of production, Oakland Motor Car Company principal founder Edward Murphy sold half the company to General
January 19, 2010 – First official photos of the new Mini Countryman released
January 19, 2026
First introduced in 1959 by the British Motor Corporation, the original Mini designed by Alec Issigonis captured hearts and minds
January 18, 1919 – Bentley is founded
January 18, 2026
While touring the French DFP automobile factory, Walter Owens Bentley noticed an aluminum paperweight and had the idea of using
January 17, 2023 – Chevrolet announces hybrid Corvette E-Ray
January 17, 2026
The Chevrolet Corvette has been an American icon since its introduction in 1953 and will remain so with the introduction
January 16, 1853 – Andre Michelin, co-founder of Michelin Tire Company, is born
January 16, 2026
Andre Michelin, founder of Michelin Tire Company, was born on this day in 1853 in Paris, France. At the age
January 15, 1997 – Subaru unveils production Forester for US market
January 15, 2026
The North American International Auto Show in Detroit has long been the show of choice for many automakers to unveil
January 14, 1954 – Nash & Hudson merge to form AMC
January 14, 2026
In what was the largest corporate merger in US history at the time, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation agreed to merge with Hudson
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This Day in Automotive History - the book!
This Day In Automotive History
By Brian Corey
This book tells fascinating tales, bringing individual days to life with short stories, photographs and illustrations.
This Day in Automotive History
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