March 18, 1858 – Rudolf Diesel is born
March 18, 2022
On this day in 1858 Rudolf Diesel, would later patent the type of engine by the same name, was born.
This Day
March 15, 1961 – Jaguar E-Type is Released
March 15, 2022
Upon its release on this day in 1961, Enzo Ferrari called the Jaguar E-Type “The most beautiful car ever made.”
March 13, 1969 – The Love Bug debuts
March 13, 2022
The Love Bug movie made its official debut on this day in 1969. Starring a pearl white 1963 Volkswagen Beetle
March 8, 1950 – VW Type 2 goes on sale
March 8, 2022
Ben Pon may not not a familiar name, but he earns credit for the introduction of the Volkswagen Type 2,
March 7, 1938 – Janet Guthrie, first woman to race in top tier NASCAR and Indy 500, is born
March 7, 2022
Janet Guthrie, born on this day in 1938 in Iowa City, Iowa, raced her way into the history books when
March 2, 1966 – The first Mustang is traded in for the 1,000,000th
March 2, 2022
The day the Ford Mustang went on sale, April 17, 1964, more than 22,000 of the pony cars ended up
February 27, 1951 – Italian auto designer Walter de Silva is born
February 27, 2022
At just 21 years old, Italian Walter de Silva began a career as an automotive designe at Fiat in 1972.
February 21, 1909 – Bob Burman wins 100 mile Mardi Gras race
February 21, 2022
By 1909, Mardi Gras had been drawing visitors to New Orleans, Louisiana from around the world for more than 50
February 20, 1993 – Ferruccio Lamborghini dies
February 20, 2022
Ferruccio Lamborghini, founder of the sports car company that bears his name, passed away on this day in 1993 at
February 17, 1966 – Alfred P. Sloan, GM chairman, dies
February 17, 2022
Alfred P. Sloan proved that even MIT graduates have a hard time finding work. After receiving his diploma in 1895,
February 16, 1843 – Henry Leland, founder of Cadillac & Lincoln, is born
February 16, 2022
Henry Leland, founder of Cadillac and Lincoln, was born on this day in 1843. He began his professional engineering career
February 15, 1968 – The AMC AMX debuts
February 15, 2022
American Motors Corporation officially debuted the AMX at Daytona International Speedway on this day in 1968. Journalists’s jaws dropped as
February 13, 1958 – The four seat Ford Thunderbird debuts
February 13, 2022
The Ford Thunderbird first hit the market in October 1954 as a two seater to compete with the two year
February 11, 1847 – Thomas Edison, electric car pioneer (and inventor of other stuff, I guess), is born
February 11, 2022
Sometimes I write a lot, sometimes not so much. Today is the latter because someone else wrote something you need
February 10, 1966 – Ralph Nader, author of Unsafe at Any Speed, testifies before congress
February 10, 2022
Consumer activist and lawyer Ralph Nader’s book Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile accused automakers
February 9, 2001 – The 100th Chicago Auto Show opens, showing Ford Forty Nine dream car & more
February 9, 2022
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a retro renaissance in the auto industry, giving birth to a variety of
February 8, 1993 – GM sues NBC for defamation over exploding gas tanks
February 8, 2022
On November 17, 1992, NBC’s Dateline aired a segment about the dangerous positioning of gas tanks in 1973 to 1987
February 6, 1954 – Mercedes 300SL goes on sale
February 6, 2022
In 1952 Mercedes-Benz built a brand new car for the sports car racing season, dubbed the W194. Designed by Friedrich
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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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