November 28, 1895 – Chicago hosts the first US automobile race
The first organized automobile race in the United States took place on this day in 1895. On July 10, earlier that year, the Chicago Times-Herald announced it would host the race and offered a winning prize of $5,000, about $143,000 in 2017. Astonishingly, the newspaper received 83 entries. When
November 27, 1996 – The last Cadillac Fleetwood
The Fleetwood Metal Body in the early 19th century as an automobile coach builder, applying traditional methods of construction that dated back as far as 300 years. From its founding in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania in 1909, until Fisher Body purchased it in 1925, the company manufactured custom coaches for a
November 26, 1948 – The first Holden cars
J. A. Holden & Co became a leading saddlery in South Australia soon after its founding in 1856. When the original owner’s grandson joined the company almost 50 years later he added automotive upholstery repair to the company’s services. Following WWI, the formation of subsidiary Holden Motor Body Builders
November 25, 1949 – The 1,000,000th Cadillac
On this day in 1949 a 1949 Cadillac Coupe deVille rolled off the assembly line, marking the 1,000,000th Cadillac to be manufactured since the company’s inception in 1902. Pictured with the vehicle above are John F. Gordon, General Manager; Don E. Ahrens, General Sales Manager; and C.A. Raftrey, Works
November 24, 1973 – The Autobahn gets a speed limit
Ah, the Autobahn. It’s where you go to put the pedal to the metal for unrestricted automotive thrills, right? Well, sort of — in some places. The German Autobahn, officially known as the Bundesautobahn (federal motorway), actually has many speed-controlled areas. Marked speed limits are found in sections that
November 23, 1954 – The 50 millionth General Motors car is produced
At approximately 10 a.m. on this day in 1954, Chevrolet General Manager Thomas Keating drove a gold plated 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe off a Flint, Michigan assembly line. The 50 millionth automobile produced by General Motors just left the factory. Shortly thereafter it would be loaded onto
November 22, 1893 – Harley Earl is born
Automotive designer and executive Harley J. Earl was born on this day in 1893 in Hollywood, California. Earl began his automotive career when he dropped out of Stanford to join his father’s coachbuilding business, Harley Automotive Works. There he learned the art of crafting custom car bodies, many of
November 21, 1967 – Rally driver and gymkhana pro Ken Block is born
The goal: memorize the course and get from the starting line to the finish line as quickly as possible without crashing into the objects placed in the path. That’s gymkhana, in a nutshell, if you were unfamiliar with it. It’s the motorsport that Ken Block, born on this day
