October 2, 1959 – The Aircooled American
The only mass produced, air cooled rear engined American car was introduced to the public on this day in 1959. The Chevrolet Corvair aimed to be an affordable commuter that would compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Beetle and numerous domestic compacts being introduced at the time, such
October 1, 1908 – The first Model T leaves the assembly line
An automobile revolution began on this day in 1908 when the first Ford Model T left Ford’s Piquette Plant in Detroit, Michigan. The Ford Model T was an instant success. It’s affordability and rugged dependability resulted in a car fit for the masses. Between 1908 and 1927 Ford built
September 30, 1955 – James Dean’s last ride
American actor and race car driver James Dean, 24, died in a wreck while driving a Porsche 550 Spyder on this day in 1955. Dean, who starred in such movies as East of Eden, Giant and Rebel Without a Cause, was already a beloved actor when he took an
September 29, 1913 – The mysterious disappearance of Rudolph Diesel
In 1870, at the age of 12, Rudolf Diesel and his family fled Paris for London due to the Franco-Prussian war. Before the conflict ended Rudolph was sent to stay with an aunt an uncle in Augsburg, Germany, a trip that would forever change his life’s path. A life
September 28, 1949 – A small car with a big name comes to market
British company Jowett Cars debuted their first and only sports car, the Jupiter, on this day in 1949 at the London Motor Show. The Jupiter was designed in just four months by Austrian engineer Dr. Robert Eberan von Eberhorst and Jowett’s own body stylist Reg Korner. Only about 900
September 27, 1925 – Building Nurburgring
On this day in 1925 construction on the Nurburgring racing circuit in Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany begins. The first races would take place on June 18, 1927 for motorcycles with sidecars, which was won by Toni Ulmen on an English 350 cc Velocette. Rudolf Caracciola took the checkers at the
September 26, 1982 – K.I.T.T. hits the silver screen
On this day in 1982 the TV show Knight Rider made its primetime debut, starring a talking 1982 Pontiac Trans Am named K.I.T.T., which stood for Knight Industries Two Thousand. Behind the wheel of the Pontiac was David Hasselhoff, who played crime fighter Michael Knight.
September 25, 1725 – The inventor of the automobile is born, and later crashes…
Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, the man credited with building the first known working, self-propelled mechanical vehicle capable of carrying a driver, was born on this day in 1725. At the age of 40, Cugnot, a French military engineer and inventor, began to develop a steam powered vehicle capable of transporting cannons