November 20, 2011 – Famed Ferrari designer Sergio Scaglietti dies
Sergio Scaglietti opened Carrozzeria Scaglietti, an auto repair and body shop, in 1951 in the small town of Maranello, Italy. It just so happened to sit across the street from another young business, Ferrari. Scaglietti and Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the sports car company, had an existing relationship
November 19, 1959 – Ford announces the end of Edsel
Too much money, too much hype, and too much of the same old thing would ultimately kill Edsel. Designed to fill the gap between Ford and its luxurious Lincoln line, Edsel debuted to high expectations on September 4, 1957. Despite all the glitz and glam, including an hour long
Dusty & Rusty – 1934 DeSoto Airflow For Sale – $2,950
Some say the Chrysler and DeSoto Airflow, introduced in 1934, was ahead of its time, which is why sales sunk. Others blame production line faults for being unable to fulfill a large number of initial orders. Whatever the case, only 13,940 DeSoto Airflow models in four different series left
November 18, 1960 – End of the line for DeSoto
Less than a week after Chrysler acquired Dodge Brothers, it debuted its new mid-priced DeSoto line for 1929. The additions gave Chrysler two makes aimed at the same consumer. The original plan had Chrysler at the top, followed by DeSoto, then Plymouth as their entry level ride. Buying Dodge
November 17, 1986 – The Assassination of Renault CEO Georges Besse
On this day in 1986 Georges Besse, the 58-year-old CEO of French automaker Renault, was gunned down just steps from his Paris home. Besse had become head of the company in 1985 when it was not profitable. Under his aggressive actions, Renault reported gains for the first time in
November 16, 1901 – New electric vehicle land speed record
Coney Island, New York is well known for its amusement park attractions, but on this day in 1901, it hosted a different kind of wild ride. A crowd gathered to witness a new type of spectacle, an automobile race. A mishmash of vehicles, including eight gas powered, six steam
November 15, 1977 – The 100,000,000th Ford
On this day in 1977 the 100,000,000 U.S. built Ford rolled off the assembly line in Mahwah, New Jersey. The 1978 Ford Fairmont Futura spent its early life on a coast to coast marketing tour before being preserved. The compact Ford Fairmont was all new for 1978, succeeding the Maverick.
November 14, 1996 – GM releases its EV1, first electric car
On this day in 1996 General Motors released its first electric car, the EV1. Manufactured in Lansing, Michigan, the EV1 had a range of 70-90 miles before requiring a recharge. More than 1,100 EV1s were produced between 1996 and 1999, making it the first mass produced electric car from
