1805 – Oliver Evans Demonstrates an Early Amphibious Vehicle
American inventor Oliver Evans demonstrated his unusual steam-powered Oruktor Amphibolos on this day in 1805 in Philadelphia. Built primarily as a dredging machine, the massive craft was mounted on wheels so it could travel over land before entering the water, making it one of the earliest self-propelled vehicles in the United States and widely regarded as the world’s first motorized amphibious vehicle. Because surviving contemporary accounts are limited and Evans was known to exaggerate some of his achievements, historians continue to debate exactly how successfully the machine operated.
1940 – Henry Ford II Marries Anne McDonnell
Henry Ford II married Anne McDonnell on this day in 1940 in Southampton, New York. The grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford, he was still several years away from taking control of the family business, but would become company president in 1945 and help modernize Ford following World War II. The couple had three children, including Edsel Ford II, and remained married until their divorce in 1964.
1968 – Mazda Introduces the Rotary-Powered R100
Mazda introduced the rotary-powered Familia Coupe, later known in export markets as the R100, around this date in 1968. Unlike the limited-production Cosmo Sport that preceded it, the compact R100 brought Wankel rotary power to a much larger group of buyers, combining a lightweight two-door body with a small, smooth and high-revving twin-rotor engine. The model helped establish Mazda as the automaker most closely associated with rotary technology and laid the groundwork for later performance cars including the RX-3, RX-7 and RX-8.
1978 – Lee Iacocca Is Fired From Ford
Ford Motor Company chairman Henry Ford II fired company president Lee Iacocca on this day in 1978, ending a long and increasingly tense relationship between two of the most powerful figures in the American automobile industry. Iacocca had helped lead the development and marketing of the Ford Mustang and had risen to the presidency in 1970, but clashes with Henry Ford II ultimately forced him out despite the company’s profitability. He soon joined Chrysler, where he became the public face of the struggling automaker’s recovery and helped champion the K-car and the modern minivan.
2017 – Jaguar Reveals the E-Pace
Jaguar officially unveiled the E-Pace compact luxury SUV on this day in 2017 during a dramatic presentation in London. The five-passenger crossover became the company’s second SUV after the larger F-Pace and was designed under the direction of Ian Callum to combine practical dimensions with styling inspired by Jaguar sports cars. To publicize the launch, stunt driver Terry Grant performed a record-setting 270-degree barrel-roll jump in an E-Pace, sending the new model more than 50 feet
