1900 – Madison Square Garden Hosts the Nation’s First Big Auto Show
When the Automobile Club of America opened the Pioneer National Exhibition of Motor Vehicles at Madison Square Garden on November 3, 1900, New Yorkers walked into what has been described as the country’s first large, modern auto show. The week-long display, commonly dated November 3–10, gathered multiple manufacturers’ machines under one roof—early steam, electric, and internal-combustion vehicles stood beside prototype contraptions and promotional exhibits. For buyers, engineers, and the curious public the Garden offered a concentrated look at what horseless transport might become; presenting many marques together helped turn scattered local demonstrations into a national automotive conversation.
1911 – Durant and Louis Chevrolet Incorporate Chevrolet Motor Company
On November 3, 1911, William C. Durant and race driver Louis Chevrolet filed the papers that created the Chevrolet Motor Company in Detroit, launching a marque that began with the substantial Classic Six the following year. Durant brought business acumen and an ambition to challenge his former enterprise, while Chevrolet lent racing credibility and a sporty image; together they set out to sell well-engineered, attractively powered automobiles to a broad market. The incorporation date fixed the partnership in legal form and kicked off a rapid flurry of engineering and production that would, in time, fold Chevrolet into the larger General Motors story.
1965 – Lamborghini Shows the Miura’s Transverse V12 Chassis
At the Turin Motor Show on November 3, 1965, Lamborghini startled visitors not with a finished body but with the Miura’s satin-black rolling chassis, the dramatic reveal of a transverse mid‑mounted V12 layout. Stripped of coachwork, the frame exposed the radical packaging that placed a powerful V12 behind the occupants—an arrangement that would define the Miura when its complete body appeared in March 1966. Displaying the mechanical heart first emphasized engineering daring: the Miura’s chassis made a clear statement that Lamborghini intended to build a road car with racing-inspired proportions and a startlingly low profile.
2007 – Groundbreaking for Ferrari World on Yas Island
A ceremonial foundation stone and time capsule were set into the ground on Yas Island on 3 November 2007 to mark the start of Ferrari World, the Gulf region’s high-profile themed attraction. The event formalized plans for a covered park billed around Ferrari branding, engineering displays, and speed-themed rides; construction continued over the next three years until the park opened in 2010. Laying the foundation stone underlined how automotive culture had become an international entertainment product—Ferrari’s name and engineering mystique were now the centerpiece of a purpose-built leisure destination in Abu Dhabi.
2014 – Tom Magliozzi, One Half of ‘Click and Clack,’ Dies
Tom Magliozzi, who alongside his brother Ray voiced the wry and improvisational radio program ‘Car Talk,’ died on November 3, 2014 at age 77 after complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. Listeners knew Tom as one half of the ‘Click and Clack’ duo whose on-air chemistry, technical know-how, and fond mockery of automotive misadventure turned a call-in help show into a cultural touchstone. His delivery—equal parts mechanic’s insight and comic timing—helped demystify repair and made car talk appointment radio for millions; press accounts and obituaries noted his passing on that November day.
