Fahrzeug-Fabrik Eiseach, an ancestor of BMW, was organised.

The Stafford Motor Car Company was incorporated by Terry Stafford in Missouri, US

1913 Stafford Touring Car

Neon lighting, invented by French physicist Georges Claude, was first demonstrated at the Paris Auto Show. The demonstration lasted until December 18. Over the next fifty years neon would soar in use, illuminating thousands of signs across the globe. Continue Reading →

Salon de l’automobile in the Paris Grand Palace with the first neon signs created by Georges Claude.

The first three Rolls-Royce armoured cars were delivered to the British Armed Forces. The vehicles were based on a Rolls-Royce 40/50-bhp car chassis, to which were added armoured bodywork and a single turret for a Vickers machine gun.

Daimler began production of artillery tractors for the British Army.

The Quebec Bridge, the world’s largest cantilever, 1800ft between the piers and 3239 ft overall, over the St Lawrence River, was opened to traffic, at a cost of 87 lives and $Can 22,500,000. The bridge accommodates three highway lanes (none until 1929, one until 1949, two until 1993), one rail line (two until 1949), and a pedestrian walkway (originally two); at one time it also carried a streetcar line. It was declared a historic monument in 1987 by the Canadian and American Society of Civil Engineers, and on January 24, 1996, the bridge was declared a National Historic Site of Canada.

Quebec Bridge

The 1933 Buicks were introduced.

1933 Buick brochure

Just three days after the fire at the Crystal Palace, work began on a Grand Prix track with a new "Panamac" non-skid surface. Called a "miniature Nürburgring" by the British motor press, the twisty circuit was completed in 5 months. 20 cars entered the first London Grand Prix on 17 July 1937, a race eventually won by Prince Bira in his ERA R2B Romulus at an average speed of 56. Continue Reading →

Crystal Palace Circuit

The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation purchased the Willow Run factory, Michigan (US) that it had leased since 1945, for $15.1 million.

The 1952 Pontiac car range were introduced.

Bobby Marshman (28) died from burns suffered a week earlier in a testing crash in Phoenix Arizona. At Indy earlier that year, Bobby in the Pure Firebird Lotus held the one and four lap record, for a short time, on the first day of qualifying until Jim Clark put him in the middle of the front row for the start. By the fifth lap, Bobby had passed Clark for the lead and was running easily in front until the 38th lap when the Lotus bottomed out and knocked the drain plug out of the gearbox. Continue Reading →

Bobby Marshman

The 11-mile M1 section passing through Leicester, England which had required the removal of 7 million tons of earth and rock, came into use.

The last “fresh, bold and functional-looking” Pacer was produced by the American Motor Company. The ‘jellybean’ styled Pacer was a reasonably popular economy car, though its Jetson-styled body attracted criticism from both the press and TV comedians, The Pacer gained attention as the mighty roadmobile piloted by Garth in Wayne's World.

AMC Pacer

Hughie Thompson, John Weston and Richard Steel (all UK) completed a 54,289 mile (87,367 km) journey through 18 countries in the World Bus, a red London Routemaster double-decker bus. The route was London, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Milan, Istanbul, Dubai, Lahore, Bombay, Singapore, Perth, Sydney, Rio, Santiago, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Liverpool, London.

Wendell Scott (69), the first African-American NASCAR racer, died of spinal cancer. On December 1, 1963, he won a Grand National Series race at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida, becoming the first black driver to win a race at NASCAR's premier level. Scott's career was repeatedly affected by racial prejudice and problems with top-level NASCAR officials. Continue Reading →

Wendell Scott,

It was announced Bernie Ecclestone had struck a deal with Hollywood film star Sylvester Stallone that would lead to the first US-based grand prix for almost a decade. "Stallone will film shots of practice sessions and the race itself, which will then be incorporated into film he is making based on F1," a spokesman said. It was planned to stage the race in 1999 in Las Vegas. Continue Reading →

The Ferrari team drivers finished 1-2, with Michael Schumacher leading Rubens Barrichello, in a charity go-kart race in Koln, Germany - featuring past and present racing stars. The event raised $130,000 for the UNESCO "Children in Need" program.

In an online survey Americans chose the Ford Mustang as their all-time favourite car.

A tour bus bus carrying 45 plunged into a valley in Tainan, Taiwan, killing 22 and injuring 23.

The world’s oldest-surviving Rolls-Royce, numbered 20154, became the most expensive veteran car on record when it fetched more than £3.5 million at a London auction. The two-seater, 10-bhp car, the fourth-ever car produced by the Rolls-Royce factory in Manchester in 1904, was sold by Bonhams to an anonymous British collector in London.

World's oldest surviving Rolls Royce

Lewis Hamilton was nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. But just like his world championship attempt he finished second - to boxer Joe Calzaghe.

Malaysian car manufacturer Proton officially announced plans to construct an automobile plant in Bangladesh.