On This Day

British racing legend John R. Cobb, was born. He set a series of lap records at the famous Brooklands track, including an unbroken record of 143. Continue Reading →

John Cobb

French engine designer Léon-Marie-Joseph-Clément Levavasseur patented the first working V8 engine in France. The engine block was the first to arrange eight pistons in the V-formation that allowed a crankshaft with only four throws to be turned by the eight pistons.

Léon-Marie-Joseph-Clément Levavasseur

The Uniontown (Pennsylvania) Board Speedway staged its first event, a 112.5 mile race was won by Louis Chevrolet driving a Frontenac. Hughie Hughes was sadly killed during the race. Continue Reading →

Uniontown Speedway Board Track Line Up, 1919

The Ford Model A was unveiled in New York City’s Waldorf Hotel and in 35 other cities around the US, Canada and Europe. Powered by engine 40 hp a water-cooled L-head inline 4-cylinder with a displacement of 3.3 litres, it was the first Ford to use the standard set of driver controls with conventional clutch and brake pedals, throttle, and gearshift. Continue Reading →

Ford Model A (1928)

The 1929 Auburn Series 6-80 and 8-90 were introduced. The Auburn Automobile Company grew out of the Eckhart Carriage Company, founded in Auburn, Indiana, US in 1874 by Charles Eckhart. His sons, Frank and Morris, experimented making automobiles before entering the business in earnest, absorbing two other local carmakers and moving into a larger plant in 1909. Continue Reading →

Auburn Series 6-80 (1929)

The Veteran Motor Club of America was founded.

Pontiac announced plans to produce a limited edition model with fuel injection.

Peter Arundell won a one-car "race" at Monza, Italy. Journalist Richard von Frankenberg had accused Lotus of using an illegal engine in Arundell's car in a race there a few months earlier. He challenged them to match their race speed in an "inspected, standard" Lotus 22. Continue Reading →

Peter Arundell

The first Renault 16 was completed at the purpose-built car plant at Sandouville, near Le Havre in France. One of the world’s first hatchbacks – halfway between a saloon and an estate body style - which would eventually become the most popular car body style in the world, the R16 won the prestigious European Car of the Year award in 1965. Over 1. Continue Reading →

Renault 16 brochure (Canadian)

Sir David Brown opened a Aston Martin Lagonda North America Inc. showroom in New York.

Sir David Brown

American Motors and Kaiser Industries Corporation signed an agreement whereby Kaiser could sell their Kaiser-Jeep operation to AMC.

The government of Kuwait purchased a 14.6% stake in Daimler Benz AG.

Production began of the square-edged Ford Escort Mk 2. Unlike the first Escort (which was developed solely by Ford of Britain), this second generation was developed jointly between Ford of Britain and Ford of Germany. Codenamed ‘Brenda’, it used the same mechanical components as the Mark I. Continue Reading →

Ford Escort Mk2

Robert B Roberts of Hudson, North Carolina became the 75,000th subscriber to ‘Old Cars’ newspaper.

A 127 car pile-up on Interstate 35 in San Antonio, Texas caused by blinding glare and rain-slicked roads, injured 67.

Ken Tyrrell announced that he had sold his eponymous team to British American Racing. The outfit, which entered the championship for the first time in 1968, won three world championships with Jackie Stewart in the 1960s and 1970s, but had not won a race since 1984. "This is the most difficult decision I've ever had to take," Tyrrell said. Continue Reading →

Ken Tyrrell

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced plans to host the United States Grand Prix Formula One race at the Speedway starting in 2000. Work began to prepare the track for the race, including the development of a 2.605-mile road course and 36 pit-side garages for the Formula One teams.

Thieves broke into the London home Madonna shared with Guy Ritchie. The raiders forced their way in through a basement door then took a set of car keys before loading up Guy Ritchie's car with some of the couple's possessions and driving off.

Bruce Halford died in Devon, aged 70. He competed in nine F1 races between 1956 and 1960 but only managed to finish one - the German Grand Prix in 1957.

Bruce Halford

Toyota delivered its first two "market-ready" hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCHVs, in the company's shorthand) to researchers at the University of California (UC). Since 1997, Toyota had been providing research money to UC scientists and engineers who studied the problems associated with "advanced transportation systems" like fuel-cell vehicles. With their new fleet of FCHVs, the researchers finally had a chance to test out their theories. Continue Reading →

Hawaii unveiled plans to be first in the nation to roll out electric car stations statewide, a move Governor Linda Lingle hailed as a major step toward weaning the islands off oil.

The world’s first concept demonstration tyres made with BioIsoprene™ technology, a breakthrough alternative to replace a petrochemically produced ingredient in the manufacture of synthetic rubber with renewable biomass, made their debut in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Goodyear: World's First Tyre Made with BioIsoprene Technology