Familiar, official, affectionate, contemptuous… Since the car became another member of the family, it was also the object of nicknames and comparisons (although some were as ‘peregrine’ as the famous ‘Four cans’ that you see on These lines). We remind you of some of them.
Familiar, official, affectionate, contemptuous… Since the car became another member of the family, it was also the object of nicknames and comparisons (although some were as ‘peregrine’ as the famous ‘Four cans’ that you see on These lines). We remind you of some of them.
“Hello, Goal. You are with cream? I have already called Gonso -the brother of Titin-, to Luillo now Chalton to tell you that this weekendas lonchisMiri and Txu couldn’t, because Gabino, Helen and I have met with Dani and Miguel, Yesi, Iñaki and Lupi. By the way, has anyone seen Faisu? Of I use them and the Chopsuey I don’t know anything either. Anyway, we’ll talk, okay?”
The day the police intercept my cell phone they will arrest us all as potential criminals. But for now, I find it more efficient to call my friends on the usual nickname I have to spend an hour on the phone trying to identify which Maria my partner is referring to out of the seventeen we know between the two of us. With the cars The same thing happens a bit: being almost of the familyone insists on customize them everything he can. And just like with people, throughout international filmed history there are nicknames and diminutives accepted by the vast majority (Nines, Tere, Kike, Paco, Pepe, Pancho, Kiko, Edu; Cuatrolatas, Forfi, Pandita, Mini, Beetle…) and others that are only said in the most intimate circles (Carlitos, Rociíto). The result is infinite. Curious or famous, this is a small example of what the collective imagination has done. How many other nicknames do you remember?
The nickname makes the affection
In the early years, most models were named according to their displacement or fiscal power, and it had to be the people in charge of bringing inventiveness to the matter. The Citroën 5 CV of 1922, for example, was known as Ass-chicken, due to its small size and pointed rear. In 1932, Fiat launched the 508 Balilla, a name that was official. With the arrival of microcars, in the 40s and 50s, Spain saw the Breadcutter (remembered today as “Biscutres”), predecessors of the charismatic Pellet Seat 600.
Then came the Eight and a half (Seat 850)he Milqui (Seat 1500), the Fourteen Thirty (1430). Mercedes He was also the subject of nicknames from admirers or envious people: Gull wings (300 SL), the Lola Flores either Castanets (170, due to noise), the Adenauer (300D, by the German Chancellor), the bullfighters car (190 E, due to its low price). In the 70s and 80s, the Porsche 911 RS and Turbo were called Duck tail and Whale Tail, for his aileron. Finally, advertising also ended up doing its thing and turned the Simca 1200 in it Fillet for being “A 5-seater with a lot of nerve” or the Citroën C15 in the mule because “he takes it all.”
What would be of the human being without nicknames? I don’t know, but with three Javis and two Luises, at least in AUTO BILD We would have a bit of a bad time.
From affectionate nickname to official name
When Hitler commissioned Porsche for a “Volkswagen” (people’s car), he did not imagine that even the manufacturer would call it Beetle. He Mini accepted her nickname before, and the inventor of the mini skirt in the 60s.
Volkswagen Beetle
Mini
The Pegasin Slipper
Biscuter. There are cars with a nickname, but curiously this funny contraption with wheelbarrow wheels had two, which is why the exotic – and not the popular – heads this list. It was a sports derivative of the popular Biscúter (ephemeral brand of microcars from the 1950s which, in turn, meant “double motorcycle type”. scooter“), which was already known as “shoe“, to the equal what later happened to him Jaguar E-Type, due to its elongated shape and close to the ground. And as the pretentious front of her had a air to supercars Pegasus Z-102…
The ugly Duckling
Citroën 2CV. In this case, there was not so much waste of imagination. Due to its “two horses” of fiscal power, this well-known utility vehicle is surrounded by a whole symbology related to the equestrian world. At the end of the 80’s, when it was discontinued, some media outlets said goodbye to it with a “Goodbye to the ugly duckling”, due to its outdated line and the fins that partially covered its rear wheels. However, in countries like Germanyyou keep remembering this bestseller as “the duck“, to dry.
The Ball
Seat 600. He was truly responsible for large-scale Spanish motorization during the 60s and the first – and sometimes only – car for many families. When it was born, in Italy there were already smaller and rounded models like the Fiat 500 or the Isetta (“the egg” or, more recently, “Steve Urkel’s car”) that he would end up manufacturing bmw. However, the modest utility made in Spainproduced under license, was not spared from the nickname either, and today fans remember the “pelotilla” with a Special love.
The shark
Citroën ID/DS. Vehicle futuristic in design, concept and technology, which in France It was called “The goddess”. It owes its nickname (“shark“) to its front with rounded eyes (fairings and addressable in the second generation) and its revolutionary air suspension which, in addition to providing it with an adjustable height with respect to the ground according to need, allowed it to absorb bumps as if it were floating in water and even circulate without a wheel! This system was inherited by some descendants (GS, CX…), which some called “boats”.
The Dogedar
Dodge Dart. After the official neutrality of Spain in the First World War, the economy of our country experienced a time of certain splendor in the so-called “roaring 20s”. Therefore, some american manufacturers who settled here also survived the civil strife. In the 60’s, the Dart was one of the greatest exponents of luxury, and due to its services in the State mobile parkwas immediately nicknamed “the ministers’ car” or the Dogedar, since at that time almost no one knew pronounce well in English.
The Bocanegra
Seat 1200 Sport. Its bodywork was carried out by the Spanish company Inducar. I had a nice coupe line bulging at the rear, narrow taillights and an unmistakably aggressive front, with rather large optics for the time and the characteristic plastic molding in the shape of a mouth, always black. It was available with 1,200 and 1,430 engines. The number of internal clocks and their seating enveloping they finished this racing cara song to the national sportsmanship.
The pear
Renault 14. In case no one had thought of the comparison when seeing the backRenault launched this peculiar five-door compact in 1976, halfway between R9 and R18, with an advertising campaign in which it was compared to a real pear due to its unbalanced shape. Not content with that, many units were manufactured in one inappropriate metallic green. The result of such a brilliant campaign? Nails sales much lower than expected and, consequently, the premature cessation of production, in 1983.
The Soplillo
Renault 5 Turbo. In the 80’s, success triggered the evolution of the French utility vehicle. There were powerful versions Turbo for rally (the “Culogordos”) and for everyday life. But since the latter had non-sequential supercharged mechanics and standard chassis and dimensions, these machines in inexperienced hands triggered accidents on twisty roads, so just as the Dauphine/Gordini tandem is remembered today as “the widow’s car” – due to its poor distribution of weights -, there are those who still call the 5 Turbo “the dead box”.
The Chorizon
Talbot Horizon. Before being absorbed by Citroën and Peugeot, Talbot made very well-known automobiles that, for that reason, did not escape their nickname. Thanks to your size -much more content than the Solara and the 1200- and its affordable pricethe Talbot Horizon was a compact with great success in the national market, which also served to meet the needs of the State security forces. As the National Police had many units in its fleet to arrest criminals (“chorizos”), it was nicknamed “Chorizón.”
The Phantom
VW Phaeton. In the same way that the Ford Taunus from years ago was involuntarily baptized on the street as “Taurus”, because it sounded similar to “Tauro” and “Toro”, the current representative saloon of VW Today it has a name that is often confused with “Phantom” (“ghost”), as their last name was some Models of Rolls-Royce. The most ruthless, in addition, prefer to make jokes on purpose with this name, because the car has sold little and circulates around like ghosts: “you can barely see it.”
Photos: AUTO BILD Spain, manufacturer
