Image: Saabkyle04
About This Quiz
Everyone knows a thing or two about classic cars, especially if you've been alive very long. After all, the car you learned to drive with might today be remembered as a true classic, even though at the time you didn't think too much about it.Â
What exactly is a classic car? There's no definitive definition, but most people would agree it's something from well into the past that is special, even when compared to other vehicles from the era. Of course, "special" is a term that will mean different things to different people. In other words, what one person considers a classic, others might think is a jalopy.Â
The fact is that vehicles shape society and are shaped by society. The cars we drive have impacted how we live in innumerable ways. They also reflect the values we had as a society at a certain time. By studying classic cars from the past, you gain greater insight into what people were like in say, the 1950s in the United States, 1970s Italy, or 1920s Britain.Â
Just how much do you know about the classics? See how many of these little-known facts you know by taking the quiz right now!Â
What was the BMW 2002 the predecessor to?
M8
3 Series
Before the 3 Series, BMW made a huge splash with the 2002, which provided drivers with a comfortable, yet sporting experience, and was practical as a family vehicle.
7 Series
M1
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What was different about the BMW 2002 tii?
it had a twin-turbo system
it used fuel injection
Thanks to the use of fuel injection, power for the BMW 2002 rose from 100 horsepower for the base version to 130 horsepower for the tii. Even more potent was the Turbo model, which pushed a mighty 170 horsepower.
it came with a supercharger
it was outfitted for nitrous fogging
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When did Ford start developing the Thunderbird?
1953
Ford decided to move forward with creating the Thunderbird in direct response to the Chevy Corvette hitting the automotive scene at the GM Motorama held in New York.
1954
1952
1950
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What car did Ford use as a template for the layout of the Thunderbird?
Jaguar XK120
Just like what Chevy did with the Corvette, Ford mimicked the XK120's 102-inch wheelbase, as well as the long nose and short tail of the British car, which was considered highly luxurious and stylish.
Chevy Corvette
Cadillac Eldorado
Ford Mustang
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What was the alternate name for the first Corvette concept?
Whale
Sharp Shooter
EX-122
While EX-122 was how the car was referred to by some within GM, fortunately top brass realized the Corvette name was more appealing to military veterans, who were the target market for the car.
General Lee
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What special thing did a line worker do with the last Studebaker Avanti to be made by the company?
put a tree air freshener on the rearview mirror
polished the glass
kissed the trunk lid while wearing lipstick
left a note tucked behind the trunk liner
W.H. Benett Sr. included a hand-written note to let the future owner of the car know it was indeed the last Avanti made by Studebaker, and to wish the owner a Happy New Year since the note was written on New Year's Eve 1963.
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Who made a small number of Avantis after Studebaker officially ceased production?
GM
two dealers in Indiana
Nate Altman and Leo Newman bought the plant and tooling, as well as the Avanti name from Studebaker. The were the first in a line of people who kept making replica cars and even new designs using the Avanti name into the 21st century.
American Motors
Jeep
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What did Ford ultimately do about the Pinto gas tanks?
nothing
it looked the other way
it recalled all Pintos and fixed the problem
Ford knew about the gas tank vulnerability on the Pinto, but most people today think it never fixed the issue. Of course, the shielding for the fuel tank and reinforcements around the filler neck wasn't an expensive or difficult fix, so you could safely drive a Pinto with the upgrades that were deployed in 1978.
had all the cars crushed
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What would it have cost Ford to fix each individual Pinto before they were shipped to dealers?
$200
$11
For a mere $11 per vehicle, Ford could have fixed a problem it knew about with the Pinto before any were shipped to dealers, but decided the risk was worth getting the cars on the market that much earlier. It was an epic mistake.
$2,359
$235
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Who claimed the Chevy Corvair was "unsafe at any speed"?
Bill Clinton
Ralph Nader
Back in 1965, Ralph Nader published the book, "Unsafe At Any Speed," which claimed GM tried to cover up the fact that the Corvair was fundamentally a dangerous car because of inferior design. Production of the vehicle stopped after the 1969 model year.
Malcom X
Robert Kennedey
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What was supposedly so dangerous about the Corvair?
the rear suspension
As a rear-engine and rear-wheel-drive car, the Corvair's rear suspension was especially important. It had a semi-independent, swing-axle design Nader and others claimed made the vehicle difficult to control, mirroring designs used by Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and others at the time.
the steering column
the dashboard
the exploding tires
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The Mustang was the first car that Ford marketed to what important demographic?
African Americans
women
Before the Mustang, Ford didn't really try to sell cars to women. After World War II, more women were working professional jobs, and Ford realized it could sell a practical yet fun car to them as well as men.
Asians
homosexuals
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Where did Pontiac get the name for the GTO?
DeLorean's father
a city in Michigan
a racing series
Ferrari
While it would be inconceivable today, back in day GM employee John DeLorean thought nothing of lifting the name for its new car from the Ferrari 250 GTO, which stood for Grand Turismo Omologato. The Pontiac was hardly a homologated grand tourer.
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From where did the Nissan Fairlady Z get its name?
a pinup model
a Broadway musical
Katsuji Kawamata, who was president of Nissan, was in the U.S. when he saw "My Fair Lady" on Broadway and was smitten. deciding the name could bring popularity to the company's new sports car.
the artwork included on the concept
the fact it was marketed toward good-looking women
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What factor spurned the creation of the first Mini?
the Cold War
soaring gas prices in England
Sir Leonard Lord of the Morris Company wanted to build a fuel-efficient car that could fit four adults comfortably but was affordable for the average Brit. His top engineer realized that by pushing the wheels to the corners and turning the engine sideways, he could accomplish those goals. The rest is history.
a big earthquake
the need for speed
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What was Hitler's involvement with the design of the Volkswagen Beetle?
he engineered the layout
he drew the concept sketches
he designed the entire interior
he made a thumbnail sketch
Hitler was an egomaniac, and unfortunately, people have believed he designed the Beetle. He did throw his support behind making the car, and even drew a sketch of what he thought it should look like, but it more closely resembled a Fiat 500. Ferdinand Porsche and others actually designed the car, which was patterned after other rear-engine models of the time.
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What was the name of the 1959 Chevy Impala's trunk lid?
bat wing
When Chevy made the Impala it's own line, the car got a complete makeover. The bat wing lid was distinct, along with eye teardrop taillights, front eyebrow air intakes, and an even longer body.
rover
dual bubble
victory lid
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What established automaker was directly tied to the development of the DeLorean?
BMW
Lamborghini
Lotus
Lotus engineers helped create the DeLorean, using the Esprit chassis as the basis for the new car. They also designed the car's iconic design, which also featured an overall wedge shape.
Ferrari
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What company made the first Skyline model?
Honda
Daihatsu
Volvo
Prince Motor Company
The Prince Motor Company Skyline was nothing like what we know today because it was a luxury sedan. It wasn't until three years after Nissan acquired the other Japanese automaker that it turned the sedan into a performance vehicle.
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Where was the gas tank located on the Willys MB and Ford GPW Jeeps?
on the driver's side rear
under the hood
under the driver's seat
Putting the gas tank under the driver gave enemy snipers fewer chances to stop a Jeep because they couldn't choose to hit either the fuel tank or the driver, which turned out to be a genius design.
strapped to the tailgate
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Where did the Ferrari Dino names come from?
cities in Italy
bulls
animals in Italian
the displacement of the engines and number of cylinders
The Dino name came from Enzo Ferrari's son, while the three-number designations for each model were the number of liters the engine displaced, plus the number of cylinders. For example, the Dino 246 had a 2.4-liter 6-cylinder engine.
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What did the "SL" stand for on the first Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
super luxurious
sport lightweight
Not only was the SL the first sport lightweight model from the brand, those gullwing doors and the use of electronic fuel injection made it quite the exciting car.
sport luxury
sleeper love
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What important automotive innovation was introduced in the Duesenberg Model A?
cigarette lighter
DC-12 plug
four-wheel hydraulic brakes
Stopping old cars was dicey business, but we can thank the Duesenberg brothers for introducing the concept of four-wheel hydraulic brakes, a technology they never patented, but one that likely would have saved the brand from collapse.
windshield wipers
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What car was the Toyota 2000GT originally supposed to be?
Ford Mustang
Honda S500
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Nissan Fairlady Z
Yamaha had been working with Nissan on updating the Fairlady Z in the early 1960s, but Nissan didn't like the design. Yamaha was able to successfully pitch the design to Toyota, which used it to create the company's first supercar.
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What was the inspiration for the Series 1 Land Rover Defender?
Ford Model T trucks
the original Jeeps
During World War II, England saw more than its fair share of the original Willys and Ford Jeeps. Inspired by their design, Maurice Wilks decided to build a similar truck for the European market.
Chevy C/J
Toyota Land Cruiser
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Why were Hudson Hornets known as "Step-Down Line" cars?
they were extremely basic
they were the bottom-tier Hudson models
they featured lower floorboards than competitors
With the lower design and lower center of gravity, the Hudson Hornet boasted better handling than rivals, which made it quite the proficient racer back in the day.
they were made for poor people
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What did Ferruccio Lamborghini think of the Countach?
he thought it was more beautiful than a Ferrari
he didn't like it
Even though engineers and others in the company loved it, Mr. Lamborghini only agreed to build the Countach because he lost a bet. He sincerely didn't think the car would be a success.
he loved how fast it was
he marveled at the solid engineering
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From where did Mazda get the alternate name for the RX-2?
a Rolling Stones song
African Antelope
It was known as the Capella in some markets, which was the name of an African Antelope,
a constellation
a type of cloud
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What "first" does the AMC Eagle rightfully have claim to?
first car to cross a river
first all-wheel-drive wagon
Even though Subaru has tried to lay claim to this first, the Eagle featured early all-wheel drive and could be had as a raised wagon, making it popular with people who lived where snow was common.
first car to reach 400,000 miles
first short-throw shifter
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What prestigious art museum has a Jaguar E-Type in its collection?
Hollywood Museum of Art
The Guggenheim
The M&M Museum
The Museum of Modern Art
Many people point to this unique honor, which only a handful of cars have ever enjoyed, as evidence of the aesthetic beauty of the E-Type.
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You Got:
/30
Saabkyle04