Automobile nicknames

Because of its glass rear, it was nicknamed “Snow White's Coffin”: the Volvo P 1800 ES

Mercedes-Benz W 125 "Silver Arrow"

Automobile nicknames are unofficial names, nicknames , or nicknames for certain car models. Such nicknames have been around since the beginning of automotive development. Flattering, affectionate, derisive or derogatory, they are often created for vehicles that, due to their distinctive characteristics, arouse the special interest of the public. Some of the most successful models in automotive history are better known by their nicknames than their official names.

At the start of production, the first Volkswagen was not officially called the “ Beetle ”, but at the end of the 1960s the most popular automobile in German-speaking countries was sold under this name. After all, Volkswagen also used it itself in advertising ( The Beetle ... it runs ... and runs ... and runs ... ). In the USA the beetle is called “Beetle” , in Mexico “Vocho” , in Brazil “Fusca” and in France “Coccinelle” (ladybird).

" Tin Lizzie " ("Blechliesel") from Ford describes the Ford T-Model, the first people's car and one of the most popular automobiles.

Numerous other types of cars have also been popularly given nicknames, which use simple abbreviations such as B. Diplo for the Opel Diplomat or Commo for the Opel Commodore went out.

In addition to the nicknames mentioned here for certain types of cars or car models, there are also specific individual vehicles (such as " Herbie " and " Dudu " for the VW Beetle from the well-known films), fantasy vehicles (such as the " Batmobile "), special vehicles like the " Papamobil ", racing cars like the " Pink Pig " (a Porsche 917/20, also called "Die Sau" because of its paintwork), the "Turbinchen" (a Porsche 996 Turbo in the racing version of Jürgen Alzen Motorsport ) or the "Black Widow" (an Opel Rekord C as a racing touring car).

“ Silberpfeil ” is the unofficial name of the German Grand Prix racing cars from Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union from 1934 to 1939. The W 196 that Mercedes-Benz entered in Formula 1 in 1954/55 and the sports car that was used by the factory in 1952 and 1955 also included 300 SL (R) were so named. Later - up to the present day - some racing cars were also given this name.

Names for a certain group of automobiles are also common, e.g. B. "Farmer's Porsche" for sports versions of everyday cars or "motorized shopping baskets" for small shopping cars. In southern Germany, the term "Rennsemmel" for small, sporty cars is common.

In addition, some car owners give their car an individual (nick) name. Conversely, the name of the Frankfurt prostitute Rosemarie Nitribitt , who at times drove a black Mercedes 190 SL with red leather seats, was transferred to the vehicle type after her spectacular murder.

Motorcycles were also given nicknames. So was z. For example, the DKW RM 350 is also known as the “singing saw” because of its screeching engine noise. The Zündapp KS 601 is known as the “Green Elephant”, the “Schwarze Josefine” is a 250 two-stroke twin-cylinder Tornax and the “Rubber Cow” are the first full swing models from BMW . The Honda CX 500 finally got the unflattering nickname "slurry pump".

In the case of trucks, there is the example of the forward control truck from Mercedes-Benz, which came on the market in 1963. They no longer had a hood, but a cubic cabin in which the driver sat over the front axle. The cabs could not be tilted, so that maintenance had to be carried out through numerous flaps and doors that were distributed over the entire vehicle. This fact quickly earned these vehicles the unflattering nickname "Advent Calendar" among drivers and mechanics. The LP 333, which was built from 1958 to 1961, was jokingly called the "millipede" because of its two steerable front axles.

Origin or origin

Mostly an external characteristic is the origin for the nickname of a car type. The "Adenauer-Mercedes", the "Strich-Eighth", "The Goddess" for the Citroën DS or the "Gangster-Citroën" are some of the exceptions that got their nickname in other ways.

In Germany, vehicles of the brands Mercedes, VW and Fiat were given nicknames quite often. Almost every model generation of the Ford Taunus (1939 to 1976) received a different name in the vernacular , mostly because the Americanized design lacked German taste and was considered overloaded, kitschy or ugly. There were very few car models in the GDR ; the Trabant received many nicknames.

Nicknames for car models have become rarer. Most of the time, such cars are given nicknames today, the design of which is generally viewed as unsuccessful.

list

Nickname	Vehicle type	production	photo	Background of the nickname
"Tin Lizzie" ("Blechliesel")	Ford Model T	1908-1927		The successful Ford model was a well-behaved "Liesel" for the small purse, which looked a bit tinny due to the filigree exterior, which was only available in black.
"Doctoral Car"	Opel 4/8 hp	1909-1910		The two-seater was small and manoeuvrable compared to other cars of the time and was used by many doctors for home calls, which quickly earned it the nickname “doctor's car”.
"Puppchen"	Wanderer W1 – W3	1912-1926		The song " Puppchen, you are my eye star " from the operetta " Die chaste Susanne " from 1910 was very popular. And since the wanderer was so small and cute, he was soon simply called "Puppchen" by the vernacular .
"Tree frog"	Opel 4 hp	1924-1931		In contrast to the automobiles customary at the time, it was small and green instead of big and black and was therefore popularly known as the “tree frog”. It is a plagiarism of the Citroën Type C , which was only produced in the color yellow. This is where the saying " The same in green " comes from .
"Commissary bread"	Hanomag 2/10 PS	1925-1928		This revolutionary, but also often ridiculed car was nicknamed “Kommissbrot” because of its “bread shape ” . The phrase A little sheet metal, a little paint, the Hanomag is ready! is also thanks to him.
"Jakob" or "Jacob"	Volvo public transport4	1927-1929		The Volvo ÖV 4 is the first series production car from Volvo. Since one of the 10 prototypes was completed on Jacob's name day, it is also known under the nickname "Jacob".
"Widow Maker" ("The Widow Maker")	Bugatti Type 54	1931-1932		The vehicle was extremely challenging to drive and not without danger. In addition to Count Czaykowski in Monza in 1933, Prince Jiri Lobkowicz from Bohemia also died in a Type 54, so that the car was henceforth called "The Widow-Maker" in England. However, the term is also used elsewhere.
"Gangster-Citroën" , "l'attraction" (French for: the attraction)	Citroën Traction Avant	1934-1957		“Traction Avant” (“front-wheel drive”) was so revolutionary in 1934 that the term “l'attraction” (French for “the attraction”) is used instead of “la traction” (French for “the drive”) . It became known as the “gangster Citroën” because of its excellent roadholding , because according to legend, it made it the ideal getaway vehicle. The relevant movie scenes from the 1930s, in which armed gangsters shot out of the open suicide doors , did their part.
"Steyr Baby"	Steyr 50	1936-1940		He was considered the Austrian “Volkswagen” and was called the “Steyr Baby”.
"Autobahn eagle"	Adler 2.5 liters	1936-1940		The vernacular gave it its nickname because it achieved almost 130 km / h with a six-cylinder engine, 58 hp and aerodynamic body. That was sensational in 1938.
"Topolino"	Fiat 500 A	1937-1955		The first Fiat 500 was called "Topolino" ("little mouse") in Italy . This is the Italian name of the comic figure " Mickey Mouse " and the name of the comic booklets that came with it that came on the market at the time.
"Beetle" ; also “Beetle” (USA), “Vocho” (Mexico), “Fusca” (Brazil) and many others	VW Beetle	1938-2003		The silhouette is reminiscent of a crawling insect . But it is not known who first called the Volkswagen the “Beetle”. Because of its slightly arched rear end and a certain resemblance to the early sports cars from Porsche , it is sometimes referred to as the "humpback Porsche". In addition, no other vehicle internationally has as many individual nicknames as the VW Beetle.
"Buckeltaunus"	Ford 1939 Taunus	1939-1952		Its body with hatchback, which clearly distinguishes it from all other Taunus models that were built into the 1970s, earned it the nickname "Buckeltaunus", which is still in use today.
"Cream Slice"	Renault 4CV	1946-1961		In the production of the first series, Renault used remnants of beige desert camouflage from the German Africa Corps. In the French vernacular, the car was therefore called "Motte de Beurre" ("butter lump") . The nickname "Cremeschnittchen" comes from the Saarland, where the car was very common because of the customs union with France at the time .
"Katzenbuckel" , "Humpback volvo"	Volvo PV444 / 544	1947-1958		The peculiar shape of the "back" earned the Volvo its name.
"Leukoplastbomber"	Lloyd	1949-1961		The plywood body of the first models of this small car was covered with an artificial leather , which to a certain extent resembled the adhesive plaster " Leukoplast ". Later versions had an all-steel body, but the nickname stayed. The basic word "bomber" could have been an allusion to the howling of the small air-cooled engine.
"Auntie" ("Auntie")	Rover P4	1949-1964		The Rover P4 became known, especially towards the end of its construction period, under the nickname "Auntie" ("Auntie") because of its staid appearance.
"Duck"	Citroën 2CV	1949-1990		The name goes back to the fairy tale " The Ugly Duckling " by Hans Christian Andersen . Citroën used to have a swan , "Le Moteur Flottant", as its company logo . A journalist wrote about the 2CV at the Paris Motor Show in 1948: “It's like an ugly duckling among these swans.” The name “duck” has remained.
"Bulli"	VW Bus	1950 – today		Although the nickname is so widespread that it is commonly assumed that the vehicle is really called that, it is not known where the nickname "Bulli" actually originated. Until 2007, however, VW was not allowed to use the name, as Kässbohrer produced a snowcat with the protected name 'Bully'.
"Banana"	Rometsch Beeskow	1951-1956		The Rometsch Beeskow was a two-seater based on the VW Beetle. Because of its "crooked" sideline in front and behind, it was derisively called the banana.
"Adenauer"	Mercedes-Benz 300 d	1957-1962		Chancellor Konrad Adenauer chose the large, elegant Mercedes-Benz 300 d as his second company car. According to legend, the decisive factor was that he could keep his stiff hat on in the tall vehicle, which was not possible in the BMW 505 , which was also available for selection. This is how Adenauer became the most famous advertising medium and at the same time gave its name to the vehicle.
"Globe"	Ford 1952 Taunus	1952-1955		Only this model from Ford had a small globe in the middle of the radiator grille as a style element.
"Soft flash"	Opel Blitz	1952-1960		Due to its rounded design, the car was popularly known as the "soft flash"
"Baroque Angel"	BMW 501/502	1952-1964		Voluminous, baroque shapes and sweeping fenders shaped the image of this somewhat old-fashioned car when it was first introduced.
"Pretzel beetle"	VW type 1	until 1953		The split rear window of the first VW Type 1 or Beetle (until 1953) was reminiscent of a pretzel and led to the name “pretzel beetle”, in contrast to the subsequent “ovalis”.
"Shark mouth"	Opel Olympia record	1953-1954		"The shark has teeth ..." : The mouth-like radiator mask reminds many viewers of this.
"Ovali"	VW Beetle	1953-1956		Anyone looking for a VW Beetle from 1953 to 1956 on the Internet should enter “Ovali”, so named after the oval rear window without the central bar of the original “pretzel window” of the first VW Type 1.
"Cheese bell" , "Man in aspic", "Snow White's coffin", "rolling cigar"	Messerschmitt cabin scooter	1953-1964		Instead of a steel roof, it had a completely transparent, elongated plexiglass dome under which people sat like under a cheese dome. As later with the Volvo P1800 , one was reminded of Snow White, among other things.
"Gullwing" ("seagull wing")	Mercedes-Benz 300 SL	1954-1957		When open, the double doors are reminiscent of the wings of a seagull , which is why the car was called "Gullwing" in the USA . The roadster remained without a nickname because of the missing gullwing doors.
"Pontoon"	Mercedes-Benz W 105 / W 120 / W 121 / W 128 / W 180	1954-1961		The first Mercedes-Benz with a self-supporting steel body was, as Mercedes-Benz emphasized in its advertising, built using the “pontoon construction” , which at the same time gave rise to the nickname.
"Knutschkugel" , also "pothole detector "	BMW Isetta	1955-1962		This inexpensive, more or less spherical miniature car offered young unmarried couples a welcome opportunity to get closer in the prudish 1950s. Furthermore, it was practically impossible to avoid a pothole because of the four tracks or offset wheels.
"Nitribitt-SL"	Mercedes 190 SL	1955-1963		The high-class prostitute Rosemarie Nitribitt , who drove such a car and was murdered under circumstances that have not yet been clarified, gave this model its somewhat disreputable nickname.
"Housewives Porsche"	VW Karmann Ghia	1955-1974		The VW Karmann Ghia was given this nickname because it was a sports car that was particularly popular with women.
"Goddess"	Citroën DS	1955-1975		The two letters "DS" are pronounced "Déesse" in French , which means "goddess" in German. Citroën continued the tradition of ambiguous letter combinations in the following years. There was “ID” , pronounced l'idée (“the idea”) , “LN” for “Hélène” or “LNA” for “Helena” .
"Cello case" ("Silberfloh")	Fuldamobil	1956-1958		From 1952, a more angular, aluminum-clad body was used, which resulted in the nickname "Silver Flea". The unusual bulbous appearance of the model in the next year quickly earned it the nickname "rolling cello case".
"Firebird" , "Roast Chicken"	Victoria Sparrow	1956-1958		The plastic mini car had a reputation for being extremely flammable after some vehicles went up in flames. The occasionally used nicknames of the little cart, of which only 1,600 pieces were built, indicate this.
"Baroque Taunus"	Ford 1957 Taunus	1957-1960		The Ford P2 was named "Baroque Taunus" because of its American shape in the style of the 1950s, which seemed overloaded for European tastes.
"Peasant Buick"	Opel record	1957-1960		A body of the Opel based on the American design of the parent company General Motors , which in contrast had the reputation of a good family carriage, made people think of an American road cruiser with a more modest core.
"Trabi" , "Rennpappe", "Sachsenporsche", "Escape suitcase", "Mercedes Krenz", "Covered spark plug", "Umbrella with wheels" and the like. a.	Trabant	1957-1991		The paneling of the otherwise self-supporting body consists largely of cotton- reinforced phenoplast , popularly referred to disparagingly as "cardboard".
"Keyhole Captain"	Opel captain	1958-1959		The shape of its rear lights gave it its nickname.
"Frog Eye" (Frogeye)	Austin-Healey Sprite Mk I.	1958-1961		The arrangement of the headlights on the bonnet was reminiscent of frog eyes and led to the widely used name for the Austin-Healey Sprite Mark I.
"Lady"	Porsche 356 with a 60 hp engine	1958-1963		The Porsche 356 with the weakest engine (60 hp) was also known under the charming name "Lady".
"Streifentaunus"	Ford 1959 Taunus	1959-1962		Significantly redesigned after the facelift, the Taunus 12M was a bit lower and without its typical globe. Instead, he got wide white stripes, which earned him the nickname "Streifentaunus".
"The pig"	Austin Healey 3000	1959-1967		The racing driver Pat Moss , sister of Stirling Moss , called the car “the pig” because of its unpredictable driving behavior.
"Tail fin"	Mercedes-Benz W 110 and Mercedes-Benz W 111	1959-1968		Mercedes-Benz elegantly called the raised, angular shape of the rear fenders “Peilstege”, which was supposedly intended to make reverse parking easier. However, the audience immediately recognized that this was more of a subtle way of following American fintail fashion. This was also recognized in the USA, and the car looked a bit bizarre in view of the tail fin fashion that was already fading when it appeared. He was baptized “Fintail” in the USA.
"Birdcage" (Birdcage)	Maserati Tipo 61	1960-1961		The Maserati Tipo 61, which won the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring in 1960 and 1961, among other things , was generally known as the “bird cage” or “birdcage”; because its partially visible filigree tubular space frame was reminiscent of the bars of a cage.
"Racing trunk"	Opel Rekord P2 Coupé	1960-1963		The long rear of the coupé, which was based on the sedan, the wheelbase of which had not been shortened for cost reasons, made the car look a bit got used to.
"Bathtub"	Ford 1960s Taunus	1960-1964		The newfangled, rounded shape and the simple design without the usual chrome decorations made many people think of a bathtub, as extremely modern "sanitary colors" were used at the time.
"The Hunchback" , "Volksfiatowitsch", "T-34 Sport"	Saporoshez 965	1960-1969		The unusual shape gave him the nickname "The Bucklige" in the GDR . He owes his second nickname “Volksfiatowitsch” to his striking resemblance to the Fiat 600 . "Fiatowitsch" is borrowed from Russian and means something like "son of Fiat". The crackling sound of the V4 rear engine probably led to the name "T-34 Sport", based on the Soviet T-34 tank .
"Triangular scraper"	Porsche 2000 GS-GT	1963		In addition to the 356 body with a sloping rear, Porsche built a racing version with a shortened roof, the silhouette of which initially gave rise to the internal term "triangular scraper", under which the car soon became popular.
"Edge hood"	Alfa Romeo GT	1963-1970		As the sporty brother of the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the GT had a peculiar edge in front of the bonnet until 1970, which led to the name. This design feature disappeared in the 1970 revision.
"Pagoda"	Mercedes-Benz W 113	1963-1971		The unusual, inwardly curved roof shape should make it easier to get into the low sports car. It is reminiscent of a pagoda roof . Today this design principle can be found in a similar way in the Peugeot RCZ .
"Elfer" , "nine eleven"	Porsche 911 (all)	1963 – today		The Porsche 911 is still used today - regardless of its actual type designation, e.g. B. 993 or Carrera 4 - simply referred to as "the 911".
"Large tub"	Ford 1964 Taunus	1964-1967		Because it followed the design language of its predecessor, which was nicknamed "Bathtub" , the vernacular called the successor, which has grown in length and width, consistently "Large Bathtub" .
"Fridolin"	VW Type 147	1964-1974		The VW Type 147 was built as a special vehicle at Westfalia for the Deutsche Bundespost on the chassis of the VW Karmann-Ghia Type 14 . Internally, the project initially ran under the name “Fridolin” until the Federal Post Office insisted on “special vehicle post on VW chassis”. But the name "Fridolin" got into the public eye and was henceforth the commonly used, albeit unofficial, name for the small mail carrier that was used for emptying mailboxes, for express deliveries and for telephone and rural postal services. 6129 “Fridolins” were produced between 1964 and 1974.
"Pony" (also: pony car )	Ford Mustang	1964 – today		The Ford Mustang is the origin of the so-called “pony cars”, which for American standards were rather small, but nevertheless powerful cars that formed the opposite pole to the so-called muscle cars .
"Gill Coupé"	Opel Kadett B Coupé	1965-1967		At times, in the coupé version of the Opel Kadett B, three beads were pressed into a triangular C-pillar that tapered to a point , resembling ventilation slots and reminiscent of gills.
"Slit-Eyes Coupé"	BMW 2000 Coupe (C / CA / CS)	1965-1969		Here the peculiar headlights were the inspiration.
"Glaserati"	Glass V8	1965-1966		Its sleek shape, drawn by Pietro Frua , which was reminiscent of contemporary Maserati , especially the Maserati Quattroporte , quickly earned him the admiring nickname "Glaserati", but this could no longer prevent the downfall of the Glas company .
" Osso di seppia" (Sepia pulp)	Alfa Romeo Spider	1966-1969		In the first series of the Alfa Romeo Spider, the shape reminded the Italians of the Schulp (float) of a Sepia , especially if the vehicle was painted white or silver.
"Black coffin"	Opel Kadett rally	1967-1973		The matt black paintwork of the bonnet should prevent reflections, but above all appeal to the clientele interested in sports. She was responsible for the nickname.
"Strich-Achter" (as 200 D also " Heizölferrari ", "Wanderdüne", "Pig Daimler")	Mercedes-Benz W 114 / W 115	1967-1976		The Mercedes series 200 D to 280 E of the 1970s - unlike the S-Class or the E-Class that is comparable today - did not have a common name. In professional circles they made do with the internal factory designation / 8, which increasingly became the semi-official name of this series.
"Sad Solution"	VW 1600 TL	1968-1974		The hapless VW TL hatchback sedan was not well received, mainly because of its appearance. "TL" originally stood for "touring limousine", in the vernacular it was sometimes corrupted as "sad solution" or "sad line". All models of the VW Type 3 (notchback, hatchback and variant) were also called "long schnauzer" after the facelift of 1969 because of the redesigned front hood.
"Baby Corvette"	Opel GT	1968-1973		The Opel GT ( slogan : Only flying is better ) adopted the so-called “Coke-Bottle-Design” of the Chevrolet Corvette - but a little smaller.
"Coati"	VW 411	1968-1974		The long front end inspired the nickname "Coati". Others referred to it as "Nordhoff's legacy" or "farewell gift" (after Heinrich Nordhoff , VW CEO until 1968) or interpreted the number 411 to mean "4 doors, 11 years too late" because of the outdated concept .
"Dog bones"	Ford 1968 Escort	1968-1974		The characteristic shape of the radiator grille, which tapers in the middle between the lamp sockets, reminds many viewers of a dog's bone.
"Batmobile"	BMW 3.0 CSL	1968-1975		The third and final stage of development of the BMW 3.0 CSL owes its nickname to an extensive aerodynamics package, in particular the huge rear wing, which was stowed away in the trunk of the vehicle due to lack of road approval.
"Flat cooler"	Mercedes-Benz W 111 Coupé and Cabrio	1969-1971		After a facelift in 1969, the large Mercedes coupes and convertibles were given a newly designed, flatter and wider radiator grille. That is why the models built afterwards are called "flat coolers" and those produced before "high coolers".
"Volksporsche" , "VoPo"	Porsche 914 (VW-Porsche)	1969-1976		The vehicle was developed and built as a cooperation between Volkswagen and Porsche . To the chagrin of Porsche sales, he was very attached to the “bread and butter image” of VW, from which the unflattering name “Volksporsche” and then the abbreviation “VoPo” was derived. Only the version with the 6-cylinder engine from Porsche found recognition.
"Bucket" , "The Thing"	VW type 181	1969-1980		The VW 181 was a military vehicle in the style of the Kübelwagen , which was officially known as the "courier car". In the parlance of the German Armed Forces , it was quickly only called "the bucket" for short. The bucket-shaped seats of the original model gave it its name.
"Knudsen-Taunus"	Ford 1970s Taunus	1970-1976		The "Knudsen-Taunus" got its nickname after Semon E. "Bunkie" Knudsen , 1968–1969 Ford CEO, during whose tenure all new Ford models got the characteristic front section and the hood with the so-called Knudsen nose .
"Snow White's Coffin"	Volvo P1800	1971-1973		The Shooting Brake - station wagon version was given a long, generously glazed rear end that is somewhat reminiscent of Snow White's glass coffin . The conventionally designed coupe remained without a nickname.
"Duck tail"	Porsche 911 Carrera RS	1972-1972		The characteristic, spoiler-like shape of the engine cover was reminiscent of a duck's tail .
"Bambino"	Fiat 126	1972-2000		He was so small and cute that he aroused parental feelings and was called "Bambino" in Italian for "little child" . After all, many customers believed that this was what the Italian small car was really called. He even got a second nickname: "Elephant Roller Skate".
"Anteater" ( anteater )	Wolseley 2200 (BLMC ADO71)	1975		The profiled bonnet and the slightly protruding radiator grille reminded observers of the nose of an anteater. This nickname was also used for the structurally identical and very similarly designed Morris 1800/2200. The Austin 1800/2200, which was also identical in construction and had a differently shaped front section, did not, however, bear this name.
"Rolling Aquarium" , "Football on Wheels", "Big Frog", "Fish Bowl" (USA)	AMC Pacer	1975-1980		The round shape with the large glass surfaces (37% of the vehicle surface) provoked a comparison with an aquarium both on the home market in the USA and in Germany. Because of its idiosyncratic appearance, it was also referred to as "football on wheels" and "big frog" .
"Magnum Ferrari"	Ferrari 308 GTS	1975-1985		Tom Selleck drove such a Ferrari 308 GTS in the US television series " Magnum " . The 308 GTS (later a QV) is still firmly associated with this nickname.
"Sheet metal nose"	BMW E23 (Before Facelift)	1977-1986		Before the facelift in 1983, the 7-series BMW had a kidney grille that was set in painted sheet metal and swept towards the front, after which it was significantly flattened and integrated into the radiator grille. That is why the early 7s from 1977 to 1983 are called "Blechnase".
"Stuffed dog"	Trabant 601 Kübelwagen	1978-1990		The car was called by this name in military circles because of its fabric top .
"Strawberry Basket"	VW Golf Convertible	1979-1993		The wide roll bar and the angular body shape made the car look like a basket with a handle.
"Backpack Golf"	VW Jetta, Vento, Bora	1979 – today		The VW types Jetta, Vento and Bora were based on the respective VW Golf models of their time and differ outwardly in the notchback , which, as if added later, was felt like a “ backpack ”. The trade press agrees that this “dilemma” has been eliminated with the 2010 Jetta models. (Compare: VW Derby , VW Santana )
"Box"	Fiat Panda	1980-2003		Fiat's Panda was a minimalist car that was advertised as “the great box” because of its angular shape.
"Baby Benz"	Mercedes-Benz 190/190 E.	1982-1993		The first Mercedes-Benz (before the appearance of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class) below the medium-sized W 123 series was first called "Baby Benz" in the USA and then in Germany .
"Sneaker"	BMW Z3 Coupe	1998-2002		The roadsters of the Z3 model series were expanded in August 1998 to include a “ Shooting Brake ” model. The resulting design of the closed coupé was controversial and was commonly referred to as the "sneaker".
"Pot-bellied pig"	BMW 1 Series	2004-2011		The BMW 1 Series owes its unflattering nickname to its curved fold in the sheet metal.
"Cube"	Suzuki Jimny	1998-2018		Because of its "cube" shape, the car is called that among Jimny drivers.

American mocking terms

In the United States, nicknames are common for unpopular cars, e. B .:

• Ford Contour - "Ford Detour" (" Detour "),
• Mercury Mystique - "Mercury Mistake" ( "Error")
• Chevette - "Shitvette" ("Scheißvette")
• Plymouth Acclaim - "Plymouth Reclaim" (analogous to "Complaint")
• Ford Explorer - "Ford Exploder" (" Exploder ")
• Fiat - " F ix I t A gain, T ony" (" Fix him again, Tony")
• Ford - " F ix O r R epair D aily" ("Mend it or fix it daily"); "Found on road, dead" ("Found on the road, broken")
• Chevy Nova - "Chevy No Va" ("doesn't work" in Spanish)
• Chrysler Crossfire - "Chrysler Misfire" ("Misfire")
• Edsel 1958 - " e very d ay s omething e lse l eaks", in German: "Every day something different is leaking"; "Oldsmobile Sucking a Lemon" ("Lemon Sucking Oldsmobile")
• Packard (1948-1950) - "Pregnant Elephant" ; "Inverted Bathtub" ("Pregnant Elephant" and "Upside Down Bathtub"; the somewhat bombastic facelift of the well-known Clipper models was given two nicknames)
• Packard (1957–1958 ) - "Packardbaker" : The Packard models from the years 1957–1958 were based on Studebaker models.
• Chevy , not really a mock term for Chevrolet , but so common that in 2010 management felt compelled to “encourage” its employees to only use the correct term.

German-language mockery are comparable:

• British Leyland - "British misery"
• Ford Fiesta - "Ford Fiasko"
• Ford Mondeo - "Ford Mon Dieu"
• Fiat - " F Ehler i n a fill T rush" , " F ÜR I taliener a usreichende T technic"
• Citroën 5CV "Trèfle" - "Entenbürzel" (Switzerland; "Trèfle" ( "clover leaf" ) is already a nickname for the three-seater)
• BMW Isetta - "asphalt bubble" (often also used on other small cars, e.g. Smart )
• MG (sports car) - "Pothole Detector" (Switzerland)
• Chevrolet Corvette - "Crevette" (Switzerland)
• Subaru Impreza WRX - "Bauernporsche" (Switzerland)
• Suzuki SJ410 - "Affentraktörchen" (Switzerland)
• Suzuki Wagon R - "Self-propelled container" (Switzerland)
• Sport utility vehicle - "Hausfrauenpanzer" , more rarely "Vorstadtpanzer" (cross-brand)

Equipment and attachments

Not only certain car models have received nicknames over the years, but also various equipment and add-on parts, be they model-specific, related to a special manufacturer or for different vehicle models.

The Mercedes W 123:
"ox eyes" and "rabbit ears" headrests characterize the first series.

For a specific type of vehicle are z. B. the terms rheumatoid flaps for side ventilation flaps of the early VW Beetle models or elephant feet for the bulky round rear lights at the end of the Beetle series. The taillights of the first series of the BMW 02 series were named Spiegeleier . Years later, the unpopular headlights of the Porsche 996 were given the same nickname . The headlights of the diesel and four-cylinder models of the Mercedes W 123 series are called ox eyes , which were only replaced by broadband headlights of the six-cylinder models with the last facelift. The lower bulges of the headlights of the 7 Series BMW E65 , which was controversially discussed because of its design , were criticized as "bags under the eyes" which disappeared again after a facelift.

The first series of this vehicle type also had other headrests, the shape of which gave them the nickname rabbit ears and with which Mercedes models of all series were delivered until the end of the 1970s . Forged light alloy wheels, commonly known as baroque rims, were typical of Mercedes at that time , while the much simpler wheels that followed in the 1980s were given the name manhole covers because they actually reminded a little of it. The plastic side panels introduced with the W 126 model series were given the unofficial designation Sacco boards after the chief designer at the time . Gradually, all models were equipped with it until the end of the R 129 series in 2001, when the last Mercedes with this design feature was delivered.

The clinical thermometer . The cylinder speedometer in the Mercedes W110.

At the end of the 1950s and beginning of the 1960s, speedometers were fashionable in which the speed - instead of a round instrument with a pointer - was displayed on an increasing scale. For the so-called roller tachometer of the “Heckflossen” Mercedes of the W 110 / W111 series , the unusual solution was chosen to attach the speed scale vertically. This gave this instrument the name clinical thermometer .

A sports steering wheel from Volkswagen , which was available in the Golf GTI and Scirocco types in the 1970s , had a cup-shaped impact pot as the steering wheel hub and was popularly known as the spittoon steering wheel . The instrument cover used in the Golf I is commonly referred to as the "Tittentacho" - the radially tapering panel should avoid light reflections and thus always ensure perfect readability.

Regardless of the vehicle type, certain equipment or add-on parts are given different names. For example, digital display instruments are often called mouse cinemas or ventilation slots that are attached to the side or on the bonnet, gills , whether they are standard and actually in function or just a decorative add-on gimmick. Butcher's sickles , chrome wheel arch strips, which were particularly popular on luxury-class vehicles and have a bad reputation because they promote rust , also fall into this category . Apparently there is the cliché that a certain professional clientele, as a second or third owner, tried to upgrade their vehicles in this way. Rear spoilers, especially those that rise steeply to the rear, are often called rump . They were very often seen on models of the Porsche 911 type .

The “mother-in-law” seat of a Triumph 1800 from 1948 is established

It was more likely that older vehicles, some of them from the pre-war era, had folding emergency seats , the passengers of which were mostly sitting outside, while the front seats were protected by a hood or even by a solid roof. Since these jump seats were rather unpopular, they were called mother-in-law seats . Doors that are hinged at the back have been named suicide doors . They mainly existed until the 1950s. Today they are rarely found in cars.

A gear shift, the shift lever of which is guided through the dashboard of a vehicle, is called a crutch or turret shift , although it is almost no longer a nickname, but an official name.

Design-related and technical driving phenomena were also given nicknames. The rocking of the engine block in certain series of diesel cars from the Mercedes-Benz brand with manual transmissions, especially the W 124 series, was derisively called the “ bonanza effect ” based on a popular western series , because it was reminiscent of a stubborn riding horse. A driving maneuver by Swedish car testers that caused the newly introduced Mercedes-Benz A-Class to overturn during a test drive was given the name " Elk Test ".

Web links

• The most legendary car nicknames (10) (motorvision.de)
• Snow White coffin and colorful kissing balls (Goettinger Tageblatt of February 24, 2010)
• The most beautiful nicknames for cars (18) (auto.de from June 22, 2010)
• From iron pig to Snow White's coffin: the nicknames of cult bodies (23) (Handelsblatt, April 27, 2011)
• Of bugs, goddesses and Snow White coffins (Welt online from July 22, 2011)
• Of bugs, goddesses and bathtubs (FOCUS online from July 22, 2011)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Article in Motorvision  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ Report in: auto.de
3. ↑ heise.de: Cars and their nicknames
4. ↑ Article from ams ; Retrieved June 12, 2014
5. ↑ Article on the affair in the world ; Retrieved November 2, 2010
6. ↑ Magazine Mercedes-Benz-Classic , Issue 2/2013 ( Memento of the original from December 24, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved December 17, 2017. 
7. ↑ [Whether Bulli, Baroque Angel or Hooker Ferrari: Pet names for cars are out, my experts. But the vernacular was and is always inventive when it comes to your own car. Car nicknames will probably never die out completely. Frankfurter Rundschau April 14, 2011]
8. ↑ Auto News: The most popular auto nicknames ( Memento of the original from December 27, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
9. ^ Website of the Horch Museum ( Memento of the original from January 11, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
10. ↑ AutoBild: Tin bananas from West Berlin.
11. ^ Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Weltbild Verlag, Augsburg 1995, ISBN 3-89350-534-2 , pp. 48-49.
12. ↑ Ursula Rahn-Huber: The most beautiful roadsters. Lechner Verlag, Geneva 1991, ISBN 3-85049-084-X , p. 10 u. 12.
13. ^ Special issue of the Christophorus magazine from 1959, p. 5.
14. ↑ F. Gert Pohle in Die Welt of May 4, 1960, published in the special edition Teste (W 29 10 M June 1960), p. 12.
15. ↑ Behrndt / Födisch / Behrndt: ADAC 1000 km race. Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2008, ISBN 978-3-89880-903-0 , p. 32.
16. ^ Isenberg / Klein: 1000 racing cars . Naumann & Göbel, Cologne, ISBN 978-3-625-12393-4 , p. 95 (misprint = case instead of cage!).
17. ↑ Spiegel Online: Volksfiatowitsch
18. ↑ Boschen / Barth: The great book of Porsche types. 2nd edition, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-613-01284-7 , p. 227.
19. ↑ Porsche website
20. ↑ Rüdiger Etzold: The Beetle II - A Documentation. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1984, ISBN 3-7168-1613-2 , p. 203.
21. ↑ Michael Schäfer: Overthrown . Description of the Princess 2200 HL in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 9/2016, p. 28.
22. ↑ http://www.ksta.de/auto/vw-golf-cabrio-die-geschichte-des--erdbeerkoerbchens-,15938538,12537692.html