Sunday Quiz Ready to take the lane this week
The Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 ‘Disco Volante’ can attain a top-speed of 220 km/hr.
START THE QUIZ
1 / 10 |
On December 19, 1924, the last ever 40/50 hp car from Rolls-Royce was sold in England. This was the car that was the origin of the ‘best car in the world’ phrase, bestowed on the company by Autocar magazine. Although RR called it the 40/50, public and journalists had a nickname for the car based on its bright metallic colour and the fact that it was eerily quiet. What was the name given to the car, which is now valued at US $35 million?
2 / 10 |
The Morris Oxford Series III was a popular model built by Morris Motors in the U.K. from 1913-53. Its elegant flowing design, bench seats and independent front suspension promised a comfortable ride. In 1957, this car served as a template for another model, which was specifically made for the Indian market. The result was a highly successful car that was the highest-selling till the mid-80s after which it declined. Nowadays it is mostly seen as taxis (especially in Kolkata) or as official government vehicles. What car is this, which makes Indian families nostalgic?
3 / 10 |
This car was commissioned in the 1930s by the then leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party as the ‘people’s car’. He wanted a practical, reliable and good-looking car, and designer Ferdinand Porsche came up with the now iconic design. It was called ‘der Käfer’ in German referring to its curvy shape; in 1968, Disney released a string of movies featuring the vehicle as ‘Herbie the Love Bug’. What vehicle is this that never fails to attract attention on the road?
4 / 10 |
Lamborghini has a tradition of naming its supercars after famous bulls, but what is considered by many as the most iconic car of theirs is the Countach. When launched in 1975, it went on to be the most sought-after for car lovers around the world. Its futuristic looks and shape prompted one of its designers to just exclaim ‘Countach’ in his native language of Piedmontese. What does Countach mean?
5 / 10 |
The Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 ‘Disco Volante’ was an experimental sports car built in 1952 built on an all-new tubular space-frame. It was designed in a wind tunnel and could attain a top-speed of 220 km/hr. Owing to its almost unearthly look and speed, it earned its name. What does Disco Volante mean in Italian, which makes it seem that the car ran on alien technology?
6 / 10 |
Plymouth built a performance car in the 1970s with a 330hp V8 engine. They had the perfect name for the car, but to use it they had to pay $50,000 to Warner Bros. Once they had permission, they used the name, a logo, and a characteristic ‘beep, beep’ sound for the horn. What is the name of this car that could easily out-race a wily coyote?
7 / 10 |
The Vauxhall Victor FE was a large family car from the English manufacturer produced in the 50s. Based on its success, Hindustan Motors procured the technology and design, and introduced it in India. The result was a car introduced in 1984, with a 1970 body and a 1950s engine and gearbox. This led to it being extremely roomy and comfortable but with a sluggish engine. Named after the Anglo-French word for ‘wife of an earl’, which still good-looking car is this?
8 / 10 |
This particular model was the high-performance version of the GMC Sonoma pickup truck. It was the quickest production truck when released in 1991 being able to get to 60 mph in under six seconds. The power is attributed to the rotation in the turbocharger, and hence the name of the model is a reference to a natural phenomenon, which gets its power from rotation as well. Two models were produced, one named after the entity when it appears in the Pacific, and the other when in Indian Ocean (with a small spelling change). What are the names of these models?
9 / 10 |
The 1955 Citroen DS was a drop-dead gorgeous car which till this day draws attention to its beautiful design. Its name ‘DS’ is also one of the coolest and cleverest. When the French company launched it, they named it Déesse, but since English speakers would have trouble pronouncing it, they called it ‘DS’, which is how one would actually pronounce the word. What does Déesse mean which puts it in the pantheon of immortal beautiful beings?
10 / 10 |
De Tomaso was an Italian car maker who offered to help American Carrol Shelby develop his now iconic race car. When Shelby shelved De Tomaso, he got enraged and went about creating his own supercar to rival Shelby’s. The 5L V8 engine beauty was named ‘Mangusta’, which is Italian for ‘mongoose’ and was highly coveted. What is the name of Shelby’s car, which the Mangusta was designed to hunt and overpower (on track)?
