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Synecdoches, similes and other rhetorical devices in racing cars

Started by Teapot , Oct 02 2005 10:25

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78 replies to this topic

#1 Teapot

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 10:25

I fear this one will end with a lacklustre "0" in the replies counter...anyway...

It's just came to my mind that many cars are usually called with the name of a part of bodywork or running gear or some special feature that denotes the car much more than its given birthname...it's a figure of speech, a rhetorical device called synecdoche, where the part stands for the whole objects...

I.e.:

Ferrari 156 -----> Shark-Nose

Mercedes 300 SL -----> Gullwing (referring to the doors; here in Italy we call the Tyrrell 019 in the same way,because of the front wing shape...don't know in the rest of the world)

An handful of Abarths -----> Periscopio (periscope, from the high standing airbox)

Brabham Bt46B -----> the Fan Car

You can see that in the first two examples, another rhetorical device, the simile, is involved.

Could any of you offer some others examples (funny and witty ones are encouraged)?

#2 Alan Lewis

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 10:44

Can't leave this on zero replies!

"Tea-tray" March and "Lobster-claw" Brabham spring instantly to mind.

APL

#3 Vitesse2

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 10:51

Sh*t-box?

I'll get me coat ....

#4 ensign14

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 10:55

The Williams Walrus was a recent one.

The Serpollet Easter Egg was an old one. Although that was a bloody big part of the body, i.e. the body itself.

#5 RTH

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 10:56

Moby Dick and Whale Tail Porsches

#6 fausto

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 11:01

here in italy they (the press ;)....) called the Porsche 908/3 "la bicicletta", the bicycle....

#7 monoposto

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 12:46

Bobtail Birdcage Breadvan

#8 pollocka

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 13:10

Testarossa due to red cam covers.

Or Boxer due to the horizontally opposed engine

Audi Quattro.

#9 Rob G

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 14:11

In 1966 Junior Johnson built a very un-stock Ford Galaxie for use in NASCAR races. It was radically slimmed, smoothed and lowered, and its tail was curved upwards. Because of the shape and the color it became known as the "Yellow Banana."

#10 David McKinney

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 14:29

There was a Sabrina Anglia in New Zealand in the '60s, with unusually shaped headlamp covers :cool:

#11 EcosseF1

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 14:32

Long and short-nose Jaguar D-type.

#12 scheivlak

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 15:20

Ferrari 312B3 Snowplough (Spazza Neve)
http://www.barchetta...09.312B3.74.htm

#13 ensign14

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 16:10

Actually, isn't the word for "car" in Italian "macchina"? There's a synechdochical expression right there. Also "single-seater", "monoposto", "monocoque", "space-frame"...

#14 fausto

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 16:21

some say macchina, too much generic, I prefer to use automobile...

#15 D-Type

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 16:51

Isn't the Ferrari Squalo' named after the Italian for beetle because of its portly shape.

#16 petefenelon

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 17:35

"Double bubble" Abarths? (you know the ones, with the very low roof with bumps in to clear the heads of those inside!)

#17 petefenelon

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 17:37

Originally posted by David McKinney
There was a Sabrina Anglia in New Zealand in the '60s, with unusually shaped headlamp covers

And a few Triumphs, named after an engine that had curious domes at the end of its rocker covers, named in turn after a statuesque 50s pinup. Same origin, I'll bet!

#18 petefenelon

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 17:38

BT46B "Fan Car", and the Chapparal "Sucker Car" after their curious fan-driven aero?

#19 D-Type

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 17:51

"Knobbly" Lister
"Toothpaste Tube" Connaught
"Spyder" coachwork

#20 MCS

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 18:08

Wasn't there a Martini Racing (?) pink-liveried Porsche 917 at Le Mans in 1971 (?) that was commonly known as "The Pig" because it had been painted as though it were a pig destined for cutting up e.g. belly, shank, loin, bacon, etc... ???

#21 philippe charuest

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 18:30

one of the earlier cunninghham who race at the 24 heures du mans was call by the french press "le monstre" the monster a name well deserved. talking of ugly cars theres the first Ligier-matra of 76 that some english journalist were calling the "supersonic teapot"

#22 D-Type

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 18:33

How about the Porsche RSK.

As I remember it, in 1959 Porsche introduced a revised version of the RS with revised rear suspension incorporating a K-shaped member. It was immediately described as the 'RSK' and the name stuck and even Porsche used the term.

#23 2F-001

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 18:34

The Pink Pig:
Yes, that was Porsche 917-20... Pink Pig, Truffle-hunter and some other variants on the theme -- although I thought the livery was done because it looked like a pig to start with...

Also, is the VW Beetle too obvious? (Was that ever an official name before the current generation of Golf-based Beetle? Mind you, I guess some of the others we've discussed here were not, strictly speaking, "official" model names.)

#24 Teapot

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 18:41

So far we have...

Abarths (a lot of them) -----> Periscopio, Double Bubble

Audi -----> Quattro

Brabham Bt46B -----> the Fan Car

Brabham Bt44 -----> Lobster Claw

Chapparal 2J -----> Sucker Car

Connaught B-Type -----> Toothpaste Tube

Ferrari 156 -----> Shark-Nose

Ferrari 312B3 -----> Snowplough

Ferrari 500 TR -----> Testarossa

Ford Galaxie Special ------> Yellow Banana (more a simile than a synecdoche)

Ligier JS5 -----> Teapot

March 711 -----> Tea-Tray

Maseratis (some of them) -----> Birdcage

Mercedes 300 SL, Tyrrell 019 -----> Gullwing

Porsches -----> Moby Dick, Whale Tail, Duck Tail, Pink Pig (simile, 'cause it's not related to a particular
part of the car), RSK (a little bit of a workshop synecdoche, but it fits!)

Serpollet ------> Easter Egg (again, more a simile...)

Williams FW26 -----> Walrus

I don't count the Cadillac "Le Monstre", 'cause this is more a nickname than a rhetorical device

#25 D-Type

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 18:43

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Alfa Romeo "Disco Volante" yet, so-called because the original model looked like a flying saucer at a time when flying saucer fever was sweeping the world.

Did the pink Porsche have anything to do with the "Porker" nickname given to all Porsches as a pun on the name?

#26 MCS

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 18:57

Originally posted by Teapot
So far we have...

(edit)...

Porsches -----> Moby Dick, Whale Tail, Duck Tail

Where's The Pig ? :confused:

#27 MCS

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:07

Originally posted by MCS

Where's The Pig ?

Here...

http://www.lemans-mo...971LM23_car.JPG

and here...

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Porsche_917

#28 2F-001

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:09

Would the Golden Submarine warrant inclusion here?
I've never been convinced that it looked like a submarine, though; I think the Arrows A2 (?) was more befitting of that nickname!

#29 Teapot

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:11

Originally posted by MCS

Where's The Pig ?

Edited!

By the way...can someone spread some more light on the "Knobbly" Lister?

#30 2F-001

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:14

Or for a bigger selection of available pork cuts...

#31 MCS

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:16

Originally posted by 2F-001
Would the Golden Submarine warrant inclusion here?
I've never been convinced that it looked like a submarine, though; I think the Arrows A2 (?) was more befitting of that nickname!

Tony - wasn't the A2 sometimes referrred to as "the doodlebug" ?

Mark

#32 2F-001

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:24

Ah yes! I had a feeling it had some nickname, but couldn't think what.
That was in a Warsteiner gold livery wasn't it?

#33 2F-001

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:44

Back to porkers for a moment...
here is an illustration by Michael Sowa: it's actually called "Autobahnsau" ("highway pig"), but I always think of it as "Porker at Flugplatz".

http://www.inkognito...engl/index.html

Sorry - that link isn't specific enough; if you're interested, search for 'autobahnsau' as a 'postcard' (search boxes, bottom right) - it's quite cute...

#34 MCS

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 19:49

Originally posted by 2F-001
Ah yes! I had a feeling it had some nickname, but couldn't think what.
That was in a Warsteiner gold livery wasn't it?

http://b.f1-facts.com/ul/a/622

#35 Twin Window

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 20:27

Originally posted by Teapot

Brabham Bt44 -----> Lobster Claw

The first 'Lobster claw' Brabham was the BT34...

The Ligier JS5 was known as the 'Flying Teapot'

Toleman TG181 was referred to as 'Belgrano'.

'Kettle' was the moniker for Renault's early turbocharged F1 cars.

The generic term for development chassis has [almost] always been 'muletta'.

The 1975-spec BRM P201 was known as the 'Stanley Steamer'.

[Specifically] Mansell's McLaren MP4/10B was labelled the 'Big Mac'.

One of the Sutrees Hondas was a 'Hondola'.

Benetton chassis were commonley known round these (Oxfordshire) parts as firstly 'Tolemans' and then 'Ben Eltons'.

The Theodore TR1 was 'The Brick'.

Don't forget the Lister nicks already mentioned by a couple of posters, and monoposto also posted 'Breadvan'.

#36 petefenelon

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 20:47

I've seen the March 711 referred to by a couple of older writers as the "Spitfire" - look at the shape of the front wing, and compare to Mitchell's classic...

#37 D-Type

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 21:02

Originally posted by Teapot

Edited!

By the way...can someone spread some more light on the "Knobbly" Lister?

The 1958 Lister-Jaguar had a body that was closely fitted to the mechinical components underneath and it hat a distinctly lumpy look compared to the 1959 Costin-bodied cars and contemporaries like the D-Type Jaguar and Tojeiro-Jaguar. So it was generally referred to as the "Knobbly".

#38 Twin Window

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 21:11

I'm sure the Ferrari F92A had a nickname... something like 'Tornado' or somesuch jet fighter.

Anyone remember?

#39 scheivlak

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 21:11

Originally posted by Twin Window
One of the Sutrees Hondas was a 'Hondola'.

The Lola-based RA 300.

#40 D-Type

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 21:25

The 1963 semi-monocoque Ferrari was named the "Aero" model as its construction reflected aircraft practice.

#41 mctshirt

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 21:56

Originally posted by David McKinney
There was a Sabrina Anglia in New Zealand in the '60s, with unusually shaped headlamp covers

And Jack Nazer's Anglia "The Yellow Submarine"

#42 Twin Window

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 22:08

Dave Brodie's 'Run Baby Run' Ford Escort?

#43 Bonde

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 22:25

...I've seen the Lotus 79 called 'Black Beauty' in print...

On another thread, there are the A7 'Dutch Clog' and 'Rubber Duck'...and there were Jack Moor's 'Wasps' and Gerald Spinks' 'Squanderbug'...

On a related, but divergent, note, there were Harvey Templetons's 'Ringwraith' and 'Shadowfax' Formula Vees, and the Canadian 'Ferret' FFord...

#44 Graham2

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Posted 02 October 2005 - 23:47

Originally posted by 2F-001
Also, is the VW Beetle too obvious? (Was that ever an official name before the current generation of Golf-based Beetle? Mind you, I guess some of the others we've discussed here were not, strictly speaking, "official" model names.)

The only official use of the name of the classic 'Beetle', was the 1973 GT Beetle
Posted Image

It was a VW 1300S in europe, but when it was imported to the UK it was re-badged GT Beetle.

Beetle nickname is alleged to come from Colbourne-Baber the VW agents. Their founder was importing early VW's and the kids at his son school referred to it as a Beetle :

#45 Option1

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Posted 03 October 2005 - 00:23

ERA B's "Remus" and "Romulus" probably deserve a mention perhaps? Although, I guess they were really just nicknames rather than similes or designations describing some visual quirk.

Neil

#46 Frank S

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Posted 03 October 2005 - 01:35

Who gets credit for describing a gaggle (!) of early FVs as a group of "angry overshoes"? Or was that Minis?

My friend and competitor Bill Cadenhead called his appropriately-colored VW beetle sedan racing car the "Screaming Yellow Zonker". There was an advert campaign at the time for a candied popcorn confection by that name. Coincidentally, fifteen years earlier I had been in an Air Force unit with Bob Chiarito, who eventually designed the Zonkers' box graphics.

My born-in-Great Britain grandfather called my bicycle a "wheel", a definite synecdoche. Why is that not spelled "sinnickdoke"? Eh? Okey doche.

--
Frank S

#47 Ray Bell

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Posted 03 October 2005 - 01:47

Originally posted by D-Type
Isn't the Ferrari Squalo' named after the Italian for beetle because of its portly shape.

I always thought that it was felt it resembled a shark... that's what 'squalo' means...

Originally posted by D-Type
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Alfa Romeo "Disco Volante" yet, so-called because the original model looked like a flying saucer at a time when flying saucer fever was sweeping the world.....

Wasn't it named so by Alfa Romeo? In which case, I would say, it isn't a subject for this thread?

Originally posted by 2F-001
Would the Golden Submarine warrant inclusion here?

Never heard of that, but it was similar to this one, which pre-dated it and which was the 'Yellow Submarine':

Hmmm... looking for a colour pic I found this page... interesting...

http://www.qldmotors.../ISSUE FOUR.pdf

And this one!

http://currypotprodu...n-Singapore.htm

#48 Rob G

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Posted 03 October 2005 - 02:32

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by 2F-001
Would the Golden Submarine warrant inclusion here?

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Never heard of that, but it was similar to this one, which pre-dated it and which was the 'Yellow Submarine':

I think he was referring to this Golden Submarine, which pre-dated just about anything in this thread.

#49 Ray Bell

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Posted 03 October 2005 - 03:23

I see!

When he went on to mention Arrows, I thought he was talking about one of them...

#50 TooTall

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Posted 03 October 2005 - 04:31

I believe this Miller earned the moniker "Golden Submarine" long before the Arrows.

http://www.milleroff...oldensub_15.jpg

Cheers,
Kurt

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Synecdoches, similes and other rhetorical devices in racing cars

#1 Teapot

#2 Alan Lewis

#3 Vitesse2

#4 ensign14

#5 RTH

#6 fausto

#7 monoposto

#8 pollocka

#9 Rob G

#10 David McKinney

#11 EcosseF1

#12 scheivlak

#13 ensign14

#14 fausto

#15 D-Type

#16 petefenelon

#17 petefenelon

#18 petefenelon

#19 D-Type

#20 MCS

#21 philippe charuest

#22 D-Type

#23 2F-001

#24 Teapot

#25 D-Type

#26 MCS

#27 MCS

#28 2F-001

#29 Teapot

#30 2F-001

#31 MCS

#32 2F-001

#33 2F-001

#34 MCS

#35 Twin Window

#36 petefenelon

#37 D-Type

#38 Twin Window

#39 scheivlak

#40 D-Type

#41 mctshirt

#42 Twin Window

#43 Bonde

#44 Graham2

#45 Option1

#46 Frank S

#47 Ray Bell

#48 Rob G

#49 Ray Bell

#50 TooTall

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