Ask The Best and Brightest: Trivial Pursuit

by Robert Farago

Published: December 28th, 2008

ask the best and brightest trivial pursuit

Automobile.blog.com offers its readers some car-related trivia for the holidays. There’s some pretty good stuff: “The Monumental Axis in Brazil is the world’s widest road and can accommodate 160 cars side-by-side at a given time.” But the list lacks what the National Enquirer’s editors call a “Hey Martha!” And any pistonhead who doesn’t know that “The Dodge Neon is sold in Europe under the brand name Chrysler Neon” is forgiven for not knowing OR caring. So I’m tasking TTAC’s Best and Brightest to offer more challenging, obscure and entertaining automotive factoids. I’ll start with an easy one (at least for the car historians amongst us): In 1951, a new car was launched whose maker claimed it was so frugal that “every third mile was free.” Hint: it had a supersonic engine. Hint two: new pic.

Robert Farago

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4 of 62 comments

Jack Baruth on Dec 29, 2008

Since this is about to drop off the front page, I'll answer a few of my own and elaborate on the ones which were answered correctly. All Cavalier hatchbacks were "Type-10" models with a urethane nose. The Citation had a special two-door bodystyle as noted above. How amazing that GM took the time to style two different X-coupe variants! The "Premium Sound" knob activated two large speakers in the doors of Town Cars with the option. As far as I can tell, the purpose of this was to amaze people in the showroom, because obviously if you paid for 'em you would want them on all the time. In our "Plato's Pontiac Cave" question, the answer is not an '83 Parisienne. The first two years of the Parisienne, like the Canadian Parisienne of all years, shared a front and rear cap with the Chevrolet Caprice/Impala. But the 1985 and 1986 Parisienne returned to the Bonnie's front and rear caps plus wheel skirts.

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Bjcpdx on Dec 29, 2008
TomAnderson: #2 I seem to recall that when Chrysler took over the Rootes Group, they found themselves in the awkward position of manufacturing a car with a Ford engine in it. The Sunbeam Tiger was an Alpine with a small-block Ford V8. It was discontinued because, as carzzi says above, no Chrysler V8 would fit.

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BigOldChryslers on Dec 29, 2008
NickR: This North American car company, famous for it’s eccentric option packages, once offered a package featuring, amongst other things, a tortoiseshell vinyl roof and little turtle emblems, on their full sized cars. What was the name of the company and what was the name of the option package? This same company also offered an option package on their full-sized car that featured an Aztec motif on the interior upholstery. What was the name of this package? I don't believe anyone else answered this one. These were "spring specials" from Chrysler. IIRC, the tortoise-themed car was a Plymouth, and the Aztec-themed car was called the "Navaho" and may have been a Plymouth as well. One year (1973?) they also offered a nautical-themed Chrysler called the Mariner, based on the Newport. It had round porthole windows in the C-pillars, and the interior was trimmed with tough vinyl like that found on boat upholstry.

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Npbheights on Dec 29, 2008

My Question: Name the first and last year Lincoln offered a "Cartier" designers series car. Since no body anwered, and now that this thread is in ttac.com thread heaven... The answer is... 1976 and 2003. In 1976 it was first offered on the Continental MARK IV and in 2003 it was last offered on the Town Car.

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