# Abbreviations on cars **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 29, 1999, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097 "1999-11-29T08:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 1999, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/1 "1999-11-29T08:04:00Z")
1. What do the initials “LT” stand for in a 1977 Camaro Type LT? 2. What does the “S” stand for in Chevy S-10 truck? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 1999, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/2 "1999-11-29T09:50:00Z")
Just like any other car’s symbols, name, and letter code (especially those with X in them) they mean absolutely _nothing_!! * * * -PIGEONMAN- Hero For A New Millennium! [The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - updates every Wed & Sat. If I can be bothered. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 1999, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/3 "1999-11-29T12:22:00Z")
Actually many times they mean something, even if it’s only within the company. Many of the numbers on luxury and foreign cars designate engine size. Many times letters indicate trim levels and special engine or suspension packages. As for “LT” and “S-10” in particular, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![JBENZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@JBENZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBENZ)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 1999, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/4 "1999-11-29T15:16:00Z")
Sometimes they mean something sometimes they don’t. I think LT originally stood for “Landau Top”. They use it now just to indicate an upscale trim package. Full size Chevy trucks run in numerical series like Series 10, 15, 25 etc. The S-10 probly just means “small” 10. Back in the 70’s during the oil embargo Ford put out a little crackerbox caled the MPG for “miles per gallon”. Us old fat bald guys are the only ones who remember what GTO stands for though. 😉 * * * JB Lex Non Favet Delicatorum Votis ---
**Author:** ![metroshane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@metroshane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metroshane)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 1999, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/5 "1999-11-29T16:47:00Z")
grand tourismo O…(some german word i can’t pronouce) I’m only 26 * * * We live in an age that reads to much to be wise, and thinks too much to be beautiful–Oscar Wilde ---
**Author:** ![sly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sly)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 1999, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/6 "1999-11-29T21:00:00Z")
JBENZ: > [@](#): > > Us old fat bald guys are the only ones who remember what GTO stands for though. Gran Turismo Omologato, which is, IIRC, Italian. And I’m neither fat nor bald. To the OP: More often than not, the letters in the platform are only internal codes. Sometimes you can decipher 'em, sometimes you can’t. For instance, Lexus SC-series denotes sport coupe. The “S” in S-10, I believe, is simply the platform name, like the Camaro is the F-body, GM’s small pickup is the S-body. More than few people purported at the time the Dodge/Chrysler LH platform was introduced that LH stood for Last Hope. As far as the LT in the Camaro, at first I thought it might be related to the LT-1 Corvette engine, but, offhand, I don’t think the LT-1 was available in 1977. It might stand for luxury touring, though. Chevy offered the Berlinetta, which was a tad more upscale than the base Camaro, a few years later. For the most part, the insurance companies are pleased to see an extension of the name so that they can charge more. GS, GT, GLX, and so on usually indicate a higher priced vehicle with more options. ---
**Author:** ![Kakkerlak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@Kakkerlak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakkerlak)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/7 "1999-11-30T05:47:00Z")
My favorite: The Mazda GLC (Good Little Car). SE is usually Special Edition LX, EX, DX… Honda designations. They love those X’s! Any motorcycle enthusiast can tell you that anything with an X or Z in the name goes faster. (The fastest production bike, on and off, has been the ZX-11 Ninja). My bike? A CB-750. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/8 "1999-11-30T07:04:00Z")
GLC ? didn’t that stand for _Great Little car_? What the heck, I always call that Greek guy Alexander the Pretty Good. (plagerizing Gary Larson) ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/9 "1999-11-30T22:11:00Z")
- - - Sly, IIRC Ferrari said that GTO was to stand for “Gran Tourismo Olmogato”. Pontiac never said officially that _their_ GTO stood for anything. - MC ---
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/10 "1999-12-03T10:44:00Z")
Bringing this back up, I have to know what “LT” stands for, it’s been bugging me for years. ---
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/11 "1999-12-03T11:04:00Z")
Nevermind, [this page](http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/1980/lt.htm) says that it stands for “Luxury Touring”. Thanks to everyone for answering the S-10 question. * * * …and remember, duct tape fixes _all_ your problems, big and small. [Fun with HTML (tutoral) : The True Sequal](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/19991103-2-000302.html) [Give someone an FU](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000255.html) ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/12 "1999-12-03T13:41:00Z")
_Roachman: LX, EX, DX… Honda designations. They love those X’s!_ And they’ve been hijacked by other car companies. My last two cars, a Ford Escort and a Mazda Protege both are LX models. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/13 "1999-12-04T01:08:00Z")
Doesn’t LX mean ‘luxury’? ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/14 "1999-12-04T01:18:00Z")
Just to add my $0.02, earlier this year, Saturn released its LS model and clearly stated in its ads that LS stands for ‘Larger Size’. A different kind of company, A different kind of car, A stupid kind of classification. ---
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-on-cars/5097/15 "1999-12-04T10:59:00Z")
DX usually means “deluxe”