# Car models **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 6, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370 "2010-08-06T04:43:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vanotd21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/82dd89/32.png) [@vanotd21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanotd21)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/1 "2010-08-06T04:43:30Z")
anybody can tell me what the lettering on the back of cars means. you know how you would see a dx on a toyota corolla or a lx on a honda civic. another thing is does it mean anything if the lettering and car symbol is a gold colored on a car? ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/2 "2010-08-06T05:22:48Z")
They mean whatever the manufacturer wants them to mean. They can be used to signify different performance features or different trim features. Honda’s do have one different insignia, the “Type R”, which is a performance model of whatever car it’s on, so you could see those on both the Civic or Accord. The gold color doesn’t usually mean anything. It’s just used because it looks better on some colored cars, or possibly a higher priced version of the car might use gold instead of silver. Imagine the Somecar comes in 3 models, the ER, TR and SR. The ER might be the cheapest version with an AM-FM radio and no A/C. The TR may have a larger engine, nice wheels and a CD Player. If it’s black and has the premium wheel option, maybe it will have gold emblems too. The SR has all that plus a premium sound system, navigation, and a gold emblem. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/3 "2010-08-06T05:56:52Z")
There are some letters that are semi-standard, but these aren’t necessarily consistent among all cars that use them. SE = Special Edition R/T = Road and Track RS = Rally Sport SS = Super Sport LE = Limited Edition LS = Limited Series, Luxury Sport, or Luxury Sedan GT = Grand Touring (gran turismo in Italian) LX or LXE = Luxury Edition DX = Deluxe Edition CE = Compact Edition ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/4 "2010-08-06T06:43:11Z")
Some manufacturers also use the letters (and numbers) to indicate body type and/or engine size. For example, Mercedes-Benz has a system whereby the letters signify body type and the numbers indicate engine size. For many of its models, BMW has a three-digit number, where the first digit indicates the body type (3-series, 5 series, etc.) and the second and third digits indicate engine size (although this system has changed a bit over time, and the last two digits are not as accurate an indicator of engine size as they used to be). The letters that follow the numbers on BMWs give extra information. A 335i is a fuel-injected, turbo-charged 6 cylinder; a 335d is the same engine in diesel form; a 335xi is a 335i with four-wheel drive. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/5 "2010-08-06T11:04:46Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > They mean whatever the manufacturer wants them to mean. They can be used to signify different performance features or different trim features. That’s it in a nutshell. For example, on Hondas it’s often necessary to know whether it’s a DX or an LX in order to look up the correct parts (i.e., it’s a significant indicator of what model the car is), while on Fords it’s generally just a trim level and the parts people don’t need to know it. There’s no “one size fits all” answer to this for cars in general. To get meaningful information one would have to ask what it means on a Honda, or what it means on a Ford, etc. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/6 "2010-08-06T15:49:46Z")
I’ve read on a couple of car boards about “debadging” where people intentionally remove the emblems from the back and/or front of their vehicle. Does this impact towing at all, in that the person doing the tow won’t know if the vehicle is front or all wheel drive, or does that even matter regarding the type of tow? Can they tell from looking under the vehicle in that case? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/7 "2010-08-06T17:28:56Z")
Not a tow driver but if you look underneath and see a solid bar connecting the rear wheels, and no differential, it’s a front wheel drive. If there is a differential, it could be rear wheel drive. There may be a solidly mounted differential and swing arms connecting the wheels to it. But the differential is the clue. Look under the front next. Shafts connecting each front wheel to something under the engine, Front wheel drive. If you have that in the front as well as a differential in the rear, it’s four wheel or all wheel drive. The majority of cars in the US are front wheel drive. They may also be all wheel drive. All Subaru’s are all wheel drive. Pretty much the only rear wheel drive cars would be the “full sized” Ford/Mercury used as police interceptors, or high performance cars like the Corvette and others of that type. Not sure if Chevy still makes any full sized rear wheel drives. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/8 "2010-08-06T19:39:22Z")
But there are still plenty of _old_ cars on the road that are still RWD! I suspect that those are cars more likely to be towed, i.e., poorer people that risk not paying to park, or parking in risky spots. Then of course the plethora of trucks and SUV’s. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/9 "2010-08-06T21:30:12Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > There are some letters that are semi-standard, but these aren’t necessarily consistent among all cars that use them. > > SE = Special Edition > R/T = Road and Track > RS = Rally Sport > SS = Super Sport > LE = Limited Edition > LS = Limited Series, Luxury Sport, or Luxury Sedan > GT = Grand Touring (gran turismo in Italian) > LX or LXE = Luxury Edition > DX = Deluxe Edition > CE = Compact Edition A few famous historical ones: Ferrari 250 GTO = Gran Turismo Omologato (homologation (to use the English translation) is the process of gaining approval to compete in a particular racing series; it may be based on engine size, number of cars build, etc.) Pontiac came out with their GTO because someone liked the name of the Ferrari. Volkswagen GTI, a sporty version of the company’s small hatchback (known in the U.S. as the Rabbit) Dodge Omni GLH, a sporty version of that company’s small hatchback, designed by automotive folk hero Carroll Shelby. The story is that Shelby was given instructions from Lee Iacocca to develop a car, and that it had to have three initials like the Volkswagen GTI. When Shelby finished work he was asked what the initials stood for. “Goes Like Hell” was the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/10 "2010-08-06T21:47:38Z")
All BMWs, and all Mercs except the small A-class and B-class hatchbacks, are RWD or 4WD. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/11 "2010-08-07T01:59:12Z")
I remember that the gold toned plastic “Cressida” or maybe “Camry” meant that some sucker paid $600 for that option. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/12 "2010-08-07T03:01:20Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Dodge Omni GLH, a sporty version of that company’s small hatchback, designed by automotive folk hero Carroll Shelby. The story is that Shelby was given instructions from Lee Iacocca to develop a car, and that it had to have three initials like the Volkswagen GTI. When Shelby finished work he was asked what the initials stood for. “Goes Like Hell” was the answer. Nitpick: The sport version of the Omni was the Dodge 024 (also Plymouth Turismo TC3). I learned to drive stick in one of these at age 11. The last year they made them, they became the Dodge Charger (1983) and the last 1000 made were modified by Shelby and became the Shelby GLH. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/13 "2010-08-07T03:19:55Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > Nitpick: The sport version of the Omni was the Dodge 024 (also Plymouth Turismo TC3). I learned to drive stick in one of these at age 11. The last year they made them, they became the Dodge Charger (1983) and the last 1000 made were modified by Shelby and became the Shelby GLH. I found conflicting info on this. It appears there was an Omni GLH model which was produced in 1984 and then a turbocharged version came out in 1985 and ended production in 1986. Some were sold to Shelby, modified and sold as the Shelby GLHS (Goes Like Hell Sm’more) What surprised the hell out of me is that this wasn’t originally based on the Omni 024 (which did become the small FWD Charger for a year or two), but on the boxy little piece of crap that was the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon. Allpar shows a picture of a 1987 GLHS that looks like an 024 (pics on the second link). > **[Dodge Omni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Omni)** > > The Dodge Omni is a subcompact car that was manufactured by Chrysler Corporation from the 1978 to 1990 model years. Marketed alongside the Plymouth Horizon, the Omni was the first front-wheel drive Chrysler vehicle; the pair were the first front-wheel-drive economy cars assembled in the United States. > The Omni and Horizon were developed from the Chrysler Horizon designed by Chrysler Europe, undergoing extensive modifications to meet U.S. standards. The design was heavily inspired by the... > **[Goes like Hell: Dodge Omni GLH and GLHS, Dodge Charger GLH-S](https://www.allpar.com/threads/goes-like-hell-dodge-omni-glh-and-glhs-dodge-charger-glh-s.229862/?post_id=1085223960&nested_view=1#post-1085223960)** > > Goes like Hell: Dodge Omni GLH and GLHS, Dodge Charger GLH-S > > > > When it was first released, the budget-priced, European-design Dodge Omni was an unlikely candidate for high performance. The addition of Chrysler 2.2 engines made them quicker - but... ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/14 "2010-08-07T03:45:58Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > There are some letters that are semi-standard, but these aren’t necessarily consistent among all cars that use them. > > SE = Special Edition > R/T = Road and Track > RS = Rally Sport > SS = Super Sport > LE = Limited Edition > LS = Limited Series, Luxury Sport, or Luxury Sedan > GT = Grand Touring (gran turismo in Italian) > LX or LXE = Luxury Edition > DX = Deluxe Edition > CE = Compact Edition Here let me help (with tongue planted firmly in cheek) SE = Super Expensive R/T = Road and Truck RS = Really Shitty SS = Super Slug LE = Luxury/Expensive LS = Lots of Solexes\* GT = Garbage Truck LX or LXE = Losers X-travaganza DX = Diagnosis, usually mental CE = Crappy Engine LTD = Latest Terrible Disaster Hope this helps your understanding of car nomenclature. 😃 \*Back in the day a buddy of mine had an Opel Kadett with two Solex carburetors, and was badged LS. He swore it stood for lots of Solexes. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/15 "2010-08-07T04:33:16Z")
I would put SS down as “Stupid Spoiler” but other than that I think your list is more accurate than mine. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-models/549370/16 "2010-08-07T20:40:31Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Here let me help (with tongue planted firmly in cheek)… > …Hope this helps your understanding of car nomenclature. Don’t forget SX makes men think of sex and therefore want to buy the car. Someone should come out with a car called the BJ69SX. 🙂 I’m pretty sure I’d buy one. (This came out of a book I read years ago, but I can’t remember what book it was.)