# identify this car. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773 "2004-09-09T13:00:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/1 "2004-09-09T13:00:38Z")
I was behind a car the other day with a single “R” for a logo. The R was on an oval plate. It was gray, and somewhat elegant looking, but the back-end had kind of an “oval” feel to it like a Jag. I didn’t get a good side view of it. But it was 4 doors, and it looked well put together. Solid pieces for the panels, no plastic on this thing. A little bit rounded. I didn’t recognize it at all. My initial reaction was “that’s a rolls” but I thought that Rolls Royce has double overlapping ‘R’. And it didn’t look quite as nice as most rolls I’ve seen. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/2 "2004-09-09T13:39:42Z")
[Could it be a Buick Regal?](http://www.buick.com/regal/photogallery/) I can’t tell from the rear photo’s if it has a rear badge. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/3 "2004-09-09T13:57:18Z")
doubtful. I think the regal would have the buick badge. there was no plastic on it. I REALLY don’t think it was a Buick. It was NOT two-toned. Had no adornments or features down the sides. Just smooth doors, and smooth quarter panels. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/4 "2004-09-09T14:07:42Z")
Maybe [Rover?](http://www3.mg-rover.com/rover_GB_en/static/node8706.html) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/5 "2004-09-09T14:26:33Z")
If it wasn’t for the badge, I might be 40-60 yes-no on that. As it is, maybe 95% sure that’s not it. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/6 "2004-09-09T14:27:00Z")
Riviera used to be a single R on the back. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/7 "2004-09-09T14:34:30Z")
It sounds like it could have been a [Buick Riviera.](http://www.redeemer.on.ca/~cknowles/chron/chron.html) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/8 "2004-09-09T14:34:53Z")
That’s not a bad guess. I thoguht it was newer than that. It seems like Rivieras stopped being produced in 1999. But it had the oval back, and was long and elegant like that. If I could find a jpeg of the logo, I’d be sure. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/9 "2004-09-09T14:43:30Z")
[http://www.car-pictures-photos-pics.com/pictures/Buick%20Riviera%20pictures%20photos%20pics.htm](http://www.car-pictures-photos-pics.com/pictures/Buick%20Riviera%20pictures%20photos%20pics.htm) couldn’t find a back pic. but my father-in-law had one and I’m pretty sure that’s it/ A big cursive looking R w/in an oval. The older R’s had a BIG R w? iviera in tiny letters beside the R. The last few years they looked a whole lot like Jags. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/10 "2004-09-09T14:51:46Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > If I could find a jpeg of the logo, I’d be sure. Is [this](http://www.sitecenter.dk/bigblock/scrapbog/view_alone.nhtml?profile=scrapbog&UID=10002) it? ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/11 "2004-09-09T15:03:57Z")
That’s it. A Buick, after all. I guess it sure as hell wasn’t a Rolls. I was just thrown, because not often does the badge represent the model instead of the make. ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/12 "2004-09-09T16:45:28Z")
:smack: I got Regal stuck in my head. And the Riviera it is. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/13 "2004-09-10T01:01:20Z")
Don’t feel bad. When my mom was taking me back to college one time, we parked behind one and she thought it was a Rolls Royce. ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car/263773/14 "2004-09-10T03:11:47Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > I was just thrown, because not often does the badge represent the model instead of the make. Buick does (did) it with the Riviera. Chevy does it with the Malibu, Impala. Also, front badges can often be model specific. Good examples are the Monte Carlo, Camaro, Corvette, and Mustang.