The term "Sport"

[Barry Wolk]

The term "Sport".

What is a "sports car". The Continental Mark II was sold as a "Sport Coupe". Why is that? Why do they call a 4-door truck-based mom-mobile a "Sport Utility Vehicle"?

When Porsche came out with the Cayanne I was expecting to see a two-door vehicle. That is what clearly defines a "sport" vehicle to me, just two doors. I was clearly disappointed.

Is there such a thing as a sport-sedan? What is "Sporty" about a 4-door car?

[Joe Nemec]

yes, very confusing. and now mercedes has a new 4-door "coupe"

[Deco]

Okay, I'll throw a few thoughts out in the hopes of helping.

I would include cars that are agile in handling and some spirit behind the gas peddle as "sporty".

This would cover cars like the old British roadsters such as Triumphs, MG's, Sunbeam, AC, TVR, Lotus, and Jag coupes (four-door "coupes" should be handled in a different thread). It also covers the likes of Datsun 1600's/2000's and "Z"'s, Toyota 2000's (still a cool looking car), those erotic (exotic) Italian artworks, Mecedes SL's and AMG creations as well as BMW "M" and "Z" cars.

To make sure this shore is represented, you've got the 'Vette and the respectable pony cars from Ford, GM, and Chysler. I would not put Muscle cars in this catagory since they were more focused for straight line performance (not agile) so it's sans GTO, Torino, Charger... I would include Carroll Shelby creations even upto what he's building now.

[linc64]

Is there such a thing as a sport-sedan?

I had a 1961 Impala 4-door sport sedan in high school. It certainly seemed a lot sportier than the '57 Plymouth Savoy pillared sedan that my step mother had.
I think some car companies originally used the term "sport" as a marketing ploy (sport=masculine) to describe a car that was pillar-less.
Remember how the Impala and Bel Air were available as a two door sedan and four door sedan, as well as a sport hardtop coupe and sport hardtop sedan? The Biscayne was only available as a two door sedan, a four sedan, and a two door utility sedan. What's a utility sedan?

[Barry Wolk]

I would include cars that are agile in handling and some spirit behind the gas peddle as "sporty".

I have a 1988 BMW 750il (12-cylinder, long body 4-door) on TRX tires used on Ferraris. It will outsprint and outhandle most "Sports" cars. There is "Sport" setting on the automatic transmission. The 750il, at 4,200 lbs. is not really sporty.

I don't think your definition is complete.

[Mountain Pilot]

Historically speaking the difference between a coupe and sedan is the amount of room given to the rear seat passenger not the number of doors. By the 1950's this detail had all been discarded and to the general public coupe/sedan indicated the number of doors. In the automotive design world you can have a 4 door coupe and a two door sedan...

[Dan Szwarc]

The word "sport" is a marketing term which, while being meaningless in any application, seems to evoke some emotion in buyers making them think their car is somehow better than a non-sporty car.

While the implied meaning of sport has changed over the years, its most recent use in "Sport-Utility" appears to be based on some crazy marketing idea that riding off-road is somehow "sporty" or "sporting".

It's one of the biggest BS terms ever used in car marketing.

[LC67Vert]

Wow, this thread is over 7 years old!

I find it interesting that the word "coupe" is now being used on 4 door cars such as the Mercedes CLS and soon a 4 door BMW based on the 6 series. From the 1950's on up a coupe always refered to a 2 door car without a "B" pillar and a 4 door car without a "B" pillar was referred to as a 4 door hardtop. A 2 door car with a "B" pillar, or post, was called a 2 door sedan, and a 4 door car with a "B" pillar was called a 4 door sedan. It seems the manufacturers use terms like "sport" and "coupe" more for marketing than anything else.

[larrys 62 53A]

The term "coupe" drives me nuts! Jimmy Cagney in the movie White Heat referred to a 2 door sedan as a coupe. Mercedes calls it's 4 door sedan a coupe. Then there's the "business coupe" (I do know what that is) and the term "club coupe" which I sure as hell do not. Convertible coupe, Club convertible, Victoria. I know that a Victoria to Henry Ford's way of thinking was a bit larger than a two door coupe, but smaller than a two-door (Tudor) sedan. Then there's the term "roadster" which to me means a two or no door car with side curtains. Mercedes calls one if it's convertible models a roadster but it's got side windows. The nomenclature doesn't seem to follow any rules anymore.

[onedollarbob]

You know, from re-reading this thread, the more times I hear "sport" and "coupe" in my head, the more silly they sound. Say "pickle" 15 times and it no longer means anything, but sounds funny as hell.

[C1VF]

The word "sport" is a marketing term which, while being meaningless in any application, seems to evoke some emotion in buyers making them think their car is somehow better than a non-sporty car.

I agree. It is nothing more than marketing.

Case in point: the AMC Hornet Sport-About. There's nothing sporty about it...IMO.


Joe G.

[Bob Hubbard]

Barry, I think your mark II was not advertised correctly.
It should have been called America's personal luxury car.
That distinction didn't arrive until the debut of the 1966 Thunderbird.
Bob.

[dcm5652]

I think they have put "Sport" on a vehicle to sell them to the young family man that wants a sports car but because of a family now he cannot load the family in a small 2-seater car and by doing this they have convinced the buyer that it is still a sports car.

[66Lincoupe]

I had a 1986 Yugo Sport... It came with a tape that played race car engine sounds.

[onedollarbob]

Zombie thread!