Car names from aeroplanes

[RAT 5]

A neighbour of mine has restored a Triumph Spitfire. Last time I rode in one was 1969 and with your bum so close to the ground it felt like 50mph at 30mph. The suspension didn't help.
Why Spitfire? Was it the 'slightly' elliptical nose on the bonnet, or just a marketing name to give it some fizz?
It got me thinking. I racked my brain for other cars that had the model names of aeroplanes & failed. Thinking mainly of UK types, but it doesn't matter.

So whose got what in their memory, and why so few cross-over do you think? If Saab were marketing its cars with an association with its aircraft, why not call one of its cars Griffen?

Anyway let's hear them.

[Mooncrest]

Vauxhall Viceroy.

[ShyTorque]

Vincent Hurricane
Singer Gazelle
Ford Puma
Ford Mustang

[Herod]

Vauxhall Victor

[seafire6b]

Standard VANGUARD

[seafire6b]

Triumph HERALD

[seafire6b]

Chrysler VALIANT

[seafire6b]

GMC TYPHOON

[Planemike]

Ford PREFECT

[seafire6b]

Mercury COMET

[seafire6b]

Austin AMBASSADOR

[seafire6b]

Holden HURRICANE


(There are more, but I'm now retiring!)

[ian16th]

A whole Squadron of Bristol's.

[longer ron]

Slight thread drift but...

BSA A65 Thunderbolt
also A65 Lightning

[longer ron]

Jowett Javelin

[longer ron]

Reliant Scimitar

[TCU]

Ford also managed a Corsair, Falcon and Meteor

Re the OP, SAAB of course did produce an Aero version of the 900 plus a 9-3 Viggen special edition

[Allan Lupton]

Lots of the examples above are cases where the car came first, so was not named after the aeroplane! e.g. Standard had a Vanguard in production in 1948, 11 years before Vickers flew their Vanguard (unless you reckon the Vickers Type 170 which is a bit specialist!)
Wot about Armstrong-Siddeley aeroplanes then?
Lancaster
Hurricane
Typhoon
Tempest
Whitley
and then they used names for their aeroplane engines that the car industry seemed to like such as:
Jaguar
Lynx (e.g. Riley)
Tiger (Sunbeam)
and Sapphire which A-S used for both car and engine!

[DaveReidUK]

I suspect that very few cars were consciously named after their aircraft counterparts (with the possible exception of the Spitfire).

That aside, I've always wondered why a French wind was named after a jet airliner. :O

[ShyTorque]

Slight thread drift but...

BSA A65 Thunderbolt
also A65 Lightning

+ Vincent Comet.

[Wander00]

No one mentioned Hillman Hunter - best and worst in one sentence, although an RAF navigator was one of the crew in a Hunter that took part in the England Australia Rally in the 60s - Dave Carrington ISTR, but a long time ago

[B Fraser]

A whole Squadron of Bristol's.

I prefer a pair myself.

Then there's the Aston Martin Vulcan.

https://www.astonmartin.com/en/live/news/2017/06/29/aston-martin-vulcan-amr-pro---wildest-ever-aston-martin-taken-to-new-extremes

[longer ron]

No one mentioned Hillman Hunter - best and worst in one sentence, although an RAF navigator was one of the crew in a Hunter that took part in the England Australia Rally in the 60s - Dave Carrington ISTR, but a long time ago

Oh I dunno Wanderoo - I had a Hunter GLS with the Holbay engine and 2 fairly large Weber DCOE carbs + overdrive - it was just getting into its power band at 85mph in 4th gear/overdrive - lovely car to drive (in a straight line :) ).
Metallic Blue with black vinyl roof and smart Rostyle wheels.
I was very sad to let it go when I left the RAF,but it really needed 5 star fuel,they had already stopped making 5 star and when I became a civvy I lost my supply of 100 octane LOL :cool:

[Haraka]

Hillman Imp (Parnall Imp)
Riley Elf (Parnall Elf)
Gilbern Crusader ( Short Crusader)
Ford Consul (Airspeed Consul)
Morris Oxford (Airpeed Oxford)
Austin Cambridge (Airspeed Cambridge)
Austin Princess Saunders Roe Princess)
Humber Snipe (Sopwith Snipe)
Hunting Harrier (Hawker Harrier)
Triumph Stag (De Havilland Stag)

And doubtless many more.....

[RAT 5]

What a mine of trivial wonders. Many thanks. Astonishing at the speed of recall & reply. Very humbling and senior memory has not yet set in, but you guys make it feel like it.

Whether all the names were after a/c, e.g. Mustang, is a bar-room discussion, but hey, what the heck.

[ian16th]

No one mentioned Hillman Hunter - best and worst in one sentence, although an RAF navigator was one of the crew in a Hunter that took part in the England Australia Rally in the 60s - Dave Carrington ISTR, but a long time ago
Not only was it entered, but it won!

Rootes/Chrysler were so surprised, they had no plans to capitalise on the unexpected success.

They had to rapidly invent the Hunter GLS that longer ron had.

[FAL]

Not only was it entered, but it won!


To clarify, two (both works built) cars were entered in London-Sydney 68. The works entered car won (Cowan/Coyle/Malkin). The other car was RAF entered.


Four (all works built but privately funded/entered) Hunters ran in the 1970 London-Mexico World Cup Rally.

[RedhillPhil]

Saab Viggen.

[ShyTorque]

Hillman Avenger
Suzuki Swift

[dogsridewith]

Ford will make a land vehicle with a fuel motor/generator driving the rear axle and an electric motor in each front hub. The _________.

(you guessed it)

[Anilv]

Renault Caravelle.

[Cazalet33]

Hindustan/Airspeed Ambassador

[b1lanc]

What a mine of trivial wonders. Many thanks. Astonishing at the speed of recall & reply. Very humbling and senior memory has not yet set in, but you guys make it feel like it.

Whether all the names were after a/c, e.g. Mustang, is a bar-room discussion, but hey, what the heck.
Particularly when you see the horse emblem:) But, there are some rumblings of the twin finned design of the late 50's and early 60's US cars being patterned after the twin-boom/tail of the P-38.

Off topic, but there is one SUV that I would never want because of it's name....Armada. It's huge and the namesake was summarily dispatched efficiently in the 1500's.

[b1lanc]

Citation (Cessna/Chev)
Aztec (Piper/Pontiac)
Viper (GD/Dodge)
Lancer (Rockwell/Mitsubishi)
Skyhawk (Cessna/Buick)
Dakota (Douglas/Dodge)
Pacer (Piper/AMC)
Pathfinder (Piper/Nissan)
Caravan (Cessna/Dodge)

[jolihokistix]

My first car was a Heinkel; my older brother drove a Messerschmitt.

[Captain Dart]

My first car was an Australian Holden Gemini (they would not have heard of the Miles product).

[WilliumMate]

Jowett Jupiter

[treadigraph]

Lots of the examples above are cases where the car came first, so was not named after the aeroplane! e.g. Standard had a Vanguard in production in 1948, 11 years before Vickers flew their Vanguard (unless you reckon the Vickers Type 170 which is a bit specialist!)


I guess it could have been named after the Vultee Vanguard ;)

[Wander00]

I recalled Andrew Cowan's team had won the Australia Rally: as for memories of cars, brother had in turn a Heinkel, Vauxhall Wyvern and Triumph Mayflower before split screen Minor drop head. Although younger by 2 years he was working whilst I was still at school. My first car a Ford Prefect, 100E as I recall

[TURIN]

Reliant 'Robin?'
Ford 'Corsair'

Of course we mustn't forget the timeless BMW 'IdontneedindicatorscosIdrivea325GT'

Of the two wheeled variety...Triumph 'Trident'

[Harry Wayfarers]

The bubble cars manufactured by the likes of Messerschmitt and Heinkel

[Davidsoffice]

Ford/Lockheed Galaxy
Ford /Fouga Zephyr


DO

[jolihokistix]

The bubble cars manufactured by the likes of Messerschmitt and Heinkel


See post #36 :p

[Vzlet]

Rolls Royce/McDonnell Phantom
Dodge/McDonnell Demon
Chevrolet/Dassault Corvette
Ford/Dassault Falcon
Buick/Cessna Skylark
Dixie/Wright Flyer
Chevrolet/Piper Malibu
Oldsmobile/Vought Cutlass
Ford/Temco Pinto
AMC/Fairey Barracuda
AMC/Piper Pacer
AMC/AMX International AMX
Opel/Culver Kadet
Mitsubishi/Northrop Raider
Dodge/Piper Colt
Sunbeam/Grumman Tiger
Studebaker/Piaggio Avanti
Chevrolet/Lockheed Vega

(Apologies for any duplicates! And, after posting I realized I was listing paired names without regard for which emerged earliest, so not all of these would be "cars named after planes".)

[treadigraph]

Stutz Bearcat and of course the later Grumman product...

[Hussar 54]

Renault Caravelle.


And now we have the Renault / Eurocopter Dauphine(e)...

[dogsridewith]

Northrop Alpha/ Alpha Romeo

[DaveReidUK]

Saab 900 / Falcon 900 :O

[Sepp]

Vauxhall Viscount

[Pozidrive]

Does it have to be cars?


Leyland had Tiger and Leopard buses, plus the AEC Sabre coach. Also the Lynx, Buffalo and Beaver trucks.


Other companies swallowed by Leyland had the Guy Otter (with only a single engine!) and the Scammell Pioneer

[TCU]

Check mate:

Bristol Type 412 Beaufighter
Bristol Type 412 Beaufort
Bristol Type 603S4 Blenheim
Bristol Type 603S3 Britannia
Bristol Type 603S3 Brigand

All Bristol cars named after their Bristol aeronautical cousins

[treadigraph]

Luton/Rollason Beta, Lancia Beta

[gileraguy]

I suspect that very few cars were consciously named after their aircraft counterparts (with the possible exception of the Spitfire).

I once traded a Ford (Australia) Corsair (a badge engineered Nissan Pintara)and I noted that the Vehicle Identification Number began with the code F4U4....


true story...

And of course the Ford Australia (& USA) Falcons (regarding the Dassault Falcon) which interestingly commenced manufacture in 1960 in Australia and the US when the French sold their first Falcon 20 in 1965, an aircraft named after a car?

[Alan Baker]

Northrop Alpha/ Alpha Romeo
No such thing as an "Alpha" Romeo, it's Alfa, which began as A.L.F.A., standing for (Societa) Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, until bought by Nicola Romeo.

[Hussar 54]

Have we already mentioned the Ford / Aerospatiale Puma ?

Apologies if we have.

[evansb]

BAE Hawk - Studebaker Hawk

Aeronca Champion - Studebaker Champion

Cessna Skyhawk - Buick Skyhawk

Cessna 175 Skylark - Buick Skylark

Cessna Caravan - Dodge Caravan

Cessna Bobcat - Mercury Bobcat

Convair Metropolitan - Nash Metropolitan

McDonnell Demon - Dodge Demon

Keystone Patrician - Packard Patrician

Martin Marauder - Mercury Marauder

Grumman Prowler - Plymouth Prowler

Grumman Cougar - Mercury Cougar

Grumman Wildcat - Buick Wildcat

Fairey Barracuda - Plymouth Barracuda

Hawker Tempest - Pontiac Tempest

Martin Marlin - Rambler/AMC Marlin

Airspeed Ambassador - Rambler Ambassador

Piper Aztec - Pontiac Aztec

Piper Cherokee - Jeep Cherokee

Republic P-43 Lancer - Mitsubishi Lancer

North American Bronco - Ford Bronco

North American Fury - Plymouth Fury

Northrop A-17 Nomad - Chevrolet Nomad

Handley Page/Miles Marathon - Checker Marathon

Douglas Dakota - Dodge Dakota

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy - Ford Galaxy

Lockheed Starfire - Oldsmobile Starfire

SIAI-Marchetti Riviera - Buick Riviera

Lockheed Electra - Buick Electra

Piper Caribbean - Packard Caribbean

Piper Pacer - AMC Pacer

Lockheed Saturn - GM Saturn

Westland Lynx - Mercury Lynx

Grumman Avenger - Dodge Avenger

McDonnell-Douglas F-18 Hornet - AMC Hornet, preceded by the Hudson Hornet.
(Hiller Helicopters also made a Hornet)

[Fishtailed]

Does it have to be cars?

No, as longer ron may not agree, but the best-
Velocette Venom and Valiant.

[longer ron]

:)

Some more Beezers with perhaps aviation related/familiar names

BSA A50 Cyclone,A50 Wasp,A65 Rocket,A65 Spitfire,A65 Hornet,A65 Firebird.

I had an A65 Thunderbolt in the 70's - the only velo I ever had was an LE 'Noddy Bike' as a 'social' bike in the mid 70's (You know - riding it around so people could have a laugh when they saw it and also visiting the then GF ).

[DHfan]

The Jowett Javelin predated the Gloster Javelin by a few years.

Trident was mentioned as a motorbike. There was also a Trident car company which rose from one of TVR's financial collapses. The car they built was the Trident Clipper - two aircraft in one car.

The Allard Clipper was an extremely ugly 3 wheeler.

SS Cars asked Armstrong Siddeley for permission to use the Jaguar name on their cars.

[RAT 5]

I think the chicken and egg has swapped order sometimes. It is a stretch to attribute some of these cars' names to a/c names. Jaguar cars were around yonks before jaguar fighters. The animal symbol is a bit of a giveaway, but like Ford Mustang.
However, if the connections are becoming so tenuous, and let's not get too serious, here is one with a smile.

The event marked the most important milestone yet in the development of the 1,000mph Bloodhound SSC vehicle ahead of the team's attempt at the land speed record in two years' time.

OK, bloodhound is a missile, but hey, it's got a motor, fins/wins and flies.

[DHfan]

Jaguar cars were around yonks before jaguar fighters.

But long after the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar aero engine.

Using engine names, there a few more from Armstrong Siddeley. Of the top of my head, Panther Cars, Sunbeam Tiger and in the dying throes of the company, the Lea-Francis Lynx.

[Alan Baker]

The Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire was both a car and an aero engine, and in the same time frame.

[dogsridewith]

Quote:
Originally Posted by dogsridewith https://www.pprune.org/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/607897-car-names-aeroplanes-3.html#post10122806)
Northrop Alpha/ Alpha Romeo
No such thing as an "Alpha" Romeo, it's Alfa, which began as A.L.F.A., standing for (Societa) Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, until bought by Nicola Romeo.
Yeah...I sorta knew that. But an opportunity to mention an interesting aeroplane.

[RAT 5]

I used to have a rust heap that started life as a minivan. It was long in the tooth and held together by speed tape. My mate called it the Pitts. I told him to Stampe it out or he was walking home. It was not Lightning fast, but plodded along like the Albatross. It ate brake shoes like a Gannet as they needed full size 12's for any effect. I used to carry stuff for a friend and the back looked like a farmer's car. I called it my Ag-Truck.

Now I'm off to the pub to calm down.

[ATNotts]

Renault Caravelle.

Volkswagen Caravelle too I believe.

[ian16th]

If we include numbers:

Douglas Commercial / Mazda 3

[evansb]

Abrams Explorer - Ford Explorer

Armstrong Whitworth Apollo - Buick Apollo

Armstrong Whitworth Aries - Dodge Aries

Armstrong Whitworth Scimitar - Reliant Scimitar

Avro Arrow - Plymouth Arrow

BAe Concorde - Chrysler Concorde

Blackburn Bluebird - Nissan Bluebird

Boulton-Paul P.8 Atlantic - Austin Atlantic

Canadair/Bombardier Challenger - Dodge Challenger

Fairey Fox - Volkswagen Fox

Fairey Firefly - Pontiac Firefly

McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle - AMC Eagle

Piper Apache - Chevrolet Apache (pickup truck)
https://i.imgur.com/4xw1S6v.jpg?1

Stinson Reliant - Plymouth Reliant

American Champion/Bellanca Scout - International Scout

Globe Swift - Suzuki Swift

Helio Courier - Ford (and Mazda) Courier

Heston Phoenix - Pontiac Phoenix

Ted Smith/Piper Aerostar - Ford Aerostar

Lockheed Ventura - Pontiac Ventura

Jurca Sirocco - Volkswagen Sirocco

Kinner Playboy - Jordan Playboy roadster

Stitts Playboy - Playboy, Playboy convertible
https://i.imgur.com/Oj0GPyG.jpg

[dogsridewith]

...

Airspeed Ambassador - Rambler Ambassador
...

preceeded by the Nash Ambassador


(any Nash aeroplanes or Alpha motorcars?)

[evansb]

There was a Nash Airflyte, a Hudson Terraplane, but no Hudson Aeroplane.

Regarding "Alpha", do you mean Alfa as in Alfa Romeo?

[dduxbury310]

I thought there WAS a Hudson aeroplane, about 3,000 of them. Or have I misunderstood something here? I sense that I probably have!

[evansb]

I was listing same model names not manufacturers. Yes indeed there was a Lockheed Hudson and Hudson was an automobile manufactuer. There was a small-scale, (amateur), American airframe builder named Hudson, they made a single model 2-2-E "Thing", and VW also made an automobile called the "Thing". Ford made Ford aeroplanes, SAAB made SAAB aeroplanes, but I am looking for model names. There was also a (Paul) Nash Aeroplane Company formed in 1928 in Illinois, but he built only one aircraft, the model N.

[dogsridewith]

There was a Nash Airflyte, a Hudson Terraplane, but no Hudson Aeroplane.

Regarding "Alpha", do you mean Alfa as in Alfa Romeo?

an Alpha model of motor car for the Northrop Alpha aeroplane

[nacluv]

The Ford F1 pickup truck was renamed F100 in 1953 following the introduction of the North American F100 Super Sabre earlier in the same year.

[Warmtoast]

My neighbour has a Mustang* and not seen it airborne yet, but at ground level it's pretty fast - as to be expected of a 5 ltr engine.


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/P1040417_zpso3s1b068.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/P1040415_zpsstjhovft.jpg


* .. Ford, not North American!

[evansb]

Yeah, about the Mustang... See post #3, page 1 of this thread.

LKF: During Ford's initial marketing sessions, the idea for naming the car the Mustang originated from the P-51 Mustang aircraft, not the wild horse. Logos, badges, image and copy-write considerations came into play, resulting in the horse symbol.

Mooney Aircraft also made a Mustang, the Mk.22 Mustang PC, (pressurized cabin). Introduced just a few months after the first Ford Mustang car. Unlike Ford, Mooney built only 36 Mustangs between 1965-1970, and again, unlike the Ford Mustang, the Mooney Mustang more or less bankrupted the company.

[sablatnic]

Convair Metropolitan - Nash Metropolitan

[evansb]

"Metropolitan" is listed on post #56, page three of this thread.

FYI The Cessna Citation line also has a Mustang, a VLJ designated the 510, which was an old Datsun nameplate in the North American market. (Yes, the Chevy Citation has already been posted).

Convair (General Dynamics) made a single prototype named "Charger", but Dodge, (Chrysler Corp. under various names), has made thousands upon thousands of Chargers.

Convair made the F-106 "Delta Dart", not a "Delta" nor a "Dart". Dodge made a "Dart" and Oldsmobile made a "Delta 88", so not an exact match for the thread's theme.

[RAT 5]

My neighbour has a Mustang* and not seen it airborne yet, but at ground level it's pretty fast

When is he going to replace the horse badge with the aeroplane one?

[ian16th]

Convair made the F-106 "Delta Dart", not a "Delta" nor a "Dart". Dodge made a "Dart" and Oldsmobile made a "Delta 88", so not an exact match for the thread's theme.

Daimler also called their SP 250 a "Dart" but didn't use the name in countries where Dodge used the name.

[DHfan]

It wasn't through choice - Dodge threatened them with legal action. They abandoned the Dart name altogether, it was the SP250 everywhere.


preceeded by the Nash Ambassador


(any Nash aeroplanes or Alpha motorcars?)

Presumably the Nash and Rambler Ambassador were basically the same car? I had a vague idea Nash became Rambler which was sort of right when I looked it up.
I'm now wondering why a small English boy would have been aware of that around 60 years ago - and remembered it!

[El Bunto]

Not only consciously named after an aeroplane but also designed in its manner, the GM LeSabre:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/caveman_92223/4121600829
Often mislabelled as Buick but they pinched the name later.

[dogsridewith]

It wasn't through choice - Dodge threatened them with legal action. They abandoned the Dart name altogether, it was the SP250 everywhere.




Presumably the Nash and Rambler Ambassador were basically the same car? I had a vague idea Nash became Rambler which was sort of right when I looked it up.
I'm now wondering why a small English boy would have been aware of that around 60 years ago - and remembered it!
Not in the "brand engineering" sense more common recently. As w/ General Motors, which happened earlier, there was consolidation in the auto industry post-WWII. My 1949 Nash, and a shallow refrigerator w/ all glass shelves and no detail on the inside of a plain sheet door except a War Board price label, were made by the Nash-Kelvinator Company. At least the Nash part went to Rambler, which went to American Motors (which also got Jeep, which was why Chrysler wanted it), which (Jeep) went to Chrysler, which went to Mercedes Benz for a brief period before merging with Fiat...and now some further changes in the works I think I read somewhere.
Technically, there seems like a certain innovative trend in engineering that carried through from Nash through Chrysler. (Nash had early uni-body, front seats that folded to make the whole interior a large bed, a piece of exhaust tubing for an exhaust manifold and no arches in the front fenders for turning of the front wheels...which required a narrow track, created an odd appearance, and probably killed the brand. Chrysler had torsion bar suspension for awhile, which may have come from Packard or someone else they absorbed?)

[DHfan]

From what I understand, Rambler was a Nash model, which then became a brand in its own right when AMC was formed.

That got me to thinking about the AMC Pacer, like an upside down goldfish bowl. Very odd on UK roads with a gigantic offside door and a smaller one by the kerb. There's one still around here or was until very recently.

I'd only ever heard of the Tri-Pacer, which looked futuristic to a very small boy in the 50s compared to the usual fare of Tiger Moths and Austers, and thought from the name there must have been a Pacer.

There was...
Piper Pacer, AMC Pacer.

[dogsridewith]

all this AMC stuff sparks memory: Gremlin was their Hornet with no trunk. What were the little planes that launched out of a large WWII(?) era mothership?

[India Four Two]

At least one Nash Rambler model had front-seats that folded back to make a double bed:
Nash Airliner Reclining Seats | Modern Mechanix (http://blog.modernmechanix.com/nash-airliner-reclining-seats/)

There are stories of fathers refusing to allow their daughters to go out with boys who had a Rambler!

[El Bunto]

all this AMC stuff sparks memory: Gremlin was their Hornet with no trunk. What were the little planes that launched out of a large WWII(?) era mothership?

Goblins, from B-29s & B-36s

Goleta Air and Space Museum: Flying Aircraft Carriers of the USAF: McDonnell XF-85 Goblin (http://www.air-and-space.com/goblins.htm)

[RAT 5]

There are stories of fathers refusing to allow their daughters to go out with boys who had a Rambler!

That would be the fathers who, as a boy, had a rambler themselves, then.

[Captain Dart]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=enqNl7tdLR4

[Bowser99]

Morris Oxford

[NutLoose]

Ford Mustang?
BL Avenger..... Cringe.

[DHfan]

Not BL Avenger - Hillman and then Chrysler.
I had one briefly and hated it with a passion.

Standard Envoy, Airspeed Envoy. Not really fair the car was first by a couple of years.

Aston Martin Valkyrie - North American Valkyrie.

A couple now where the aircraft production exceeded the cars.

Aston Martin Bulldog - Bristol Bulldog.

Bugatti Atlantic - Breguet Atlantic.

[Basil]

Not the best example but it only cost £30

[Flying Palm Tree]

Fantasy Air Allegro - Austin All Agro (aka Allegro)

[India Four Two]

Not BL Avenger - Hillman and then Chrysler.

I had one as a rental car on a visit to Britain in the 70s. I thrashed it for two weeks including a final drive from Skye to London in one day (pre-bridge days). It was a bit down on oil when I handed it in!

Chrysler sensibly realized that a 4-cylinder econobox could not be sold as an Avenger, so it was rebadged as the Plymouth Cricket (as in Jiminy)!

[Captain Dart]

....which naturally leads us on to:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BOpNTIGC5M4

[treadigraph]

There was also the Campbell Cricket gyroplane, and the Morane Saulnier built Fieseler Storchs were known as Criquets!

[dduxbury310]

A real oddity was an American automobile produced about 1946/47 (a typical saloon car of the era) which was called the "Bomber", and very specifically attributed to its unusually styled "nose" (an ugly protrusion from the radiator grill) which was supposedly inspired by the very distinctive nose of the B-29. Why oh why would anyone want to do that ? - it was a CAR!!! Apparently (and in my opinion rightly) it was never considered an American classic. Unfortunately I cannot recall the manufacturer, but somebody on this thread will know it, could have been a Ford, or Studebaker maybe.
David D

[RLinSW4]

Reliant Scimitar

Indeed - I had one for 12 years - but there was also a Reliant Sabre.

[DHfan]

Speaking of Reliants...

Dart Kitten - Reliant Kitten

[evansb]

There never was an American produced sedan/saloon car called the "Bomber". You are probably imagining the Raymond Loewy designed (and executed by Virgil Exner) 1950-51 Studebaker "Bullet Nose" Commander. Why? Automobile design has been inspired by aviation for decades, and has incorporated many aeronautical design cues.

https://i.imgur.com/FFspoRz.jpgDesigned to emulate a jet engine intake. The 1949 Ford also had a circular intake grill design.
https://i.imgur.com/i9UzVqX.jpg


Chrysler produced another Avenger. The Dodge Avenger is a front-wheel drive (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front-wheel_drive), mid-sized (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-size_car) sedan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedan_(automobile)) that was built by Dodge (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge). The Dodge Avenger made its North American debut in 1994 as a two-door coupe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coupe), which was produced until 2000. It was re-introduced to the market as a four-door sports sedan starting in 2008. 2014 marked the last production year for the Avenger, as models for both the Dodge and Chrysler brands were consolidated into the single 2015 Chrysler 200 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_200) model,.

[dogsridewith]

Plymouth Duster- Crop Duster
(seriously....seems some XYZ Corporation might have made a TurboDuster or something.)

I think there was also Plymouth Scamp.

[gileraguy]

Reliant Scimitar

Reliant Scimitar SE5A

Names from the Jet age and the First World War combined...

[RLinSW4]

Reliant Scimitar SE5A

Names from the Jet age and the First World War combined...

Indeed - that was what I drove - but I never made that connection!

[India Four Two]

Lots of the examples above are cases where the car came first, so was not named after the aeroplane! e.g. Standard had a Vanguard in production in 1948, 11 years before Vickers flew their Vanguard

.... but Vultee produced the little known P.48 Vanguard. :)

I was reminded of this while looking through my wartime copy of "Aircraft and the Air" by Eric Sargent, which I have just retrieved from storage.

I also found the Rearwin Speedster which predates the Porsche 365 Speedster.

I knew about the BSA Thunderbolt, but I thought surely someone had used the name for a car.

Sure enough, the 1964 Ford Thunderbolt, a 500 BHP drag racer.
Though technically legal for street use, the Thunderbolt was too raucous for the public roads. Just over 100 were built, and every one spent nearly every minute at the drag strip.

As Hot Rod warned, the T-bolt was "not suitable for driving to and from the strip, let alone on the street in everyday use."
https://musclecars.howstuffworks.com/classic-muscle-cars/1964-ford-thunderbolt.htm

[evansb]

Yes, treadigraph already mentioned the Vultee Vanguard on April 18th, post #38 of this thread.

dogsridewith referenced the Plymouth Scamp, but didn't correlate an aircraft named "Scamp" Well, here it is, the Aerosport Scamp:

(22 are believed to be airworthy)
https://i.imgur.com/UchPAEK.jpg?1

Here is the Scottish Aviation Scamp electric car, built and designed in Prestwick, circa 1966:
https://i.imgur.com/PGyGznZ.jpg

[El Bunto]

Here is the Scottish Aviation Scamp electric car, built and designed in Prestwick, circa 1966:


With suspension and various bits of the Hillman Imp, made up the road in Linwood.

Shorts also had a go at a small car but sadly didn't give it an aeronautical name. It was called the Nobel 200 and based on a Fuldamobil design but with changes to actually allow it to drive properly on a road. The Germans aren't always expert engineers!

[DHfan]

There was/is also a Scamp kit car.
Originally Mini-based and supposed to resemble the Mini-Moke it actually looked more like a garden shed.
A version is still made now, based on a choice of small 4x4s.

[diesel addict]

Armstrong-Whitworth Ensign unto Standard Ensign (smaller engine version of the Vanguard II )

[Mechta]

VW Scirocco / Jurca Scirocco
Pontiac Tempest / Tempest Kit car / Hawker Tempest / Jurca Tempete
Reliant Robin / Curtiss Robin / ABC Robin
Plymouth Fury / Hawker Fury / North American Fury
Studebaker Avanti / Piaggio Avanti
Plymouth Barracuda / Fairey Barracuda
Plymouth Satellite / Short Satellite
Aston Martin Bulldog /Scottish Aviation Bulldog
Pontiac Catalina / Consolidated Catalina
Mercury Comet / DH Comet
Dodge/De Soto Coronado / Consolidated Coronado
Dodge Dakota / Douglas Dakota / Piper Dakota
Dodge Dart / Daimler Dart / Blackburn Dart
Austin A40 Devon / DH Devon
Sipani Dolphin / Sopwith Dolphin
Jowett Javelin / AMC Javelin / Gloster Javelin
Jowett Jupiter / Brstol Jupiter (1924 Fighter)
Austin A70 Hereford / Handley Page Hereford
AMC Hornet / DH Hornet
Hillman Husky /Beagle Husky
SS100 Jaguar / Sepecat Jaguar
Riley Kestrel / HS Kestrel / Slingsby Kestrel
Mercury Marauder / Martin Marauder
Mercury Meteor / Gloster Meteor
Chevrolet Nomad /GAF Nomad / Northrop Nomad
and there's more to come...

[treadigraph]

Hillman Husky /Beagle Husky
Aviat Husky and Kaman Husky... ok, Huskie...

AMC Hornet / DH Hornet
Hiller Hornet

Dodge/De Soto Coronado / Consolidated Coronado
Convair 990 Coronado

[YVRLTN]

Pontiac / Piper Chieftain
Austin / Fairchild Metro
Land Rover / BN Defender
Studebaker / Rockwell Lark
Daimler / Cessna Citation Sovereign
Hyundai / Cessna Citation Excel
GMC / Robinson Astro
Vauxhall / IAI Astra
Subaru / Embraer Legacy

[treadigraph]

Ford Sierra / Beech Sierra, Tecnam Sierra

[DHfan]

Not really fair, but until it reached production the Morris Minor was known at the factory as the Morris Mosquito.

[evansb]

Lots of repeats on this thread. For example, "Sirocco" was referenced on April 21st, and on May 2nd. The "Hornet" again on April 29th and May 2nd. And the "Alpha"....

Perhaps the new page format reduces the likelihood of readers looking at older pages. Just a thought. It was a fun thread though..quite informative.

The Sipani Dolphin? Who knew?! Thanks Mechta!
https://i.imgur.com/UNNCntU.jpg

[dook]

OK, a glider not an aeroplane.

Buick Skylark (Slingsby)