Image: shutterstock
About This Quiz
Are you a real car expert? If so, you probably test out the knowledge of other people who claim they are as well by throwing out some acronyms and abbreviations quickly. After all, someone who really knows their way around vehicles can quickly identify what you're referring to with ABS, SRS, AWD, and more.
But the automotive industry loves acronyms for all sorts of things, just like a lot of other industries. In fact, quite a few automaker names contain them, along with other "shop talk" vocabulary you might even hear tossed around when buying a car or having it serviced. If you have a true command of these terms, you can navigate any automotive situation far easier than the average person.
Car enthusiasts will use different abbreviated terms to sort out people who aren't part of the inner circle. If it's obvious you don't understand or use them, you're quickly identified as an outsider. So how much of a car nerd are you? Do you have mastery of all sorts of acronyms and abbreviations? Test your knowledge now with this quiz!
What is a car's cat?
cartographer
catatonic energy
catalytic converter
Enthusiasts and mechanics often refer to a cat, or they talk about the cat-back system, which is the part of the exhaust that begins just behind the catalytic converter and ends at the exhaust tip(s).
catharsis
Advertisement
What does MOPAR stand for?
motors and parts
In 1929, Chrysler founded the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation to help with the making and distribution of components for its vehicles. The contraction, MOPAR, wasn't used officially until 1937 for antifreeze, and then became the name of the company's parts division in the 1960s.
motors other parts and racing
motorists offending people and racing
motors often parted and recycled
Advertisement
If you drive a Subie, what kind of car do you have?
submarine
Subaru
Subarus has been lovingly referred to as Subies by owners and admirers for years. The company has been making cars since it created the first prototype, called the P-1, in 1954.
a yellow one
a wagon
Advertisement
What is the tac on a car?
small, sharp, pointy object
taclinominantor
tachometer
The tachometer is included in the gauge cluster for most cars. It shows the speed at which the engine is working at any given moment, usually displaying that number in revolutions per minute or RPM.
tackle bait
Advertisement
What is DOHC?
dual over hard crombit
dual overhead cams
Dual overhead camshafts means an internal combustion engine has two camshafts in the cylinder head, versus just overhead valves or a single overhead camshaft configuration.
diode overhead controls
diamond onyx headlight control
Advertisement
What does the "4x4" badge mean on some vehicles?
16
it's a math problem
four-wheel drive
You'll notice this is on trucks and SUVs more than anything. The badge literally means four-by-four, or in other words, four-wheel drive, which the driver usually must engage for it to work, but not always.
four doors and locks
Advertisement
What does SAE stand for?
Some Apes Eating
Society of Automotive Eggheads
Society of Automotive Engineers
Since 1905, SAE has acted as a neutral group for advocating the development not only of better cars, but other forms of transportation. It boasts more than 128,000 engineers as members, who live all over the world.
Simple Automotive Engineering
Advertisement
When you order a part and it's an OEM product, what does that stand for?
option engine management
original equipment manufacturer
Sometimes, people just say OE, which is the same thing as OEM. It's the parts that came on your vehicle when it arrived at the dealership. You or the dealer could install aftermarket equipment to change the looks or other things about the vehicle, but those parts aren't OEM.
open engineering manufacture
optional English math
Advertisement
If a dealership says a car is a certain price MSRP, what does that stand for?
manufacturer's suggested retail price
MSRP is a suggestion, as the name says, because dealerships can sell a car for less than or more than that amount. It does not indicate how much a dealer paid the automaker for the vehicle, despite what some people try to claim.
many strange restrictions to price
might start restricting pricing
money should rarely pertain
Advertisement
What did AMC stand for?
Artillery Manufacturing Company
American Motors Corporation
AMC was founded in 1954, using a name that played up to the patriotism of American car shoppers. Its death was drawn out, but the company ceased existence in 1987, with Chrysler taking over select brands like Jeep.
Automobiles Made Clean
Autos for Men and Children
Advertisement
With the Ferrari FF, what does the model name stand for?
Freaking Funny
Fairly Fast
Ferrari Four
Not everyone loves the concept of the Ferrari FF, considering it's a grand tourer model that features seating for four people. The cargo area is also quite large, making it a Ferrari you could think of taking on the open road.
Freaky Friday
Advertisement
What does Nm stand for?
Newton metre
A Newton metre is a unit of torque measurement in the metric system. In the United States, as well as other parts of the world, lb.-ft. or pound-feet is the preferred means of measuring torque.
non meter
never mentioned
nano management
Advertisement
When buying a car, what does OAC mean for an offer?
often acceptable cash
on approved credit
Some offers, like zero interest for the first 36 months of a loan, is only offered to people with credit deemed worthy of that offer. Because of federal guidelines, dealerships and automakers must include OAC after these offers.
other alternative cash
optional acid cash
Advertisement
What does VTEC stand for?
Very Troubling Engine Compression
Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control
Honda developed VTEC as a way to have the best of both low-speed and high-speed camshafts, delivering better performance. This innovative system debuted in the late 1980s.
Veritable Turbo Engine Change
Virtual Turbocharging Engine Channeling
Advertisement
With cars, what does WOT mean?
weight of time
white option torque
wide open throttle
When you really lay on the accelerator for a car, the throttle might open all the way, which is WOT. It's when a car is pushed to its limits for acceleration at a certain point, but isn't always achievable with turns and road conditions.
whole offering torque
Advertisement
What is EFI?
every fine inmate
electronic formula integer
each fire internship
electronic fuel injection
A few decades ago, automakers would proudly display EFI badges on cars as a signal to consumers that the vehicle had the latest and greatest technology. This development helped reduce fuel consumption and emissions, among other things.
Advertisement
If the owner's manual in your car refers to the SRS, what is that?
slip regulator service
supplemental restraint system
You might not think of it as a restraint system for your car like you do the seat belts, but the airbags technically are referred to as the SRS. An SRS warning light on your dash means your airbags might not work correctly, so you need to have that serviced as soon as possible.
seek real servicing
stop revving soon
Advertisement
What does it mean if you car has something that's 12v?
12 valves
12 variances
12 volts
Most common is the reference to a car's 12-volt battery, which supplies electricity to the engine for creating the first sparks, getting the combustion process started.
12 varnish
Advertisement
What is EGR?
electronic gasoline remedy
exhaust gas recirculation
The EGR system on a car is designed to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide emissions coming out of the tail pipe, reducing environmental impact.
electric grain reducer
electronic grape reduction
Advertisement
If a car is a ZEV, what does that mean?
zoo electric variance
zero emissions vehicle
The state of California created a ZEV program as a way to cut down on air pollution problems in its many urban areas. You might see some electric or fuel-cell cars with a ZEV badge as a result.
zero electronic voyance
zero everything vehicle
Advertisement
What does SAAB stand for?
Slow And Actually Bad
Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget
The name translated from Swedish means Swedish airplane corporation, because Saab's parent company was, and still is, an airplane manufacturer. This is where the marketing tagline, "Born from jets," came from.
Swedish Automobile Actuary Bank
Sweden Automotive and Boats
Advertisement
In the automotive world, what is UAW?
United Automobile Workers
United Automobile Workers has been around since the Great Depression, working to represent the needs of people who assemble vehicles. It's not without controversy, but many think it greatly improves conditions in factories.
Under Automobiles Wowed
United Autos War
Unified Automotive Wagons
Advertisement
What is F1 short for?
Formula One
Formula One is the top class for single-seater race vehicles, according to the Federation Internationale de l' Automobile, the most authoritative international racing organization.
finishing first
first firing order
flaming tailpipes
Advertisement
When someone talks about NOS, what do they mean?
noxious emissions
nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide is commonly called NOS among some automotive circles, which is actually a brand name for nitrous oxide. The "Fast and Furious" movies helped make the term even more popular.
sulfuric acid
rust
Advertisement
What is a car's speedo?
a swimsuit
a turbo
speedometer
The speedometer, as most people know and you can probably guess from the name alone, shows how fast a car is traveling at any moment. Speedo is just a shortened way to say speedometer.
a supercharger
Advertisement
What does RWD mean?
rusted while driving
resting while driven
rear-wheel drive
Many sports cars, as well as other performance vehicles like muscle cars and gran tourers, have a rear-wheel-drive layout. It makes for more entertaining and performance-oriented handling through turns, but presents challenges if you push the car too hard.
read what to do
Advertisement
In Volvos, what are WHIPS?
whiplash protection system
Volvo takes vehicle safety seriously, so it shouldn't be a surprise the company focuses on preventing whiplash. The system is mostly special headrests and seats that keep you from getting whiplash when the vehicle is hit from behind.
the seat belts
how they keep you from buying other cars
white hip incinerator precision systems
Advertisement
What does ABS stand for?
alternative back seat
alternator botch system
anti-lock braking system
With this technology, when you slam on the brakes, the system will pulsate the brake pressure automatically. As a result, the wheels don't lock up, so you have greater control in an emergency stop situation.
alien back stand
Advertisement
What does SH-AWD mean?
speed handling acceleration with demons
Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive
Acura offers SH-AWD on certain models, which is an all-wheel-drive system the company claims offers superior handling in all conditions, adaptive to driving style.
selective hard acceleration work diameter
super hard acceleration working diode
Advertisement
If someone talks about their 'Vette, what kind of car do they own?
gran tourer
Viper
Corvette
America's sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette, was named after a quick and potent warship. People lovingly refer to it as a 'Vette, a nickname you should know.
Chevelle
Advertisement
What does it mean when someone talks about a vehicle's "spec"?
specious
speculaas
specification
With cars, specification can mean a whole range of things. Often, people use it to talk about how manufacturers set up the cars originally in the factory, but it can also be in reference to new specifications used by tuners, among other things.
specializes
Advertisement
What does FCA stand for?
free cars around
friction can advance
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
With Chrysler struggling financially, having been bailed out by the federal government, Fiat made a move for it. The result was the creation of FCA in 2009, a company that today is doing quite well financially.
frizzle car acrobatics
Advertisement
What does BMW stand for?
Bayerische Motoren Werke
You probably don't understand the proper German name, but it translates into Bavarian Motor Works. BMW got its start in the German state of Bavaria, which is why the place is referenced in its name.
Barry's Motor Workshop
Butane Mutilation Wagons
Bentley Must Work
Advertisement
What does the Dodge acronym SRT stand for?
Street Racing Technology
Today, the SRT name is applied to the most performance-oriented Dodges in the lineup. For a short time, FCA tried creating a separate brand named SRT, with only the Viper in the lineup, before changing that strategy.
Some Real Turbo
Sometimes Really Transient
Sport Race Tranny
Advertisement
If someone's talking about buying a 'Stang, what are they referring to?
Stingray
an oil stain on their shirt
a shop rag
Mustang
The Ford Mustang has been an automotive icon since it was launched in 1964. People around the world flock to this symbol of American muscle, and many affectionately call the car a 'Stang for short.
Advertisement
You Got:
/35
shutterstock