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Re: Mustang...Spitfire???

To: "Andrew R. Lindberg" <andylindberg@earthlink.net>, <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Mustang...Spitfire???
From: "Dave Terrick" <dterrick@pangea.ca>
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 20:29:48 -0600charset="iso-8859-1"
Hi Andy,

Is that not what "GT" stands for - - - Grand Touring?  This term dates to
early European cars, likely first the Mercedes of about 1920' or so.  If I
recall my Automobile Quarterly issue correctly,  "Grand Tourers" were
luxurious conveyances designed to carry two people and their luggage and
spares in "grand style" across the continent.  Back then,  only a very high
end, luxurious, and reliable (?!?) vehicle would fit the description.

A certain E. Ferrari was among the first to use "GT" as a descriptor, as in
250 GT, etc.  His cars were certainly not luxurious in the early days, and
are to this day considered Spartan, even for their time.  Nowadays,  GT has
a performance connotation - perhaps we can blame Mr. Ford and his Mustang
for popularizing this term in American automobile culture.

$0.02(Cdn.  $0.014US)
Dave T
Winnipeg

Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew R. Lindberg <andylindberg@earthlink.net>
To: Laura G. <savercool@msn.com>; Andrew Mace <amace@unix2.nysed.gov>; Joe
Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
Cc: Spitfire List <spitfires@autox.team.net>; Triumph List
<triumphs@autox.team.net>
Date: March 16, 1999 10:07 AM
Subject: Re: Mustang...Spitfire???


>
>I'd like to congragulate whoever started this thread, as the discussion of
>"what is a sportscar" has been the longest running debate in recent memory.
>To think that in the March issue of "Triumphs & Tribulations" I
>editorialized at length about the sad fact that nobody cared about this
>issue anymore.  I stand humbly corrected.
>
>Andy Lindberg
> -- 1970 GT6 (more of a tourer than a true sports car)
> -- 1964 Volvo 122s (a sedan even though the "s" does stand for sport)
>
>


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