Re: Sports sedans, Gran Turismos, Piccolo Turismos, etc

[JHertzman@xxxxxxx]

In AD7-411 Henrik H Johansen, re-rebutting bre'r Will Owen's rebuttal of his
prior post, sez:

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but when I went to school (a long time ago) a sedan
was a car with 4 doors and a trunk, sorta kinda like an Alfa 164. You can
hardly say that Sir Alec's little wonder has 4 doors, nor a trunk, a small
luggage compartment in the back, yes. But I do beleive that it depends on
how you define a sedan, how do you define a sedan?"

My dictionary (which shall remain unnamed) sez:
Sedan
1. a portable often covered chair designed to carry one person that is borne
on poles by two men
2a: an enclosed automobile seating four to seven persons including the driver
and having a single compartment and a permanent top
2b: a motorboat having one passenger compartment.

It is perhaps worth noting that in London in 1601 the two sedan cartels, the
Guild of Chairmen and the Guild of Watermen, joined forces to ask Parliament
to "restrain the excessive use of coaches" both because of the pollution, (a
problem which became increasingly offensive in urban areas until the motor
vehicle was developed) and because of the disastrous effect on their economy: 
"Carroaches, coaches, jades and Flanders mares
Doe rob us of our shares, our wares, our fares.
Against the ground we stand and knock our heels
Whilst all our profit runs away on wheeles"

In the USA there have been until recent times four-door and two-door sedans,
except for the Ford Motor Company which instead had Fordors and Tudors, which
greatly offended my anglophile great aunt who felt that none of the Windsors
or Stuarts, let alone the Tudors, would have had anything to do with that
Henry.

As for trunks, for many decades luggage racks were optional and the trunks
were owner-supplied.

Anyhow, the Mini does seat four, have a single compartment and a permanent top
but in modern terminology might be more of a 2+2 coupe or GT- or perhaps
piccolo turismo would be more like it. Either way, it did not antedate either
the Lancia Aurelia or the Alfa Romeo 1900, so the question is moot.

John H.
Raleigh, N.C.

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