hi TABCers,
several times i have found the expression "berlinetta" or "berlina" with cars -- even once with an MG. can anybody tell me what that means, where it comes from (for sure nothing to do with the city berlin)?
cheers
walter
Re: berlinetta
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Walter Prechsl
- Posts: 111
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:28 am
- Location: Obersulm nr. Stuttgart, Germany
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David P Norris
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 1999 1:40 am
Re: berlinetta
Hi Walter,
I believe it means coupe. It's a European expression, certainly not used in the UK. Maybe Italy?
By the way, I checked my dictionary and here is the entry for the word berlin: "a four-wheeled two-seated covered carriage, popular in the 18th Century (after the city of Berlin)"
So I guess berlina/berlinetta is related to the city of Berlin after all - you learn something every day!
Dave
I believe it means coupe. It's a European expression, certainly not used in the UK. Maybe Italy?
By the way, I checked my dictionary and here is the entry for the word berlin: "a four-wheeled two-seated covered carriage, popular in the 18th Century (after the city of Berlin)"
So I guess berlina/berlinetta is related to the city of Berlin after all - you learn something every day!
Dave
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PMS GB Ltd
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Wed Nov 24, 1999 3:50 pm
Re: berlinetta
The "Berlin" was a light 4 wheeled horsedrawn carriage of the 19th and early 20th century. It comprised little more than a drivers seat and a small rear seat entered from the rear (the "tonneaue" enterance in fact. - no hood or upper carriage work - and no doors.
The term came to be associated with lightweight open cars as the Berlin style - and later in italy as the Berlinetta, or Little Berlin style.
A similar usage is of Barchetta for an open sports cat body - literally (to an Italian I believe) a little boat.
Both came to be somewhat charasmatic descriptions, and are usually associated with a car with some greater or lesser sporting capabilities.
Regards
Clive
The term came to be associated with lightweight open cars as the Berlin style - and later in italy as the Berlinetta, or Little Berlin style.
A similar usage is of Barchetta for an open sports cat body - literally (to an Italian I believe) a little boat.
Both came to be somewhat charasmatic descriptions, and are usually associated with a car with some greater or lesser sporting capabilities.
Regards
Clive
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Nicola Parolin
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Dec 02, 1999 4:45 pm
Re: berlinetta
news from the only italian member.
yes "berlina" and "berlinetta" is an italian word.
"berlina": it means generally a 4 doors car, as a modern 'Lancia K' or a 'Rover P6' for example, the term is used nowsdays.
"berlinetta": it was a term used mostly in the '50 and refers generally to the 2 doors cars. not properly for the coupe types. nowdays the term is no longher used for new cars, and usually it refers to old historic cars.
in the MG world, for example the 'arnolt TD' could be called 'berlinetta' with no doubt.
I hope to have been clear
Nicola Parolin
TC/8871
B ghn3L 5183
J 2224
yes "berlina" and "berlinetta" is an italian word.
"berlina": it means generally a 4 doors car, as a modern 'Lancia K' or a 'Rover P6' for example, the term is used nowsdays.
"berlinetta": it was a term used mostly in the '50 and refers generally to the 2 doors cars. not properly for the coupe types. nowdays the term is no longher used for new cars, and usually it refers to old historic cars.
in the MG world, for example the 'arnolt TD' could be called 'berlinetta' with no doubt.
I hope to have been clear
Nicola Parolin
TC/8871
B ghn3L 5183
J 2224