Wilsons Sandbox

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

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

>>> "Walter Prechsl" 20/02/00 11:31:25 >>>

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


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Message text written by "Walter Prechsl"

>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)?<

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

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


nip@mrimooresrowland.mc



-----Original Message-----
From: Walter Prechsl [SMTP:pre@publi-consult.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2000 12:31 PM
To: mg-tabc
Subject: [mg-tabc] berlinetta

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


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