Ultimate Easter Anorak Quiz – The Answers

So, to now put you out of your misery, here are the answers to my Easter teasers, most of which I’m sure you answered correctly.

Q1: By what name is the Volvo 120-Series more commonly known?

A: The Volvo Amazon. When first launched in 1956, this Chrysler 300C-inspired Volvo was marketed as the Amazon in its native Sweden, later becoming the 120-Series in export markets (121, 122, 123, 221, etc.), where it was often nicknamed Amazon, although the car was never officially branded as such.

Q2: Which car manufacturer has used the acronyms ACT-4 and VTD for its all-wheel-drive systems?

A: Subaru. ACT-4 stood for Active Torque Split, with the power delivery having a 60/40 bias towards the front axle, with the rear wheels engaging if the fronts began to spin. VTD stood for Variable Torque Distribution, as used on Subaru’s more powerful turbo-charged models, with a front to rear grip bias of 45/55.

Q3: Which one of the following cars is the odd one out, and why? Gordon Keeble GK1, Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina, Vauxhall Zafira, Reliant Kitten, Alpine-Renault A310

A: The Reliant Kitten is the odd one out as all of the other cars listed have ‘clap hands’ windscreen wiper systems.

Q4: Name at least one car (make and model) with a front-wheel-drive and transverse engine mechanical layout that pre-dates the influential 1959 BMC Mini.

A: There are a few choices here, with transverse-engined front-wheel-drive production models including the British (not to be confused with the German) Lloyd 650 of 1946 and the 1955 Suzulight by Suzuki. The 1946 Ursaab (also known as the Saab 92001) and 1953 Alfa Romeo 33 prototypes also pre-dated the BMC Mini’s advanced mechanical configuration.

Q5: What do a 1955 Dodge La Femme, 2003 Skoda Superb and Goodwood-built 2015 Rolls-Royce Phantom have in common?

A: All three cars included an umbrella as part of the standard specification.

Q6: Buba, Fusca, Kever. What car do we know these as in the English-speaking world?

A: The Beetle, built by Volkswagen. In its early years the VW was officially called the 1200, but the Beetle name quickly stuck (including its foreign language equivalents; Käfer in German, Coccinelle in French, Buba in Croatian, Fusca in Portuguese, Kever in Dutch, and so on).

Q7: What component connects the Ferrari 360, Matra Rancho, Noble M600, Alfa Romeo 8C Coupe and Morgan Aero 8 Coupe, and from which car does the component originate?

A: The side repeater indicators/flashers, usually mounted on both front wings, are the same units for each of these cars (plus many others), and originates from the 1977 Peugeot 305 (and later 505).

Q8: What is the specific name of BMW’s first front-wheel-drive production model?

A: The BMW 2-Series Active Tourer, first introduced in 2014, making BMW one of the very last volume car makers to adopt front-wheel-drive, decades after most other manufacturers.

Q9: What other car shared its basic body structure/body shell with the De Tomaso Longchamp?

A: The 1976-83 Maserati Kyalami, the 2+2 coupe styled by Pietro Frua under De Tomaso’s ownership to make the V8-powered Kyalami look more like a Maserati, and less like the Ghia-designed 1972-89 De Tomaso Longchamp.

Q10: What make and model name was the Aro 10 sold as in the UK?

A: The Dacia Duster. This square-cut 4x4 was loosely based around Renault 12 underpinnings, and pre-dated today’s popular Dacia Duster by almost 30 years.

Volvo image courtesy of AutoPhoto, licensed under CC BY 3.0 Suzuki image courtesy of 'Mytho88' licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0