Welp, time to hand in my Jalopnik Gold Membership

"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
08/10/2017 at 19:41 • Filed to: None

I was having drinks with some people after work and we were talking about field work and someone was talking about going out in a Deux Chevaux.

I just didn’t get this. “Two horses? The hell?” I was thinking and another, seeing my puzzled look says, “of course you know the Deux Chevaux.” “No?” “It’s a Citroën, like a Beetle.”

... I am a dipshit. I just could not make that connection.

DISCUSSION (11)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Honeybunchesofgoats
08/10/2017 at 19:46

Two horses - steam horses, to be exact. Deux Chevaux Vapeur. Tax horsepower based on steam, which is also why Renault 4CV.

Honeybunchesofgoats > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/10/2017 at 19:54

See, I definitely didn’t know that. Even after I figured out what it was, I thought it was 2 C he v aux.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Honeybunchesofgoats
08/10/2017 at 19:57

Nonsensical tax horsepower schemes based on steam engine geometry were prevalent in Europe, and contributed to the Euro dominance through the 50s and 60s of engines with small bores and long strokes, because not only were they smaller - they were taxed less for a given displacement.

WilliamsSW > Honeybunchesofgoats
08/10/2017 at 20:11

But this counts as a car-related post, so that offsets it. I think.

Chariotoflove > Honeybunchesofgoats
08/10/2017 at 20:16

Well then tear up mine with it, because I would have been clueless too.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/10/2017 at 20:32

Adding to the nonsensical aspect, many if not most cars named after their tax horsepower actually weren’t rated at it. For example the actually 2CV 2CV was the one with the original 375cc engine,which was only produced for the first few years. The vast majority of 2CVs are larger-engined 2CV4 and 2CV6 models, tax rated at 4 and 6 CV respectively. Various Renaults had the same issue, as did many HP-named British cars.

It’s kinda like BMWs magical “displacement” based naming system...