Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter
03/09/2023 2:43 pm
W.O.Bentley's personal 1930 Speed Six Coupe was built by coachbuilders Gurney Nutting and powered by the Le Mans race version of their 180 bhp inline six. Called the "Blue Train", it may or may not be the Bentley Speed Six that won the £200 bet that it could beat the French high speed "blue Train' from Cannes to Calais. Woolf Bonaro was a Kimberley diamond mines heir that had bailed out Bentley years before and then ascended to the chairmanship of Bentley Motors. At the time he had access to the Gurney Nutting Coupe as well as a similarly equipped 4 door Mulliner Saloon and although the coupe was given credit and immortalized by a famous painting of the race, the reality of the event is still up for debate. Whichever car won, it actually went on to London, parked in front of the Conservative Club and 4 minutes later the Blue Train reached Calais. I absolutely adore Minichamps' model of this stunning automobile.
03/09/2023 3:01 pm
Wonderfully realistic in your photographs: It is so nice to see your superb model whilst thinking of this immortal story.
David Green and John Kuvakas reacted
03/09/2023 3:04 pm
It's an intimidating, brutish design theme that continues with the brand to this day. This is a very impressive car, especially for that era. Great pics! I don't understand how that trunk opens...is it hinged with tape, or does it simply lift off?
Charles Rockett and John Kuvakas reacted
03/09/2023 3:41 pm
@chris Given this example of a trunk you can obviously see where the name "trunk" came from. I would like to know how it came to be called a "boot."
John Kuvakas reacted
03/09/2023 3:54 pm
From a chat bot
-
Historical Origins: The term "boot" has been used in British English since the early 19th century to describe a compartment or container for storing items. It was commonly used to refer to a storage compartment at the back of a horse-drawn carriage.
-
British Automotive Terminology: The usage of "boot" for the storage area of a car was extended to automobiles when they became prevalent in the early 20th century. Since then, it has become the standard term in the UK. For example, a British person would say, "I put my luggage in the boot of the car."
-
American Usage: In American English, the term "trunk" is used to describe the storage compartment, which likely derived from the French word "tronc." It was originally used to refer to a large box or chest used for travel, and the term carried over to automobiles.
-
British vs. American Influences: The linguistic differences can be attributed to the historical and cultural influences on each country's English language. British English has been shaped by the UK's close proximity to other European languages, while American English has been influenced by various immigrant groups and the development of its own distinct vocabulary.
-
International Variation: It's worth noting that the usage of "boot" and "trunk" is not limited to just the UK and the US. Other English-speaking countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, also use "boot" to refer to the vehicle storage compartment, aligning with British English usage.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
03/09/2023 5:52 pm
...I'm surprised there's no mention of the word, "boot," as it refers to American convertibles. I think most of know that in England a "boot & bonnet," translates to "trunk & hood" in the US but I don't know, however, the origin of "boot" and how it came to mean the cover (hard or soft ) for a convertible top in the down position.
Jack Dodds reacted
03/09/2023 6:07 pm
This is a fantastic Minichamps model of one of my favourite cars. Thanks Rich for the great post am JK for the ethnic variations in the names of our storage compartments.
Chris, not sure about the Bentley but in the case of my grandfather’s mid-1930s Rolls Royce, the boot top came off. It was held at the back by two large clips on the lid that slotted into the boot back.
03/09/2023 7:13 pm
@david-green That makes sense, thanks David.
John Kuvakas and David Green reacted
03/09/2023 7:49 pm
Guys I'm afraid I despair of some of this on-line drivel one gets these days. Firstly, the boot of a French car is a coffre -
like a treasure chest. The English word boot comes from booty - treasure - and horse-drawn carriages had compartments under the footmen's seats to contain valuables that they guarded. This carried-over into car use. Trunks in the 1920s and '30s were actually detachable and could be carried into the house for unpacking, just like a trunk. Interestingly, if we look at mid-'30s Horch, just as an example, the trunks are made of metal and are designed as an integral part of the car's design but are also, completely detachable.
Lastly, the French word tronc, refers to the trunk of a tree or a body
04/09/2023 12:00 am
That model must = $$$$ !
Steve
Topic starter
05/09/2023 10:23 am
@100ford2003 The model was quite reasonable in cost. I don't know where it's at on the secondary market. It was released during Minichamps' onslaught of curbside resins so an actual diecast with operating features was quite a surprise. Perhaps it was in development for a long time.
John Kuvakas and Christopher Moroni reacted
05/09/2023 10:57 pm
@100ford2003 The model was quite reasonable in cost. I don't know where it's at on the secondary market. It was released during Minichamps' onslaught of curbside resins so an actual diecast with operating features was quite a surprise. Perhaps it was in development for a long time.
I think I saw it just recently in the $300 to $400 range.
Steve
Topic starter
06/09/2023 7:59 am
@100ford2003 I'm pretty sure it was under $200 when it first came out.
Steve Jacobs reacted
Page 1 / 2
Next