Are you smarter than a Jeopardy contestant?
Jeopardy might be the show for know-it-alls, but if you’re a gearhead watching you might be appalled at how little some of the contestants know about cars. As a fun way to test your vehicle knowledge compared to contestants on the game show, try to see if you can guess the answer to some of the clues given on the show throughout the years.
A Plymouth named for this Warner Bros. cartoon character even had the horn sound to match.
Question: What is the Road Runner?
photo credit: Stellantis
We don’t expect any muscle car enthusiast would get this answer wrong, even if they’re big Ford or GM fans. The Plymouth Road Runner was such a unique vehicle with real Looney Tunes graphics and a horn which sounded like the cartoon bird which was its namesake, making it even more memorable and unique. The fact Plymouth offered the Road Runner in a stripped-down form meant it was affordable for the masses, making it a hero of everyday Joes.
This South Bend, Indiana automaker was once the world’s largest producer of horse-drawn carriages.
Question: What is Studebaker?
photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Many of the early automakers started out producing other kinds of items, ranging from bicycles to sewing machines. Studebaker, which was started by brothers Henry and Clement Studebaker back in 1852, made a name for itself by crafting fine horse-drawn carriages for customers. Once it started making cars it was a force to be reckoned with, but like so many other great car brands it almost didn’t survive the ravages of woeful economic policies during the Great Depression.
85% of the cars sold in the US in 1968 had this type of large engine.
Question: What is a V8?
photo credit: Chevrolet
Most enthusiasts know that back in 1968 as the horsepower wars were raging among American automakers, V8 engines were shoved into just about everything. Known for being durable and generating smooth power delivery, V8s also provide plenty of torque, making them ideal for activities like towing a trailer. What you might not realize about the V8 was that it was invented by a Frenchman named Leon Levavassuer.
When it was introduced in 1953, this car model’s emblem had a checkered flag and a red flag with a fleur-de-lis.
Question: What is the Corvette?
image credit: Chevrolet
Another one we would expect any enthusiast to nail, the Corvetteis such an influential car that everyone should immediately recognize the description of its iconic badge. While the shape and some of the details of those crossed flags have changed over time, both the checkered flag and fleur-de-lis have remained a constant, including on the C8.
What BMW stands for.
Question: What is Bavarian Motor Works?
image credit: BMW
In German, the automaker’s name is Bayerische Motoren Werke, but most people just call the brand BMW and the cars Bimmers. Known for being luxurious and performance-oriented, BMW has become one of the premier vehicle brands in the world. However, it wasn’t anything like that back when the company was launched in 1917.
We salute you if you know that this was the name of Bo and Luke’s car on The Dukes of Hazzard.
Question: What is General Lee?
photo credit: Warner Bros.
This is another one we fully expect everyone to get. After all, few movie/television cars have been as influential as the orange Dodge Charger with the Stars and Bars on the roof. Considered by some controversial today, for many gearheads the General Lee holds a special place in their heart, whether they fantasized about jumping during a long day at work, played with the diecast cars while watching the show as a kid, or have watched the re-runs which came out long before they were born.
This toy company builds more cars than Ford, GM, and Chrysler combined.
Question: What is Mattel?
photo credit: Mattel
While the clue is a little dated (it was used back in 1984) since Chrysler is now part of the multinational giant automaker Stellantis, Mattel is a dominant force in the manufacturing of toy cars. Not only does the company own Hot Wheels, as pretty much everyone knows, not everyone caught on that back in 1997 it also purchased Matchbox to become even more dominant in the marketplace. Making the little diecast cars is quicker, easier, and cheaper than assembling the full-size vehicles we ride in, so Mattel produces more volume than many automakers.
Keyword: Can You Nail These Jeopardy Car Clues?