Coupe, Not a Coupe

[G. David Felt]

Found this story on Jalopnik and thought we should have a lively debate on if this is accurate or not.

https://jalopnik.com/screw-you-carmakers-you-dont-get-to-ruin-the-word-co-1827480939

To quote the story:

The word “coupe” comes from the French word “couper,” which means “to cut” because a coupe was a sort of “cut down” version of a car: smaller, leaner, lighter, sportier, shorter, and, significantly, less doors. As in two where the non-coupe version of the car would have had four.

Do you go with the change in definition of what a Coupe is or do you still agree that this is a true coupe?

[Drew Dowdell]

I disagree that the greenhouse has to be smaller than the sedan, I disagree that the rear seat has to be small. Even the roofline bit, while not wrong, is not a rule....

but I agree with most other things. 

A Coupe Deville was anything but sporty... but it was, somehow, marginally sportier than the Sedan Deville. 

[ccap41]

Jalopnik is the tabloids of the automotive world. TRASH.

[Drew Dowdell]

9 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Jalopnik is the tabloids of the automotive world. TRASH.

But in this case, are they wrong about what they're complaining about?

[balthazar]

Yep; they're wrong!

Nothing pictured above is a true coupe.

[Robert Hall]

The Volvo P1800 w/ the definition is what would be considered truly a coupe by the old definition. Short roof, small back seat area.   The Coupe de Ville was a 2dr sedan after they stopped building hardtops.  

In some eras, cars had coupe versions at the same time they had other 2dr versions...like the '40s cars--the coupes were 2drs with short roofs, often without a backseat.  The 2dr sedan had a longer roof w/ a backseat.  The '40 Ford or '49 Ford are a good examples. 

As far as modern '4dr coupes' and coupe SUVs, well, that's marketing...they are expanding the meaning of coupe. 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[ccap41]

16 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

But in this case, are they wrong about what they're complaining about?

3 of their 5 bullet points are opinion based. 

"small" is subjective. What's small to dfelt is very likely not small to me. 

Roofline is "likely" to be sloped.

"generally" sporty.

Plus, did you rear the link? They wrote that article as if they were writing to a friend. Seemed less professional than a high schooler's homework assignment. 

[G. David Felt]

20 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

3 of their 5 bullet points are opinion based. 

"small" is subjective. What's small to dfelt is very likely not small to me. 

Roofline is "likely" to be sloped.

"generally" sporty.

Plus, did you rear the link? They wrote that article as if they were writing to a friend. Seemed less professional than a high schooler's homework assignment. 

So true, but then working in a heavy area of English as a second language, I tend to not bother with the whole grammar / writing style thing.

For me it was the points of what makes a coupe a coupe or not a coupe.

Agree TOTALLY with you that what is small to me, My Trailblazer SS is probably huge to you.  

[ykX]

As much as I hate to admit it, but if you go by definition of the original French word:

"1825–35; < French coupé (in defs 1, 2 short for carrosse coupé “cut-off or shortened coach”), past participleof couper “to cut off,” verbal derivative of coup coup"

Then, even those abomination CUV's with cut roof qualify to be named as a coupe.

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

Agree TOTALLY with you that what is small to me, My Trailblazer SS is probably huge to you.  

Perspective is always relative. Dave is 6'6", I'm 5'8". To me, his 204" Escalade is 'small' ('64 GTO is 203"), when my cars are 213", 217" and my DD is 237".

[G. David Felt]

50 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Perspective is always relative. Dave is 6'6", I'm 5'8". To me, his 204" Escalade is 'small' ('64 GTO is 203"), when my cars are 213", 217" and my DD is 237".

LOL, my friend you must be thinking regular Escalade which is 204", I drive the ESV which is 222"  

I be right there with you on the long length.

Wife drives the TB SS.

Course I grew up driving the Family Station wagon, 1976 Olds 98 which was 232.2" long. So length never mattered to me.  

[balthazar]

Most, if not all, of body designation terms come from other industries, such as architecture, sailing, railroading, etc. Therefore, these terms have no origin, or 'correctness' in automotive usage other than how OEMs have appropriated them. Which has been varied to say the least.

 

Anything less than 205 feels small to me.

[Drew Dowdell]

18 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Most, if not all, of body designation terms come from other industries, such as architecture, sailing, railroading, etc. Therefore, these terms have no origin, or 'correctness' in automotive usage other than how OEMs have appropriated them. Which has been varied to say the least.

 

Anything less than 205 feels small to me.

that's what she said....

[balthazar]

205 mm = 8.1"

[G. David Felt]

7 minutes ago, balthazar said:

205 mm = 8.1"

Latest New England Journal of Medicine studies find the average partner in the US wants 8.5" long.

Guess you do know what a partner wants!

[balthazar]

People say all sorts of things in polls tho, don't they? Look no farther than the '16 Election.

- - - - -

 

Edited July 11, 2018 by balthazar