Cynology: Cars Named After Dogs
Your humble author may have tested the bounds of logic - and his editor’s patience - with this particular series of posts, so the science lessons will wrap up after today. Still, it has been a great journey through automotive history and we hope you (gasp!) might have even learned something along the way.
For our finale? Man’s best friend. Perhaps strangely, given a carmaker’s predilection for trying to imbue its new vehicle with a n appropriately stern yet approachable name, the canine family is relatively underrepresented when compared to some of the other species at which this group of posts has looked over the last week or so. That’s why we’ll extend the criteria to trim levels and concept cars. Fetch!
[Images: JoshBryan/Shutterstock.com, Sue Thatcher/Shutterstock.com, Jarretera/Shutterstock.com, dimcars/Shutterstock.com, jimmonkphotography/Shutterstock.com]
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Hillman Husky
Starting with a model from the pages of history across the pond, the Hillman Husky appeared in the mid-’50s as Britain was still trying to claw its way back to some semblance of normalcy after winning the war. Remember, the post-war euphoria and baby boom experienced in America didn’t really happen over there on the front lines.
Hillman Husky
Anyway, the Husky started life as an estate (wagon) version of a simple panel van, with a three-door arrangement and commodious interior for its small footprint. This made it popular with everyone from grocers to gardeners and other small businesses who needed to move their stuff. And whether the Husky was named for the dog breed or its ability to carry lots of items is up for debate; we favor the former, obviously.
Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer
Yes, this one counts - though it is why we included the notation above about trim levels. Technically, the entire nomenclature of the model was the Ferrari 365GT4BB when it showed up in 1973, growing to the 512BB a couple of years later. That final consonant in that ‘BB’ suffix stood for Boxer, a reference to the horizontally-opposed flat-twelve engine slung low in the chassis.
Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer
And while the term obstinately refers to the pistons moving in a direction which recalls two boxers trading blows, the boxer breed of dog is too handsome to ignore, even if pedants will rightly call us out that the term shows up here as a reference to the engine and not the canine. Good job we’re the ones writing this article.
Aston Martin Bulldog
Why the trio of Detroit automakers never cottoned to this name for one of their burly pickup trucks will forever remain a mystery. Patent and copyright issues, perhaps? Though that never really stopped them in the past. Nevertheless, the Aston Martin Bulldog was a one-off supercar built just as the calendar was flipping into 1980.
Aston Martin Bulldog
Packing all the wedge style of the era plus gullwing doors, it packed a twin-turbo 5.3L V8 engine and was sold by Aston in 1984 to a collector, eventually passing through several hands before resurfacing in 2020 and undergoing a full restoration. Interestingly, its headlamps (five of them!) are center mounted and hidden behind a retractable panel.
