"F-car" -- stupid question

Anyone know the etymology of the term "F-car"?

Wondering how/why it came about. Two initial hypotheses:

1. So as not to say "Ferrari" in public and getting unwanted reactions. Think of the opposite of the "H-bomb" (Harvard) around Boston...

2. Because, as a two syllable word, F-car rolls off the tongue more easily or faster than the three syllable "Ferrari"

I know, silly question. Any other hypotheses out there?

Cheers!
Kubes

 

I'm pretty sure it's #1

 

#1, keeping it on the DL.

 

It started with P-cars to denote Porsches, and then spread, unfortunately.

 

I adore it what the shortened version takes longer to say than the original.

Example:

Volkswagen: 3 syllables.

VW: 4 syllables.

 

Vee-dub: 2 syllables
Pee-bug: longer than porch

 

To the original poster: pretty sure it's #1

 

The real reason: because humans are inherently lazy.

 

I don't think I have ever said "F-car". I will type it occasionally... I always considered it short hand.

 

I worked at GM many years ago. F body cars were Firebirds & Cameros. We always referred to cars by their body codes. To this day, I automatically think "F car" whenever I see a Firebird or Camero. I still cringe when I hear a Ferrari called an F car, but I'm getting over it.

 

3. Just to annoy the rest of us.

 

4. all of the above?

 

Maybe I don't get around enough, but I can't recall ever hearing someone refer to a Ferrari (or a Fiat) as an "F-Car". Sounds lame to me.

 

5. To appear so cool you don't even need to say the word Ferrari.


rolls-eyes

 

I'm on the super down low. I call mine the car or sometimes the convertible.

 

When I call it a 328, people think I'm talking about a BMW.

I'd call it "the Italian", but that covers the Alfa, too.

But when you say "Ferrari", people assume that you're rich, because they've convinced themselves that all Ferraris cost (pinky in mouth), a million dollars.

The funny part is that they don't want to hear about the 308GT4 they could have gotten for the price of that Nissan.
When you try to tell them that, they talk about the "insane" service costs.

It's apparently easier for people to tell themselves that Ferraris are out of reach of "real people" than to tell themselves that they are settling for something else.

Somehow, people aren't satisfied with the idea that they don't have "X", simply because there's other things they want more.
Instead, what they don't have is "unobtainable".
Which just makes them annoyed when *you* have one.

People are weird.

 

I call it "Daddy's red car" so my child doesn't go around pre-school saying "Daddy's Ferrari", but it hasn't worked...it has come out as "your Ferrari" on a few occassions now. Game over.

 

This explanation gets my vote-

TomB

 

As the OP, I guess I'm not cool enough since I never even considered that reason...

That being said, however, this is the one that gets my vote!

 

Better (but opposite):

Bimmer = 2 syllables

BMW = 5 syllables!

 

When I say "F-car", people think I'm swearing.