The Ultimate Car Quiz

By: Robin Tyler
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
The Ultimate Car Quiz
Image: Getty Images via MarkSwallow

About This Quiz

In the short matter of a century and a bit, the motor car has shown itself to be one of the world's greatest inventions. Karl Benz could not have known that his Benz Patent Autowagen would lead to vehicle transport as we know it today. Not just cars but pickups, SUVs, crossover vehicles, trucks and much, much more. Each and every one of them has their unique place in our daily lives, be it taking us from point A to point B, transporting goods across the country or even providing a little bit of recreational fun. 

We truly would be lost without them, wouldn't we? And they are complex beasts! That's for sure. Even those early vehicles! Even though they are nothing like today's vehicles, they were fairly complex in their own way. And today, modern cars have extremely complex engines which are all powered by computers to ensure they run as efficiently as possible, each and every time they are started.

So now the question is... can you complete ultimate car quiz? It is filled with questions about cars, the men and companies that made them. It also has a few questions about their inner workings! Think you can ace this? Let's see, shall we!


True or false? One of the first hybrid cars, a combination of electric and gasoline power, was designed in 1906.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Incredibly, this is true. And the man behind it? Ferdinand Porsche. The vehicle was called the Lohner-Porsche. The final version had an electric motor in each wheel with a gasoline-powered​ generator used to charge them. Amazing.

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Name the American Formula One racing team that entered the sport for the first time in 2016.
Ferrari
Haas
Force India
Red Bull
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Formed by Gene Haas in 2015. Haas F1 made their appearance for the first time in the sport of Formula 1 in 2016. They are the first American team to enter the sport since 1986. To date, they have yet to win a Grand Prix.

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Name the part of the car that helps get the power from the engine to the wheels to turn them?
Driveshaft
Tailpipe
Muffler
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sometimes called a propellor shaft, the drive shaft rotates thanks to the power produced by the engine. It is connected to the back or front wheels and this rotation helps to turn them, pushing the vehicle forward.

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The classic TV show, "The Saint," starred soon-to-be James Bond actor, Roger Moore. Which vehicle did his character drive?
Volvo P1800
Morris Minor
Ford Model T
Benz Patent Autowagen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although the P1800 came out as a sports car in a two-door coupe style, strangely, a 3-door sports estate was also released. More than 39,000 coupes were built. This vehicle quickly became popular, largely thanks to appearing in the TV series, "The Saint."

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Name the Alfa Romeo mechanic who started the ​Italian sports car manufacturer, Ferrari.
William Ferrari
Petra Ferrari
Piero Ferrari
Enzo Ferarri
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Enzo Ferrari started the Ferrari company in 1947. Not only did they build sports cars, but Enzo understood that by racing in the Formula One series, he could market his cars. Over the years, Ferrari has been one of the sports' most successful teams.

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The Ford Mustang is a true American classic. But it was almost called something else. Pick the right answer below.
Allegro
Ka
Corvette
Teardrop
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Luckily they stuck with Mustang, right. Other names that Ford considered included Cougar, Avventura and Torino. Cougar was eventually used on a Mercury model while Ford used Torino a few years later.

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The Model T is Ford's best selling model. Just how many were manufactured?
1 million
200,000
3 million
15 million
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

That's right. From 1907 to 1928, 15 million Model Ts were made. And the interesting thing is that as Ford began to manufacture them faster, thanks to production lines, the price of the vehicle went down significantly.

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A racing series similar to Formula One but with electric powered cars first made an appearance in 2014. Can you name it?
Electric racing
Formula E
E Racing series
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Introduced in 2014, Formula E sees teams racing cars with electric motors. As these motors don't last the length of the race, a car change happens during the event. Formula E is the brainchild of Alejandro Agag and features many ex-Formula 1 drivers.

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What vehicle manufacturer do you associate with Ransom E Olds?
Ford
Buick
Oldsmobile
Chevrolet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the earliest auto manufactures in the United States, Ransom E. Olds started the Olds Motor Company 1897. After producing more than​ 35 million vehicles, the company was closed in 2004.

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Chevy chose to give their second generation Corvette a second name related to the sea. What is it?
Barracuda
Turtle
Stingray
Shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most famous brands of the Corvette is the Mk II Stingray, produced between 1963 and 1967. This classic had either a 2-speed automatic gearbox or 3-speed manual with a range of engine options, including small and big block V8s.

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Which of these is considered to be the first real muscle car, although it wasn't really known at the time.
Chrysler 300
Ford Model T
Opel Kadett
Dodge La Femme
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many muscle car aficionados call the Chrysler 300 the first muscle car. No matter if you agree or not, the 300, introduced in 1955 and produced until 1965 certainly had the cool factor and the big V8 engine to match.

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When Ford produced its 300 millionth car, what model did they choose to make it?
Transit
Mustang
Everest
Model T
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It had to be a Mustang, right! While the Model T it simply is the most iconic Ford ever built, the 300 millionth car was a Mustang GT convertible. It too was celebrating 40 years of the Mustang brand.

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2017 saw Italian sports car maker Ferrari celebrate its ________ anniversary.
10th
70th
35th
20th
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Enzo Ferrari worked as a mechanic for Alfa Romeo before starting his own business in 1947. Interestingly, the first Ferrari model was built in 1940 but the company only formed seven years later. Today, it is recognized as one of the top brands in the world and not just in the field of motoring.

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The movie, "Iron Man", released in 2008, saw Tony Stark drive which make of car?
Audi R8
Mini Clubman
Ford Ka
Volkswagen Beetle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This mid-engined two-seat sports car was first marketed by Audi in 2006. It is available as a coupe and convertible and uses Audi's all-wheel-drive system. This, along with a 5.2-liter FSI V10 engine give the R8 plenty of oomph!

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Which important car accessory did Mary Anderson invent in 1903?
Windscreen wipers
Hubcaps
Pneumatic valve
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A real estate developer, Mary Anderson was also an inventor. In 1903, she devised a window cleaning system called the windscreen wiper. Of course, in those days they were not automatic but were operated from inside the car.

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Name the part of the car's engine that moves within the cylinder?
Exhaust manifold
Oil sump
Piston
Spark plug
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Combustion in the engine causes the pistons to move. This, in turn, moves the crankshaft which turns the driveshaft and moves the car forward or backward​, depending on the gear selected.

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Of the options below, which is a Russian pickup truck that can carry around 350 kilograms?
AutoVaz VAZ-2329
Holden Belmont
Ford F150
Dodge Power Wagon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This four-wheel drive pickup truck is made by the Russian auto manufacturer, VAZ. It was first introduced in 2000 and can carry up to 350 kilograms which frankly, is not that impressive.

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Can you name the Australian car brand affiliated with General Motors?
Holden
Morgan
Austin
MG
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Holden was originally founded in 1856 as a saddle manufacturer. In the 1950s, Holden began to import vehicles from General Motors but made its own models as well. Now, the company only imports General Motors products which are then rebadged.

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Do you know the name of the off-road vehicle based on the Humvee used by American armed forces?
Ford Bronco
GMC Sierra
Hummer H1
Chevrolet Colorado
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A civilian version of the Humvee military vehicle, the Hummer H1 would then obviously be more than capable as an off-roader. And it is but with limitations. In fact, some H1 owners went as far as changing out the standard 6.5-liter​ diesel engine and replacing it with something to provide more speed. Another disadvantage is that the H1 is a massive vehicle. You need a large open off-road track for this behemoth.

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Every car has a radiator. What does it do?
Holds gas
Stores lubricant for the car's engine
It is the reservoir that holds coolant
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This reservoir holds coolant which is used to keep the engine cool during operation. It also helps to regulate the coolant to the right temperature before passing it back into the system.

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Essentially a rebadged Ford F-150 with some upmarket features added, can you identify the pickup that was pulled after just one year?
Lincoln Blackwood
GMC Sierra
Chevrolet Colorado
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An uptrimmed version of the Ford F-150, the Blackwood was Lincoln's answer to the pickup market. It sold only ​in America in 2002 due to a poor reception from the public.

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Which name below, would you associate with the early years at Chevrolet?
Henry Ford
Ransom E. Olds
Henry M. Leland
William C. Durant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

William C. Durant was well versed when it came to auto manufacturing when he started Chevrolet with Luis Chevrolet in 1911. In fact, he had previously been involved with both Buick and General Motors.

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Do you know the first car to make use of gullwing doors?
Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Aston Martin DB 5
Ford Zephyr
Chevrolet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A true classic from the '50s, the 300 SL started life as a racing car in 1952 but soon became a production car in 1954 as a two-door coupe. The 300 SL became instantly recognizable​ thanks to its gullwing doors. Just over 3,200 of the coupe and roadster were built up until 1963. These vehicles are snapped up at auction whenever they are available, including one in 2012 for $4.620 million.

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Of these below, which is NOT a muscle car?
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Ford Mustang
Pontiac GTO
Dodge Raider
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This 3-door SUV was produced between 1987 and 1990 and was the same vehicle as the Mitsubishi Montero. Although it was relatively successful in terms of sales, Dodge dropped the Raider in 1990 with no other model stepping up to replace it.

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Ford introduced a Model T pickup in 1925. What was its name?
Runabout
Ute
Pickalot
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1925, Ford introduced the Runabout. Essentially, this was a Model T with a steel bed on the back as well as an adjustable tailgate. To compensate for a heavier load, Ford used heavy duty springs on the rear of the car.

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What part on a car with automatic transmission moves lubricant around the gearbox?
Radiator
Automatic Transmission Pump
Fuel pump
Oil sump
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Often considered to be the heart of the transmission system, this pump moves hydraulic fluid through the gearing system to ensure it operates efficiently. If the system is leaking hydraulic fluid, it can fail, grinding all the gears to a halt.

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Which company introduced the first hybrid pickup in 2004?
Fiat
Chevrolet
Holden
AutoVaz
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Silverado and the GMC Sierra share exactly the same mechanical build and configuration. In fact, when General Motors released a Silverado Hybrid in 2004, they marketed a hybrid Sierra at the same time.

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The first plug-in all-electric vehicle ever designed was which of these listed below?
Nissan Altra
Chevrolet Volt
Ford F150
Buick Skylark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Produced between 1998 and 2002, the Nissan Altra was based on the R'nessa, another model made by the company. Only around 200 were ever made. They had a range of about 200 kilometers before needing a recharge.

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Which of these help to heat a diesel engine to ensure a proper start.
Heater
Glow plug
Crankshaft
Cylinder head
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Glow plugs are only found in diesel engines. They form part of the starting process and heat up to ensure first time ignition. This ensures the engine is running correctly at startup. If it is not hot enough, it does not burn the diesel effectively.

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In what year was the first speedometer introduced on a car?
1901
1945
1933
1970
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first speedometers were invented in 1888 and fitted to steam locomotives. The first car to have a speedometer was one made by Oldsmobile in 1901. And from that point on, drivers could never say they didn't know how fast they were going ever again!

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Rear-view mirrors first became a car accesory in what year?
1934
1955
1870
1912
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rear-view mirrors began to be fitted to cars in 1912, with Marmon the first auto manufacturer to use them. Ray Harroun, riding a Marmon Wasp, won the first-ever​ Indy 500. He used a rear-view mirror for the first time at that race.

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Name the car that ended Ferrari domination at the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1966?
Ford GT40
Aston Martin DB5
Chevrolet Corvette
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first generation of the GT40 won the prestigious Le Mans 24-hour endurance race for four straight years, from 1966 to 1969, which included filling out the top three positions in 1966. Only 105 were produced.

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A car comes to a stop through one of these below. Can you pick the right answer?
Brake shoe
Wheel hub
Driveshaft
Tailpipe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This part of the braking system is important in the fact that it carries the brake lining. When the brakes are applied the shoe moves, which then presses the lining to the brake drum, slowing down the car.

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Of these below, which helps keep a comfortable temperature in a car?
Climate control system
Heater
ECM system
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Climate control systems didn’t exist in years gone by but nowadays, most cars have them. Essentially, this system lets the driver adjust the ambient temperature within the cabin. It can be turned up for heat or down for cool air.

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Major parts of the engine are found here, including the piston, crankshaft and cylinders. What are we talking about?
Climate control system
Exhaust system
Engine block
Engine mounting
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The engine block is the lower section of the engine. It is cast out of metal. Here you will find important parts of any engine, including the crankshaft, pistons and cylinders.

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You Got:
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Getty Images via MarkSwallow