Can You Name the Makers of These Car Models That Begin With C?

AUTO

By: Ian Fortey

6 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons by Axion23

About This Quiz

Ford's first major production model was called the "Model T" because the company decided to name its cars alphabetically and it took a while to get one right. So there really was a Model A through a Model S before the T came out. The naming scheme wasn't very clever. It would be a few years before cars started getting the cool names, names meant to bring to mind a sense of power and freedom. And as thousands upon thousands of different car models have been produced, the quest to find new names has been pretty weird. Things like the Subaru Brat and the Nissan Friend-Me have proven that there is a limit to the ability to name cars. It's an art! But you'll notice that, in the history of the automobile, there's something to be said for the letter "C."

Is there something special about "C?" There is, actually. It has the versatility of being both soft and hard and even somewhere n the middle when combined with an "H." It allows you to make a lot of names that can sound cool like "Corvette" or "Cruze" and then a little more smooth like the "Cimarron" or the "Celica." If you feel like you know your C cars, take the quiz and show your stuff.

The Corvette has been in production since 1953. Who makes it?

The Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most iconic cars in all of history. It started production in 1953, and in 2019 Chevy produced the C7 Corvette ZR1 with a top speed of 212 miles per hour, making it the fastest Corvette ever made.

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Do you know which company made the C/K?

For over 40 years Chevy produced trucks under the C/K banner before the Silverado took over. The "C" in the name indicated a truck was two-wheel drive while the "K" referred to the ones that were four-wheel drive.

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The Camry isn't made by Lexus but it's made by a related company. Who is it?

The Toyota Camry has been in production since the early 1980s. The Lexus ES is derived from the Camry, as Lexus is actually just the luxury division of Toyota and essentially the same company.

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If you want a Captiva, which company is making it for you?

Chevy's Captiva was a crossover SUV built from 2006 to 2018. There is still an international version of the Captiva in production under a different name, but the Captiva itself is being phased out in favor of the Equinox.

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Which company made the Challenger?

The Dodge Challenger dates back to the 1970 model year, but Dodge produced them in three separate blocks, skipping some years in between. The latest models have been made from 2008 to the present.

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The Chevelle eventually gave way to the Malibu. What company made it?

When the Chevy Malibu first appeared, it was actually the Chevy Chevelle Malibu and the Malibu name just denoted a trim package on the other model. By 1978, the Malibu became its own model and the Chevelle was gone.

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Do you know who makes the Civic?

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular models in the world and dates back to 1972. It's been a favorite of people into motorsports since its introduction and also a favorite of less formal street racing since it's pretty easy to mod out.

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Do you know which company made the Crown Victoria?

The Ford Crown Victoria was a favorite of police forces for a number of years. They were phased out in 2012, however, and nothing really replaced them. The Ford Taurus was basically the nearest option.

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Which of these makes the Corolla, which became the best-selling car in the world in 1997?

The Toyota Corolla's popularity really can't be overstated. By 2016, it had sold 44 million of them, vastly surpassing nearly every other car in history. It was already the best-selling car in the world by 1974.

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Do you know which of these companies made the Cobalt?

The Chevy Cobalt was sold in Canada as the Pontiac Pursuit and also the Pontiac G5. In Mexico, Chevy sold it under the name Pontiac G4. The Pontiac version replaced the Pontiac Sunfire while the Cobalt was a replacement for Chevy's Cavalier.

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North American production of the Cruze ended in 2019. Who made it?

While the Chevy Cruze is still pretty popular on the world stage and is still in production internationally, its North American run ended in 2019. Unlike most cars, there has been no plan to replace the Cruze with another model.

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Which company made the CT6?

Cadillac's CT6 is, of course, a luxury car as most people would expect from a Cadillac, but it really went all out when it came to the sound system. It features a Bose Panaray Surround Sound System which uses 34 speakers.

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The Celica stopped being produced by which of these automakers in 2006?

The Toyota Celica was in production from 1970 to 2006. Word is the name comes from the Latin word "coelica" which means "heavenly." A Celica became the New York Yankees' bullpen car in 1982.

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Do you know which company made the Charger used by those Duke boys on "The Dukes of Hazzard?"

The Dodge Charger is pretty much a classic in automotive history now thanks to "The Dukes of Hazzard" and the show's use of the 1969 model. 1966 was the first model year, but Dodge still makes them today.

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The Cayman was derived from the Boxster. What company made it?

The Porsche Cayman has been in production since 2006, a derivative of the Boxster. The name Cayman comes from caiman which is a small member of the alligator family, though not so small that you'd want to play with it.

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The Colorado replaced the S-10 pickup truck. Do you know who made it?

The Chevy Colorado and the GMC Canyon are basically the same truck, as Chevy and GMC often release models that are nearly identical. In both 2015 and 2016, the Colorado was selected as Motor Trend's Truck of the Year

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Which company produced the Cayenne, its first four-door?

It's hard to believe Porsche has been making cars since 1931 and the Cayenne was its first four-door, but here we are. The Cayenne is an SUV so it makes sense to have some extra doors on it, though. No one wants to crawl into the back past the front seat.

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Do you know which of these created the Camaro to compete with the Ford Mustang?

The Chevy Camaro debuted in 1966 for the 1967 model year. It was Chevy's first entry into the pony car segment and, since its debut, has been constantly pitted head to head versus Ford.

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Which company made the Country Squire, known for its wood-grain side panels?

The Ford Country Squire was a station wagon that was famous for those big, wooden side panels running the length of the car. Back in 1950, they were known as "Woodies" and they were made of actual wood. Old ones are still prized on the demolition derby circuit.

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The Celebrity actually replaced the Malibu for a while. Who made it?

Chevy produced the Celebrity from 1982 until 1990. Although it was more spacious than the Malibu it was also worse on fuel economy. Eventually, Chevy stopped updating the Celebrity to focus exclusively on the Lumina, which replaced it.

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Do you know which company resurrected the Cavalier in China back in 2017?

The Chevy Cavalier was sold in North America from 1982 until 2005. Chevy decided to bring it back for 2017 but only in China. It's worth noting there have been three other cars known as the Cavalier as well; one from Vauxhall, one from AMC and one from Packard.

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What company introduced the Calais and its tailfins back in the '50s?

The Cadillac Calais was meant to be an affordable Cadillac, at least compared to other models, though it was still pricier than the competition. The name comes from both a city in France and also a minor figure in Greek mythology whose father was the god of the north wind.

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The Citation was the first car sold with front-wheel drive by what company?

The compact Chevy Citation was developed to replace the Chevy Nova but only lasted from 1980 to 1985. The Citation was available in several styles including the somewhat rare notchback, which is what happens when the trunk section is noticeably smaller than both the front engine section and the central passenger section.

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In 16 production years, less than 2,000 Countaches were made by what company?

The Lamborghini Countach was a pretty rare and exclusive car for its entire run from 1974 to 1990. By 1985 when the QV model was introduced, the sticker price was nearly $100,000. On top of that, you had two possible options — a $5,500 spoiler and a $7,500 sound system.

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Which company made the Corsica back in 1987?

The Chevy Corsica was produced from 1987 to 1996. It was sold in Canada under the name Pontiac Tempest from 1987 to 1991 as well and replaced the Chevy Citation. It was eventually phased out to bring back the Malibu.

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What company stopped making this Caliber hatchback in 2012?

When the Dodge Caliber was rolled out, it was a replacement for both the Dodge Neon and Chrysler's PT Cruiser. It didn't last all that long itself, though, and was eventually replaced by the Dodge Dart.

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In the '70s, which company built the monstrously large Caprice?

The Chevy Caprice was the most massive land yacht in the Chevy lineup back in the day. The 1976 model was 222.9 inches long. Compare that to a modern Chevy Cruze sedan which is 181 inches long and it was almost 3 1/2 feet longer.

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Which company made the Corvair, the only American-made car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine?

1960 was the first production year for the Chevy Corvair. It was competition for cars like the Volkswagen Beetle back in the day but only existed until 1969. Ralph Nader trashed the car in a documentary film even though testing indicated it was not any more dangerous than most other cars on the road.

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Which company made the rather unattractive Country Buggy?

The Volkswagen Country Buggy was by no means a popular vehicle and less than 2,000 of them were even built. It was built to be useful for both civilian and military, capable of amphibious four-wheel-drive. When it was finally produced it was neither four-wheel-drive nor amphibious, so the military never used it.

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In 2017, the California was replaced by the Portofino. Who made it?

The Ferrari California was produced from 2008 to 2017. When it was introduced, the design was markedly different from previous Ferrari models very much on purpose in an effort to try to attract new Ferrari buyers to the company.

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What company sold the Cube internationally until 2014 and then only in Japan until 2019?

The Nissan Cube took the word "boxy" to new heights as a subcompact SUV that was only available in North America from 2009 to 2014. They were famously recalled in 2010 due to a serious issue with fuel leakage after a rear-end collision.

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Who produced the Cougar under the Mercury name?

One of the biggest muscle cars of the era, the Mercury Cougar went into production by Ford in 1967. It's the top-selling car ever produced under the Mercury name, with nearly 3 million of them out there in the world.

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The Cimarron has been called one of the worst cars ever. Who built it?

People really hated the Cadillac Cimarron. CNN Money described it as a Chevy Cavalier with thousands added to the price tag. Carbuzz referred to it as what happens when you try to rebadge an economy car into a luxury car.

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The Coronet dates back to 1949. Who made it?

The Dodge Coronet definitely qualifies as a classic car, with the first model coming out in 1949. It weirdly spent some time as a muscle car before becoming quite an ungainly station wagon.

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Who introduced the Champion in 1939?

To get a feel for what cars were like back in 1939 when the Studebaker Champion was released compared to today you only need to look at what qualified as a deluxe model back in the day. Deluxe Studebaker Champions came with armrests and dual wipers. Fun!

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1949 was the first year for the Chieftain, made by what company?

The Pontiac Chieftain was in production from 1949 to 1958 and was one of two all-new designs to be made by Pontiac post-WWII. By 1959 it was replaced by the Pontiac Catalina, which had been a trim option on the Chieftain since 1950.

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Production of the Catalina ended in 1981. Who made it?

Pontiac axed the Catalina model back in 1981 to replace it with the Parisienne in the US and the Bonneville elsewhere. The Catalina was a massive land yacht of a car and by the '80s GM was looking to get out of the full-size market.

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Do you know which of these companies made the Colt?

The Dodge Colt was a compact and a subcompact car that was swapped out back in 1994. For a while, there was a car on the market called the Plymouth Cricket that was essentially the same vehicle.

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The Crestline was only in production for 3 years in the '50s. What company made it?

Ford's Crestline only existed from 1952 to 1954. It was replaced with the relatively much more popular Ford Fairlane. You could get it as a hardtop, a convertible and, of course, the ever-popular Woodie.

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The Classic Six was the first car produced by which company?

The Chevy C-Series Classic Six was the very first car Chevy ever produced back in 1913 and 1914. This was actually produced when Louis Chevrolet, the man for whom the company was named, was with the company. He left by 1915, selling his shares to someone else.

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