CAR TYPES
The names for some types of cars are different to those used in Germany; some are
South African and some are American. We have compiled some images and descriptions;
click on the "view" links to see the details.
DESCRIPTIONS AND IMAGES
•A bakkie
A Bakkie - called a pick-up in Germany, this car has
2 to 3 seats in the front and a loading space in the back. Bakkies are often
used for driving under poor road conditions and can be supplied as 2 or 4 wheel
drive vehicles.
The loading space can be enclosed by a plastic molded cover called a canopy. |
•A double cab
A Double cab - also known as a pick-up in Germany, this car has
seats like a normal sedan and a loading space in the back. Often used where road
conditions are poor, double cabs are also available in two or four wheel drive
versions.
The loading space can be enclosed by a plastic molded cover called a canopy. |
•A mini-bus or taxi
A mini-bus or taxi - a mass transport vehicle; known as a Minibus or VW-bus in Germany.
Used in the South African taxi-industry, these vehicles are not popular with private motorists as they are often stolen or hijacked. |
•A 4X4 or SUV
A 4X4 or SUV - a "Geländewagen" in German. The numbers refer to the number of wheels
to which power is suppplied by the engine; a 4X4 is a four wheel drive. SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehcile.
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•A sedan
A sedan - a standard four door, mid-sized family vehicle with a seperate boot.
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•A hatchback
A hatchback - similar to a sedan except the boot is not seperate to the rest of the car. The car
has four passenger doors and a hatch leading to the boot; sometimes called a "5 door" car. A very popular car shape.
Referred to as a "Fließheck" in German.
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•A station wagon
A station wagon - called a Kombiwagen or Kombi-Limousine in Germany. This is a large family car
which typically has three rows of seats and boot space.
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•A convertible, sportscar or cabriolet
A convertible, sportscar or cabriolet - called a cabrio in Germany. Normally a two seater, but can also be
bigger, this car has a removable roof. The roof can be a flexible tarpauline type of material (a "softop", a molded hard
construction (a "hardtop") or an automatic roof which "folds" into the boot of the car.
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•A coupé
A coupé - this can be any size car, the defining charachteristic is that it only has two passenger doors.
If the car has rear seats, the front seats must be folded down to allow access to the back.
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