Limp-wristed uses of the word 'Sport' by a manufacturer

[grogee]

OED says:

"I.4.a. An activity involving physical exertion and skill, esp. (particularly in modern use) one regulated by set rules or customs in which an individual or team competes against another or others. Frequently in plural."

I say:

Putting a Sport badge on a Peugeot 107 1.0 pez is disgraceful. (Don't get me wrong - I love a Citybug, I just hate the pretence that it's 'sporty' without any extra power over the shopping models).

It seems to have died off a bit now, but there was a phase where every manufacturer was putting a Sport badge on its cars' arses.

[cafehag]

How about the 'sport' part of SUV?  Hateful things, yet they've prevailed to the point where you're hard pressed to find a decent choice of saloon or estate cars.

[Shite Ron]

When I started my current job in 2016 I was given a Jeep Renegade until a car was available as it is compulsory to have a company vehicle. The Jeep was black with black interior and looked proper poverty spec. I was amazed to see it was a Sport. I don’t know how a Tonka toy  can be described as a Sport let alone a poverty spec. one.  It was similar to below but not the actual vehicle.

 

[adw1977]

The Mk2 Focus was available in a "Sport" trim level.  They all seem to have 1.6 engines (petrol or diesel) and look very ordinary. 

(This particular example has lost the flap covering the fuel filler)

[Erebus]

Just now, adw1977 said:

The Mk2 Focus was available in a "Sport" trim level.  They all seem to have 1.6 engines (petrol or diesel) and look very ordinary. 

My mate's wife had one of them.  There was nothing even remotely sporty about it at all

[EyesWeldedShut]

'nuff said

[Erebus]

7 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

'nuff said

Aren't these actually fairly sporty and sought after?  Looks sporty to me!  Certainly much more so than the Focus!

[Erebus]

10 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

'nuff said

From Wikipedia: A rare "Sport" model was produced in 1985 to homologate for the sub 1,300 cc class of Group A for the British Rally Championship.^{[citation needed]} These Sport models were white and came with unique vinyl decals, a 13SB engine with twin Weber 40 DCOE carburettors, an optional bespoke camshaft, a replacement rear silencer, and few luxuries. This gave 93 hp and a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) with a 0–60 mph time of 8.9 seconds. These are by far the rarest models (500 produced) and thus acquire a high market price if one does become available.

I'd say that's pretty sporty and decidedly not limp wristed!

[wesacosa]

good excuse to show the late Dave Metcalfe ragging his works Nova rally car.   (its the GTE not sport but still.....)

 

 

[sierraman]

27 minutes ago, adw1977 said:

The Mk2 Focus was available in a "Sport" trim level.  They all seem to have 1.6 engines (petrol or diesel) and look very ordinary. 

(This particular example has lost the flap covering the fuel filler)

I had one of those, couldn’t pull a greased stick out of a hookers fanny. I couldn’t get to the bottom what the Sport aspect of it was? Might have had slightly stiffer suspension but after 100k… No body kit/spoiler or anything. Then to add insult to injury you’d probably have your arse handed to you on a plate by the 1.8 TDCI Studio. At least the later Zetec S looked a bit like they’d made an effort - could pass for an ST, in a dense fog at night, with your hand over one glaucoma ridden eye. 

[sierraman]

12 minutes ago, Erebus said:

Aren't these actually fairly sporty and sought after?  Looks sporty to me!  Certainly much more so than the Focus!

I reckon so, in 1988 or whenever you’d have been a big nob at a Vauxhall gathering if you turned up in one. Check out how much the decals go for on the rare occasions they come up…

[EyesWeldedShut]

19 minutes ago, Erebus said:

From Wikipedia: A rare "Sport" model was produced in 1985 to homologate for the sub 1,300 cc class of Group A for the British Rally Championship.^{[citation needed]} These Sport models were white and came with unique vinyl decals, a 13SB engine with twin Weber 40 DCOE carburettors, an optional bespoke camshaft, a replacement rear silencer, and few luxuries. This gave 93 hp and a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) with a 0–60 mph time of 8.9 seconds. These are by far the rarest models (500 produced) and thus acquire a high market price if one does become available.

I'd say that's pretty sporty and decidedly not limp wristed!

Given the Nova GTE already existed then 

@wesacosa 's beat me to it - the Sport was a weird concoction and sold to the fanbois of the time

https://www.novasportregister.com/ still has most of the data (scroll down on each page as the content may be below the fold).

Guys at work used to argue for hours over which was faster/better - Sport or GTE, my 1.2L was a kitten by comparison

 

[wesacosa]

5 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Given the Nova GTE already existed then 

@wesacosa 's beat me to it - the Sport was a weird concoction and sold to the fanbois of the time

https://www.novasportregister.com/ still has most of the data (scroll down on each page as the content may be below the fold).

Guys ate work used to argue for hours over which was faster/better - Sport or GTE, my 1.2L was a kitten by comparison

did the Sport sit above the SR then?

[castros_bro]

Sport !   I see your Sport and raise you a Super

HMW Super Sport trying to keep up with an Honda PC50

 

 

[sierraman]

Mondeo Sport - again it’s a diesel… nothing sporty about it. Traps along ok I suppose but it’s hardly got a wealth of Nurburgring demolishing pedigree behind it has it? 

[scaryoldcortina]

Nissan X-trail lwb 1.9 DCI "sport"

[PicantoJon]

Peugeot 207 SW Sport - with a 1.6 HDi lump... 🤣

[EyesWeldedShut]

Just now, wesacosa said:

did the Sport sit above the SR then?

Yes/no - depends if you mean speed or comfort

The first Novas (by memory) were 1.0 and 1.2 with a 1.3 in the SR. 1.0 was an old design so you 'had' to buy the 1.2 or the SR  
Then the Sport came along with the basic SR drivetrain plus tweaks (double carbs, blah blah) to qualify for the homologation. Lacking in passenger comfort though. Faster but less comfortable. Appealed to the hairy knuckle draggers.
The GTE came out a bit later and was (I think) a carbed 1.6 to start  - very similar power/speed to the Sport but more refined/finished (radio/cassette  ).  Pretty much identical in how they went tbh but the guy I knew who ran the Sports was always having carb setup/balancing problems (well, that's what he claimed if he got burned off by the GTE guys).

[RoadworkUK]

I find it a bit annoying that Sport has come to be seen as meaning "really fast" or "a competitive pastime with the objective of winning".

Originally, Sport meant just "enjoying yourself". 

A Sport Utility Vehicle is supposed to facilitate your participation in sport. Grouse shooting. Fishing. Green bowls. Not necessarily high-octane shiz.

Wiki:

Etymology

The word "sport" comes from the Old French desport meaning "leisure", with the oldest definition in English from around 1300 being "anything humans find amusing or entertaining".^[8]

Other meanings include gambling and events staged for the purpose of gambling; hunting; and games and diversions, including ones that require exercise.^[9] Roget's defines the noun sport as an "activity engaged in for relaxation and amusement" with synonyms including diversion and recreation.^[10]

Back in the olden days, a Sports car was anything designed for just heading out on the road for the sheer pleasure of it. No particular urgency, nor any practical considerations. Usually a soft top. It wasn't until later on that making them fast became a thing. 

I'm currently running a brand new Audi A6 for "going places efficiently and punctually" purposes; I borrow my wife's base-spec 306 if I actually want to enjoy myself on a country road, and – when it's MOTd (soonish, I hope) – my Rover 800 will become my sports car. Anything that you really enjoy driving, and go out in just for fun is your sports car.

TL-DR, yes, Sport is a really wanky trim level name, but no more so than Fashion, Trend, Life, Elegance etc.

 

[Verysleepyboy]

How about the L320 Range Rover "Sport" - not just a trim level but indeed an entire model range based upon a Discovery 3 of all things!!

[sierraman]

Just now, RoadworkUK said:

I find it a bit annoying that Sport has come to mean "really fast" or "a competitive pastime with the objective of winning".

Originally, Sport meant just "enjoying yourself". 

A Sport Utility Vehicle is supposed to facilitate your participation in sport. Grouse shooting. Fishing. Green bowls. Not necessarily high-octane shiz.

Wiki:

Etymology

The word "sport" comes from the Old French desport meaning "leisure", with the oldest definition in English from around 1300 being "anything humans find amusing or entertaining".^[8]

Other meanings include gambling and events staged for the purpose of gambling; hunting; and games and diversions, including ones that require exercise.^[9] Roget's defines the noun sport as an "activity engaged in for relaxation and amusement" with synonyms including diversion and recreation.^[10]

Back in the olden days, a Sports car was anything designed for just heading out on the road for the sheer pleasure of it. No particular urgency, nor any practical considerations. It wasn't until later on that making them fast became a thing. 

I'm currently running a brand new Audi A6 for "going places efficiently and punctually" purposes; I borrow my wife's base-spec 306 if I actually want to enjoy myself on a country road, and – when it's MOTd (soonish, I hope) – my Rover 800 will become my sports car. Anything that you really enjoy driving, and go out in just for fun is your sports car.

TL-DR, yes, Sport is a really wanky trim level name, but no more so than Fashion, Trend, Life, Elegance etc.

 

I wasn’t enjoying myself in the Focus Sport, shaking the wheel like Dennis Weaver in Duel shouting ‘Let’s go!!!’ Waiting for the 99bhp to kick in. 

[inconsistant]

If you do a search for ‘Sport’ on Autotrader it comes back with 210,000 cars, starting at £200 for a Peugeot 207 1.6 HDi Sport hatchback 5 door diesel.

[RoverFolkUs]

1 hour ago, adw1977 said:

The Mk2 Focus was available in a "Sport" trim level.  They all seem to have 1.6 engines (petrol or diesel) and look very ordinary. 

(This particular example has lost the flap covering the fuel filler)

 

1 hour ago, Erebus said:

My mate's wife had one of them.  There was nothing even remotely sporty about it at all

 

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

I had one of those, couldn’t pull a greased stick out of a hookers fanny. I couldn’t get to the bottom what the Sport aspect of it was? Might have had slightly stiffer suspension but after 100k… No body kit/spoiler or anything. Then to add insult to injury you’d probably have your arse handed to you on a plate by the 1.8 TDCI Studio. At least the later Zetec S looked a bit like they’d made an effort - could pass for an ST, in a dense fog at night, with your hand over one glaucoma ridden eye. 

 

I came here to mention the MK2 Focus. The "Sport" trim adds those 6 spoke alloys, and 3 spoke leather steering wheel to an LX (which is base + air con) 

Alleged suspension differences but there is nothing measurable whatsoever 

[Surface Rust]

My abiding memory of hiring many, many Astra Hs for work (quite) a few years ago was the Sport button.

I think all it did was turn a light on.

[Erebus]

44 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I wasn’t enjoying myself in the Focus Sport, shaking the wheel like Dennis Weaver in Duel shouting ‘Let’s go!!!’ Waiting for the 99bhp to kick in. 

Liked for the Duel reference.  Great film

[beko1987]

From my only experience of a "sporting'trim on a Zafira it seems to mean rock hard seats, rock hard suspension and skinny expensive wide tyres. 

Was enough to put me off anything with the word sport in the trim level 😂 I'll take an anti sport squishy comfy car any day

[artdjones]

I think the Sport designation is put onto a lot of cars to give an impression that the owners are sporty. That is, they are into actual sports that aren't motorsports. 

[sierraman]

22 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

 

 

 

I came here to mention the MK2 Focus. The "Sport" trim adds those 6 spoke alloys, and 3 spoke leather steering wheel to an LX (which is base + air con) 

Alleged suspension differences but there is nothing measurable whatsoever 

People used to notice that, they’d point out ‘is that a GENUINE Focus Sport?’. Wish I’d kept it in a garage, I’d probably never have to work again. 😂

[sierraman]

19 minutes ago, Erebus said:

Liked for the Duel reference.  Great film

‘some some souped up diesel engine! My cars just not that powerful, I’d go back to 70-80 I can’t help it!’ 🤣

[MiniMinorMk3]

Ford have been making gutless Sports for years. All the looks of a Twin Cam but with a 1300 Kent to drag it along.