Do you speak petrolhead?
Car geeks are a weird bunch. If you've ever been part of a conversation with more than one car geek present, you'd be forgiven for thinking they have a secret language that only they seem to know. Weirdly enough, almost all of these words have "normal" equivalents—just regular run of the mill words that mean something entirely different. This week, we take the wraps off our closely guarded secret language so you too can participate.
LSD
Everyone else: What hippies took in the 60s to try and make the world a better place but ended up being super confused instead.
Petrolheads: Limited Slip Differential—a system of gears that greatly improves a car's cornering speeds and assists in traction over loose surfaces.
Mufflers
Everyone else: Cute winter wear.
Petrolheads:Otherwise known as silencers. Originally designed to make cars quieter.Specific mufflers can improve a car's performance by making it easier for exhaust gases to flow out,while making it sound nicer.
De-CAT
Everyone else: Removing the cat from the sofa so you can sit on it (the sofa, not the cat you monster).
Petrolheads: Removing the catalytic converter part of the exhaust system. Increases engine power output and sometimes make the car sound better.
Wheelie
Everyone else: The wheeled cousin of Wall-E the robot.
Petrolheads:A wheelie is what results when the front wheels are lifted up as a result of excessive amount of torque to the rear wheels. Usually seen with drag racing cars and stunt bikes. A wheelie-bar is what's used to stop a vehicle from doing a wheelie, not a bar filled with wheels.
Sleeper
Everyone else: Someone who sleeps. Often. Otherwise what we were doing last week, which is why you now have an article on petrolhead terms to read.
Petrolheads: A highly modified, extremely fast car that looks stock and demure. Usually seen being driven by people who take great pleasure from destroying supercar owners' egos.
Deep dish
Everyone else: Pizza? Pizza.
Petrolheads: Rims designed to accommodate widertyres. The spokes are usually recessed deep into the wheel drum, making it vaguely resemble the pizza of similar name.
N/A
Everyone else: Salaries of journalists.
Petrolheads: Naturally aspirated. Meaning the car does not have a turbo or supercharger to boost its power output. What's a turbo or supercharger? What's boost? Uh…
Wide body:
Everyone else:A pro-wrestler. Or Nicki Minaj.
Petrolheads: A body-kit designed to increase a car's width, for the purposes of added aggression. Sometimes also needed to accommodate wider tyres.
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