A good while ago, I made a little quiz of car-based haikus, and I happened to find the old file when I accidentally knocked my hard drive over and spilled hot data all over my desk. The haikus were still pretty fun, so, what the hell, let’s do it again.
Just to refresh, the goal of the quiz is to guess the car that inspired the haiku. Haikus, of course, are based on the traditional Japanese poetic form, and I stuck to the ‘5 syllable/7 syllable/5 syllable’ rule for making these, so everything’s nice and legal.
Each haiku is referring to a specific model and make of car, like a Chevy Citation or a Simca Aronde or a Fiat 850. But not those.
Okay, you get it. Have at it!
1.
Back in the big war
They made nothings in the sky
That’s not real water
2.
Ersatz dead trees hug
My elegant doors and sides
A roof that hides away
3.
Twin brother is from
Swiss mountains; I’m twice the car
I have fangs and stripes
4.
Elegant machine
Named after a horse carriage
My badge has failed me
5.
Awesome as a Brit
Just meh when American
I’m no prostitute
6.
Slight caricature
Of former tiny glory
My, I’ve gotten big
7.
Refrigerator
Firm made me; three countries helped
First postwar beauty
8.
Was big in Japan
Only three plugs to my name
They called me a lie
9.
All bulls are not studs
Some of us have to get dirty
I wish I had curves
10.
Halloween babies
Get this rock from quick little me
I’m something shark-like.
Good luck! I’ll post the official answers here in an update at 5:30 EST, so check back to see how you did.
UPDATE! I know I’m late. Here we go: 1. Mitsubishi Mirage. 2. Chrysler Le Baron/Town & Country Convertible 3. Sunbeam Tiger 4. VW Phaeton 5. Ford Escort 6. Any new MINI 7. Nash Healey 8. Daihatsu Charade 9. Lamborghini LM002 10. Opel Manta
Contact the author at jason@jalopnik.com.