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Acronyms
This is a list of acronyms, short abbreviations and other similar short designations.
Many of the items on this list are not "official," meaning certain acronyms regarding specific products may have been created by the automotive public and are not the official designation of the manufacturer. As such, this isn't intended to be the final authority on the acronyms of the automotive world, this is intended merely as a guide for readers to understand an unknown acronym they may come across.
| Acronym | Meaning | Type | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2WD | 2 wheel drive | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| 4DSC | 4-Door Sports Car | Vehicle Designation | Nissan |
| 4WD | 4 wheel drive | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| 4x4 | four-by-four | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| A/C | air conditioning | Technical | Common |
| AAA | American Automobile Association | Organization | |
| ABS | Antilock Braking System | Technical | Common |
| AC | air conditioning | Technical | Common |
| ACF | American Car & Foundry Co. | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| ACIS | Acoustic Control Induction System | Technical | Toyota |
| AMC | American Motors Corporation | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| AMG | Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach | Vehicle Tuner | Mercedes-Benz |
| API | American Petroleum Institute | Organization | |
| ARCA | Automobile Racing Club of America | Racing Sanctioning Body | |
| ATCC | Australian Touring Car Championship | Racing Series | |
| AVCS | Active Valve Control System | Valvetrain | Subaru |
| AVLS | Active Valve Lift System | Valvetrain | Subaru |
| AWD | all wheel drive | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| BDC | bottom dead center | Technical | Common |
| bhp | brake horsepower | Technical | Common |
| BMW | Bayerische Motoren Werke Bavarian Motor Works | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| BWC | Best Workplaces for Commuters | Program | CUTR |
| C&D | Car & Driver | Publication | |
| CAFE | Corporate Average Fuel Economy | Legislation | United States |
| CARB | California Air Resources Board | Government | California |
| CD | Car & Driver | Publication | |
| CL | closed loop | Technical - Electrical | Common |
| CoT | Car of Tomorrow | Vehicle Designation | NASCAR |
| CPS | Cam Profile Shifting | Valvetrain | Volvo |
| CTS | Craftsman Truck Series | Racing Series | NASCAR |
| CUTR | Center for Urban Transportation Research | Organization | University of South Florida |
| CVT | Continuously Variable Transmission | Transmission | Common |
| CVTC | Continuously Variable valve Timing Control | Valvetrain | Nissan |
| CVVT | Continuous Variable Valve Timing | Valvetrain | Volvo |
| DEI | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Racing Team | |
| DMC | DeLorean Motor Company | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| DOHC | Dual OverHead Camshaft | Valvetrain | Common |
| DOT | Department of Transportation | Government | United States |
| DTM | Deutche Tourenwagen Masters (German Touring Car Masters) | Racing Series | |
| EGR | exhaust gas recirculation | Technical - Emissions | Common |
| EMW | Eisenacher Motoren Werke | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency | Government | United States |
| F1 | Formula 1 | Racing Series | FIA |
| FARS | Fatality Analysis Reporting System | Government Program | NHTSA |
| FF | front-engine, front drive | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| FIA | Federation Internationale de l'Automobile International Automobile Federation | Racing Sanctioning Body | |
| FMCSA | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration | Government | United States |
| FR | front-engine, rear drive | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| FWD | front wheel drive | Technical | Common |
| GM | General Motors | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| GPS | Global Positioning System | Technical | Common |
| GS | Grand Sport | Vehicle Designation | |
| GT | Gran Turismo Grand Touring | Vehicle Type | Common |
| GT | Gran Turismo | Video Game | Polyphony Digital |
| GT2 | Gran Turismo 2 | Video Game | Polyphony Digital |
| GT3 | Gran Turismo 3 | Video Game | Polyphony Digital |
| GT4 | Gran Turismo 4 | Video Game | Polyphony Digital |
| GTO | Gran Turismo Omologato | Racing Class/ Vehicle Name | Ferrari, Mitsubishi, Pontiac |
| GTR | Grand Touring/Racing | Model Car Club | |
| H-D | Harley-Davidson | Motorcycle Manufacturer | |
| HD | Harley-Davisdon | Motorcycle Manufacturer | |
| HLDI | Highway Loss Data Institute | Organization | IIHS |
| HOV | High Occupancy Vehicle | Common | |
| i-VTEC | intelligent Variable valve Timing with Electronic lift Control | Valvetrain | Honda |
| I4 | inline 4-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| I5 | inline 5-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| I6 | inline 6-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| IIHS | Insurance Institute for Highway Safety | Organization | |
| IRL | Indy Racing League | Racing Series | |
| IROC | International Race of Champions | Racing Series | |
| KOEO | key on engine off | Common | |
| KOER | key on engine running | Common | |
| L4 | inline 4-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| L5 | inline 5-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| L6 | inline 6-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| LM | Le Mans | Vehicle Designation | Common |
| M-B | Mercedes-Benz | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| MADD | Mothers Against Drunk Driving | Organization | |
| MAF | Mass Air Flow | Technical - Sensor | Common |
| MAP | Manifold Air Pressure Manifold Absolute Pressure | Technical - Sensor | Common |
| MARC | Midwest Association for Race Cars | Racing Sanctioning Body | |
| MB | Mercedes-Benz | Vehicle Manufacturer | |
| MIL | Malfunction Indicator Lamp | Technical | Common |
| MIVEC | Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control | Valvetrain | Mitsubishi |
| MPG | miles per gallon | Measurement | Common |
| MR | mid-engine, rear drive | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| MSRP | Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price | Common | |
| MT | Motor Trend | Publication | |
| MWR | Michael Waltrip Racing | Racing Team | |
| NAIAS | North American International Auto Show | Event | |
| NASCAR | National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing | Racing Sanctioning Body | |
| NBS | NASCAR Busch Series | Racing Series | NASCAR |
| NCVECS | National Center for Vehicle Emissions Control and Safety | Organization | Colorado State University |
| NHTSA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Government | United States |
| NOS | Nitrous Oxide Systems | Aftermarket Performance Parts Manufacturer | Holley |
| NSTC | National Short Track Championship | Event | Rockford Speedway |
| O2 | oxygen | Common | |
| OBD | On-Board Diagnostics | Technical | Common |
| OBD-II | On-Board Diagnostics II | Technical | Common |
| OEM | original equipment manufacturer | Common | |
| OHC | OverHead Camshaft | Valvetrain | Common |
| OHV | OverHead Valves | Valvetrain | Common |
| OL | open loop | Technical - Electrical | Common |
| PRNDL | Park-Reverse-Neutral-Drive-Low (often pronounced "prindle") | Technical | Common |
| R&T | Road & Track | Publication | |
| RCCA | Racing Collectibles Club of America | Club | |
| RCR | Richard Childress Racing | Racing Team | |
| RPM | revolutions per minute | Technical | Common |
| RR | rear engine, rear drive | Drivetrain Layout | Common |
| RS | Rally Sport | Vehicle Designation | |
| RWD | rear wheel drive | Technical | Common |
| RYR | Robert Yates Racing | Racing Team | |
| S-VT | Sequential Valve Timing | Valvetrain | Mazda |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers | Organization | |
| SC | supercharger | Technical | Common |
| SCCA | Sports Car Club of America | Racing Sanctioning Body | |
| SH-AWD | Super Handling All Wheel Drive | Honda | |
| SOHC | Single OverHead Camshaft | Valvetrain | Common |
| SS | Super Sport | Vehicle Designation | Chevrolet |
| SUV | Sports-Utility Vehicle | Vehicle Type | Common |
| T/A | Trans Am | Vehicle Model | Pontiac |
| TDC | top dead center | Technical | Common |
| TRD | Toyota Racing Development | Toyota | |
| UAW | United Auto Workers | Labor Union | |
| USGP | United States Grand Prix | Event | Formula 1 |
| UTI | Universal Technical Institute | School | |
| V10 | v-block, 10 cylinders | Engine Type | Common |
| V12 | v-block, 12 cylinders | Engine Type | Common |
| V16 | v-block, 16 cylinders | Engine Type | Common |
| V4 | v-block, 4-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| V6 | v-block, 6-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| V8 | v-block, 8-cylinder | Engine Type | Common |
| VCT | Variable Cam Timing | Valvetrain | Ford |
| VEL | Variable valve Event and Lift | Valvetrain | Nissan |
| VIN | Vehicle Identification Number | Common | |
| VTEC | Variable valve Timing with Electronic lift Control | Valvetrain | Honda |
| VTEC-E | Variable valve Timing with Electronic lift Control and Efficiency | Valvetrain | Honda |
| VVEL | Variable Valve Event and Lift | Valvetrain | Nissan |
| VVT | Variable Valve Timing | Valvetrain | Common |
| VVT-i | Variable Valve Timing w/intelligence | Valvetrain | Toyota |
| VVTL-i | Variable Valve Timing and Lift w/intelligence | Valvetrain | Toyota |
| W12 | w-block, 12 cylinders | Engine Type | Volkswagen |
| W16 | w-block, 16 cylinders | Engine Type | Volkswagen |