What is an engine bonnet?
In the states, we generally refer to the front part of the car that covers the engine as a hood. Why is that, and what do we call it when the engine isn’t in front at all? You may have heard the term bonnet or even engine bonnet. What is an engine bonnet? We have answers.
Where did the term hood originate from?
Believe it or not, the engine cover wasn’t always called a hood. In fact, there was a time when it didn’t really have a name outside of “engine cover.” Cars in the ‘20s and ‘30s changed that. With their curved engine covers that came down low over the engine, the engine cover literally resembled a hood, like the kind of hood that would be part of a jacket. That’s how the term was actually born.
Do the British call car hood something different?
Though the same factors produced the British name for a car’s hood, they went with a different term that meant the same thing. In England, and many other parts of the world including Australia and New Zealand, the hood of the car is actually called a bonnet.
Interestingly, in those parts of the world, the hood actually refers to the top of the car, especially for a soft top.
If you hear someone from England call a car a soft hood, now you know what they are talking about.
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What is the engine cover on a mid-engine car called?
Things can get confusing when you are referring to the engine cover on a mid-engine car. You can still use hood and bonnet, but more often than not, people simply refer to that as the engine cover. The hood on a mid-engine car often still refers to the front part that is typically used as a front trunk, or frunk as some manufacturers call it.
Interestingly, Lamborghini refers to the engine cover as a bonnet on their Huracan and Aventador models in every market. In part, you can trace this to the European roots for the Italian car manufacturer. It is something to keep in mind, especially if you are ordering a Lamborghini model.
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