This brief glossary will help you to translate those incomprehensible abbreviations and trade terms that clutter up the classified ads.

We've talked to motor trade contacts and thumbed through pages of cars ads to catalogue all the commonly used examples of 'car-speak'. But automotive technology advances all the time, so there's sure to be even more examples of this strange language appearing in future. If you've got a definition that we've missed, or are confused by a term we don't list, why not e-mail us at feedback@wisebuyers.co.uk

Where an abbreviation or acronym is specific to a feature or technology used by a specific manufacturer, we identify the manufacturer as well as giving a definition.

2
2WD	two-wheel drive
4
4WD	four-wheel drive
A
a/bag	airbag
ABS	anti-lock (or anti-skid) braking system
AC or a/c	air conditioning
ACS	Automatic Clutch System (Mercedes-Benz)
Alcantara	brand of suede-effect fabric upholstery material
alloys	alloy wheels
Alpina	brand of uprated sports specification BMW models
AMG	Mercedes-Benz brand of high-performance models
ASC+T	Acceleration Skid Control + Traction (BMW braking/traction system)
auto	automatic transmission
AWD	all-wheel drive (i.e. four-wheel drive; Subaru, Volvo)
B
BBS	brand of sports equipment (wheels, body kit)
bhp	brake horsepower
BRG	British Racing Green (paint colour)
C
c/coded	colour coded exterior trim
c/l	central locking (r/c/l = remote c/l)
Cat 1	Thatcham rating for security devices
cc	cubic centimetres (cylinder capacity)
CC or c/c	climate controlled air conditioning
Clifford	brand of anti-theft and alarm systems
climate	climate controlled air conditioning
Cobra	brand of anti-theft and alarm systems
common-rail	high-pressure diesel injection system
cruise	cruise control system
CVT	continuously variable automatic transmission system
cyl	cylinder
D
d	doors (e.g. 3d = three-door)
d/lock	deadlock system
demo	dealer's ex-demonstration car
DH	drophead (archaic term for convertible body style)
dohc	double overhead camshaft (i.e. twin-cam engine)
dr	doors (e.g. 3dr = three-door)
DSC	Dynamic Stability Control (BMW safety system)
dual-fuel	capable of using petrol or LPG fuels
E
e/m	electric mirrors
e/p	electrics pack
e/pack	electrics pack
e/w	electric windows (4xe/w = four electric windows)
EBD	Electronic Brakeforce Distribution safety braking system
ECC or ecc	electronic climate controlled air conditioning
ECVT	electronically-controlled continuously variable automatic transmission system
Efi	electronic fuel injection
efrw	electric front and rear windows
efw or e/f/w	electric front windows
egsr	electric glass sunroof
ESP	Electronic Stability Programme (Ford, Mercedes-Benz)
ESR or e/s/r	electric sunroof
est	estate body
ex-demo	dealer's ex-demonstration car
F
f/f	factory-fitted (e.g. f/f/s/r = factory fitted sunroof)
f/fogs	front fog lamps
face-off	audio unit with removable face panel for security
FASH	full Audi service history
FBMWSH	full BMW service history
FH	fixed head (archaic term for coupe body style)
FMBSH	full Mercedes-Benz service history
FRRSH	full Rolls-Royce service history
FSH or f/s/h	full service history
fully loaded	high equipment spec, lots of optional extras
fwd	front-wheel drive
G
g/box	gearbox
GDI	Gasoline Direct Injection (Mitsubishi petrol engines)
H
h/r/w	heated rear window
h/seats	heated seats
HDC	Hill Descent Control system (Land-Rover)
HDi	high-pressure diesel injection (Citroen, Peugeot)
HFRS or h/f/r/s	heated front and rear seats
HFS or h/f/s	heated front seats
hide	leather upholstery
HPI	brand of car history data check
HPT	High Pressure Turbo (Volvo, Saab)
HRS or h/r/s	heated rear seats
I
i	fuel injection (e.g. 1.8i = 1.8 litre injection engine)
i/c or i/cool	intercooler system (on turbo engines)
IG	insurance group rating (e.g. IG 8 = insurance group 8)
immob	engine immobiliser system
K
k	recorded mileage in ,000s of miles (e.g. 60k = 60,000 miles)
key/card	electronic keyless entry (and sometimes ignition) system
keyless	electronic keyless entry system
L
LHD	left-hand drive
LPG	liquefied petroleum gas
LPT	Low Pressure Turbo (Volvo, Saab)
lthr	leather upholstery
LWB	long wheelbase
M
mem/s	memory seats (electric seats with setting 'memory' feature)
met	metallic paintwork
MGFV	Minimum Guaranteed Future Value (in PCP contract terms)
mica	mica paintwork (similar to metallic)
Momo	brand of sports equipment: wheels, body kit, steering wheels, upholstery etc
mpg	miles per gallon (fuel consumption)
mph	miles per hour
MPV	multi-purpose vehicle (i.e. people-carrier)
MY	model year (e.g. 99MY = 1999 model year)
O
ohc	overhead camshaft
ohv	overhead valve
opal	opalescent paintwork (a.k.a. pearlescent)
OZ	brand of sports alloy wheels
P
p/hood	power-operated hood on convertibles
p/s	power steering
Panorama/panoramic	large glass sunroof (Mercedes, MINI and others)
Parktronic	parking sensor system (Mercedes, BMW)
PAS	power-assisted steering
PCH	Personal Contract Hire
PCP	Personal Contract Purchase (finance plan)
PD	Pumpe Duse (high pressure diesel injection; VW)
PDC or p/d/c	Park Distance Control parking sensor system
POA	price on application
privacy	privacy glass (one-way dark tinted window glass)
Prodrive	performance tuning division of Subaru
PX	part-exchange
R
r/c	remote central (locking)
r/c/l	remote central locking
r/cass	radio/cassette player
r/w/w	rear wash/wipe system
rails	permanent roof rails (usually on estate models)
Ralliart	official performance division of Mitsubishi
RDS	Radio Direct Seeking (auto-tuning radio system)
Recaro	brand of sports seats
recon	reconditioned (usually engine or gearbox)
RHD	right-hand drive
rhr	rear head restraint (3xrhr = three rear head restraints)
rwd	rear-wheel drive
S
s	seat (e.g. 7s = seven-seater)
s/bags	side airbags
s/h	service history
s/s	stainless steel (e.g. exhaust system)
s/skirts	side skirts (body styling kit)
s/steps	side steps (usually on 4x4 models)
sat nav	satellite navigation system
SE	special edition (also used as trim level by some manufacturers, notably BMW)
Sensodrive	type of sequential automatic transmission (Citroen)
Servotronic	advanced electronic power steering system (BMW)
sp or spd	speed (e.g. 5sp = 5-speed gearbox)
SR or s/r	sunroof
srs	safety restraint system, i.e. airbag (2xsrs = twin airbags)
Steptronic	sequential-shift automatic transmission system (BMW, Rover)
SVA	Single Vehicle Approval (certification for 'grey' imports)
SWB	short wheelbase
T
T	thousands of miles (30T = 30,000 miles); k is the more common usage
t&t	taxed and (MoT) tested
T-bar	roof system with metal T-bar over front cabin and twin removable glass panels
TC	twin-cam engine
TCS	Traction Control System (Ford)
TD	turbo diesel
TDi or Tdi	turbo diesel injection
Tiptronic or Tip	sequential-shift automatic transmission system (Audi, Mercedes-Benz, VW)
TLC	brand name of servicing package for MINI
Toad	brand of anti-theft and alarm systems
Tracker	brand of security tracking device
trk	security tracking device
TS	Twin Spark (type of Alfa Romeo engine)
V
v	valve (e.g. 16v = 16-valve)
V	V-configuration cylinder layout (e.g. V8 = 8 cylinders in two banks of four)
VCA	Vehicle Certification Authority (responsible for MoT testing etc)
V-car	on VCA register of written off/rebuilt vehicles
VSC	Vehicle Stability Control system (primarily Lexus)
X
xenon	xenon gas-discharge headlamps