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How are cars named???

Old Sep 25, 2001 | 09:53 AM
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Default How are cars named???

Just sitting here, eating some Wendy's and watching all these car commercials come on tv. Just wondering how manufacturers give their cars names? I know that most cars have a code name first, (GK -> Tuscani) and then renamed upon their debut.

But do companies just have people sitting around thinking up of random names for cars? Or do the designers get to choose the name?
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 01:27 PM
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QUOTE
Originally posted by 2000Lo&ShowTibby:
But do companies just have people sitting around thinking up of random names


I WISH I got to name cars! There would be no "Acheiva" "Aspire" "Festiva" "Golf" "Charade" "Sidekick" "Jimmy" and god...the list goes on and on...

[ September 25, 2001: Message edited by: Random ]
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 01:42 PM
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How about the "chevette", the "diplomat", the "sirrus"- that new hybrid by toyota, the "rio"- what the f#ck is a rio?!. Or how about those cars that are just given a number with a letter attached to it, like the "300M", someone sure got lazy with those.

I wish I can get paid for that sh#t!

Gotta go, can't babble no more, peace.

J.Skid.
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 01:51 PM
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I think Honda does a good job naming their cars.

Civic
Accord
Prelude (r.i.p.) sad.gif
Integra
Legend

I hate how they are "goin' European" now with letters. Hyundai has some good names too, I liked the "Scoupe"

I like the whole 200, 240, 300 Z thing though...
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 03:47 PM
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two words: Chevy Citation

I'd come up with Ford Felatio..now that's driving enjoyment.
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 04:19 PM
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QUOTE
Originally posted by skilspeed:


I'd come up with Ford Felatio..now that's driving enjoyment.


Man when is one of those coming out!! There's just something about that name that I like. eek.gif
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 11:34 PM
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QUOTE
Or how about those cars that are just given a number with a letter attached to it, like the "300M",

i think the 300M started out with 300 c.i. engines, the first one was a 300A. every new model after got the next leter untill they got to "M" and after that they stoped adding new letters. I saw it on speedvision smile.gif
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Old Sep 25, 2001 | 11:49 PM
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I can't believe no one's mentioned yet:

Celebrity - no one famous would EVER be seen in that shytbox
Pinto - go light on the gas
Gremlin - bad car, bad movie
Cirrus/Stratus - I'd like to see the next Chrysler conversion van be named the Cumulonimbus...
Pony - Wow. What a workhorse.
Rabbit - Good thing those didn't live up to their name...they'd be EVERYWHERE.
Nubria - Sorry. Maybe it's just my overly-warped sick mind, but this sounds like a word you'd hear in a teeny-porn movie.
Lincoln Navigator - does it come with a free copy of Netscape?
Focus
Durango
Pacer
Aspire / Protege / anything else that brings to mind the concept of "almost there, but just not quite"
DeLorean / El Camino / Le Mans - two names just tend to not work too well, IMO

GOOD NAMES:

Intrepid
Tiburon - although Spanish names coming from an Asian market seemed a little odd.
Firebird / Thunderbird - a little mythology's usually pretty nice. I'd never be caught DEAD in a Kia Hermes, though.
Grandeur
Charger
Lightning
I agree that Honda picked some good names.
Vigor
Lancer

Ford Fellatio. Hopefully its engine will have HLAs. Otherwise you'll have to take it in every 30K for "head work!"
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Old Sep 26, 2001 | 01:11 AM
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Just a little history on some of those names...

DeLorean: Named for John deLorean. Why shouldn't he name it after himself?

Nissan/Datsun's 300Z 240Z etc... That was a USA marketing decision. The 300Z was originally named "Fair Lady" -- after the company president's wife's favorite movie. Resellers in the USA decided that it would be hard to sell under that name, so they went with the chassis number instead. Similarly the 240SX carries the name "Sylvia"

In most cases, the cars are named by the marketing departments of their manufacturers. Usually in new flagship models, the designers have a say in the car name.

Some cars have very cool names. The Tiburon has a cool name, very suited to North American naming conventions. Cars tend to have more agressive names here than import manufacturers. I'd say that it's a marketing angle, and reflects on the fact that people in North America like to associate their cars with personal power.
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Old Sep 26, 2001 | 03:20 AM
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QUOTE
Nubria - Sorry. Maybe it's just my overly-warped sick mind, but this sounds like a word you'd hear in a teeny-porn movie
QUOTE


Uhh... just to let you know. It's "Nubira," and it's Korean for "to go everywhere, or anywhere."

Unfortunately, the US Market wasn't as accepting as the others, so it didn't really live up to its name. But, a few years ago the US Daewoo Rally Team won the Arizona Rally w/ their Nubira. So.. in some respects.. it does
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