In a past article, I noted that it was amazing to me that Chrysler was using great names from the past to market their products. The 8-speed automatic gearbox that backs their cars isn’t simply a ZF 8HP45. It’s a TorqueFlite. It’s not simply a Challenger R/T+. It’s a Challenger Scat Pack, and the world is a brighter and happier place for that. That got me into thinking, what other names from the past would be cool to see today?
It’s really a shame that those futuristic sounding names just went off the wayside as time moved forwards. That’s not to say that those Jetson-esque sounding names completely disappeared from the automotive world. Mercedes-Benz has dispensed with the “ABC” acronym for their latest generation of active suspension control and have given it the considerably more grandiose name “Magic Body Control”. Call me an old romantic, but I can see an old American car that had been fitted with the best suspension technology that the 1950’s could’ve given us fitted with “Magic Body Control”. Or even better, “Space Body Control”; suspension so advanced you’ll feel as though you’re traveling through the infinity of space.
Personally a name I’d really love to see again would be Turbo Hydra-matic. Like TorqueFlite, it takes a rather thankless component, one you tend to ignore until it starts slipping or it misses a gearshift, and somehow adds that much flair and passion in it. Of course, GM still uses Hydra-matic as their trademark automatic transmission name, but you wouldn’t know it from build-your-own configurators, which only refer to it as a “6-Speed automatic transmission.”. I mean, wouldn’t you like to say “Yeah, I bought this new Impala…with Turbo Hydra-matic!”? I would. You could even call the conventional automatics “Turbo Hydra-matics” and the CVT they’re now fitting to Sparks and such “Powerglide”. And before my more traditionalist readers organize themselves to throttle me, consider this: would a world with a new Powerglide be a worse one? You could even fit badges like these:
But what about you, what names would you like to see plucked from the great ones of history and brought back from the dead?
Time has changed, then we were a young, growing, future is unlimited kind of nation, the spring of our life; Now we are an old, tire, tomorrow sux kind of state, the winter of our life.
Then:
Car were colorful, like the color palettes of spring.
Now:
Black, grey, darker grey, like the color of funeral.
Then:
Interesting look at me names, full of youthful indiscretions.
Now:
Some sort of nondescript alpha numeric, like an inmate.
Time has changed, Chrysler has changed with time, this ain’t happening no more:
bingo. and there’s no need for it to be that way now, it’s just the modern mindset.
This is, perhaps, a little on the pessimistic side, but Americans certainly deserve better than Camry, Accord, Corolla, Civic, and Fit.
Which are preferable to XTS, QX50, LS460, and A6. Bring back names, even if they’re boring.
“Corolla” sounds like something you buy at “Dunkin Doughnuts”
QX50 sounds like something printed on your receipt from Dunkin Doughnuts
For those unfamiliar, the corolla is the crown-like area surrounding the center of a flower. Early Toyota Corolla badges actually had a little floral-crown as part of the emblem, which was a nod to both the English meaning of the word and Toyota’s bigger, more expensive Corona (which also means “crown”) and Crown.
Camry is a corruption of “Kamuri,” which is the Japanese word for crown. That one would be easier to understand for a JDM car than one primarily intended for export, though.
“Accord” does smack of random word choice and “Fit” is painfully cutesy, but “Civic” always seemed to me a reasonable choice for something that was originally intended as a city car. (Of course, Honda later also had the Honda City for a while in the ’80s.) It beats “Life,” which was the smaller-than-Civic model in the mid-70s.
Does Jazz nave negative connotations for America? It sure sounds better than Fit. To my mind that smacks of an epileptic seizure.
I’m really not sure why they didn’t use the “Jazz” name in the U.S. Maybe their focus groups just liked “Fit” better for whatever reason.
In the State of Utah their National Basketball Association team is called the Utah Jazz and that is one reason why perhaps it is not called the Honda Jazz in the U.S.of A.
I theorize that the reason it is called the Jazz overseas is because Jazz as a genre of music is associated with the U.S.of A so Honda wanted a name that would conjure up images of the New World like what Hyundai did with their Santa Fe.
Perhaps Honda calls it the Fit in the U.S.of A is because pop culture is obsessed with body image so having a small car being called a word (Fit) that is associated with healthiness and smallness is subliminal messaging.
A similar problem happened for VW of America when it imported the Type 181 Safari from VW de Mexico in the ’70’s. GM’s Pontiac division had already trademarked Safari for its station wagons. “Thing” was the name that ended up here.
I dont understand how Plymouth and Chevrolet both used Suburban.
I believe that the Fit model is amed the “Jazz” in parts of Europe. I would rather drive something Jazzy, than something I fit into! LOL
It seems like the Japanese are not buying into the alph numeric BS. Most of their cars still got names.
German and German wannabe (ie GM+FORD) are the ones doing the alpha numeric BS.
I’d like to see the “Invicta” name back for Buicks, Galaxie for Fords, Bel-Air for Chevrolet. I also miss all the nameplates and other call outs that identified certain features a car had – automatic transmission, air-conditioning (stickers on the windows), etc.
+1 althought I have a bigger soft spot for Wildcat. ^^;
Yeah, I agree. A name means something, if only to tell you where a car fits into the lineup, like “Galaxie – that’s the biggest one.” That sort of thing.
Cresta,Zodiac,Interceptor
Cresta was picked up by Toyota in the early ’80s and used for about 20 years for the version of the X-chassis (Mark II/Cressida) cars sold through the now defunct JDM Vista channel.
Ford’s police cars are called Police Interceptors
Park Avenue and New Yorker. Each was a near-luxury name in eras when New York was its worst (1970s-80s) and disappeared when New York was on the upswing (1990s-2000s). By now, the geezer-mobile association of each name is largely forgotten, so any past negative baggage should be shed.
Avanti. Not the car, just the name. Alfa Romeo Avanti would be a great name for a sports car, although Audi may dislike the similarity to the name of its Avant station wagons.
Flanders (profiled here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/a-tour-of-the-studebaker-national-museum-part-1-before-world-war-ii/). But only as part of a Ned Flanders tie-in, like the Road Runner’s use of the Warner Brothers cartoon bird.
Worst name to bring back: Dictator. Since Studebaker is long gone, there is no risk of that name recurring.
I would nominate President as a distant second of Studebaker names to be left alone.
Nissan used it for many years for their big V-8 VIP limousine, which in its most recent incarnation was basically a stretched-wheelbase version of the first-gen Infiniti Q45.
There have been so many good names over time, but Gerardo you are correct in that some wouldn’t mesh as well anymore.
From Ford:
Galaxie – Timeless and it ended in 1974. Ford Galaxie sounds so much better than all the little f-bomb names Ford is using these days.
Falcon – Another timeless one that died here in 1970, although it flies in the face of what I just said in my Galaxie thought.
From Chrysler:
Fury – So what if Plymouth is dead? It’s a great name.
St. Regis – Does anyone really remember the car? With the religious connection, I don’t see it happening.
Mirada – Again, another obscure one, but a good name.
Cordoba – Another good name.
From GM:
210 and 150 – It would be in line with what most other makes are doing currently and still revive an old name. A win-win.
St. Regis, Plaza, Savoy, probably more that I can’t recall — Chrysler’s frequent use of famous grand hotel names for lower-division cars in the past was as unique as its affection for New York names for its high-end cars (New Yorker, Fifth Avenue, Southampton).
I’m glad someone else likes the Plymouth trio of hotel names (Plaza, Savoy, Belvedere). Unfortunately, I just can’t see anywhere they would fit in either the Dodge or Chrysler line-up. The same applies to Fury.
OTOH, another Chrysler Windsor, Newport, or even Airflow would be okay. Likewise, seems like a Dodge Adventurer would work as an SUV, maybe for the next model Journey.
Ford still use Galaxie in Europe but spelt Galaxy.
Must admit cars seem better with a name like Avenger,gives the car a personality.
Unlike alphanumerics like CRV which is bottling it by the marketers.
Name is actually Wingroad, but computer played up,or thats my excuse, LOL
Friend of mine drives a Nissan Wingroad sort of a upscale Sentra wagon.
The name and the 6 cylinder engine could be the only thing going right for the avenger though, such a waste of name.
Falcon? Only if there’s a Blonde Angel of Death edition!
Falcon would have been so perfect to use on the Focus(which clearly was designed for a focus group), it would have fit right inline with Ford’s bizarre F naming strategy and they still owned the name. Hell Fairlane > Fusion for that matter.
210 would remind more people of ’70s Datsuns than tri-five Chevys. (but Nissan should revive 510 if it builds the iDX concept).
Falcon survived until recently on Australian Fords.
Falcon still has around 18 months left to live. I doubt Ford would use it elsewhere before then.
Coupe de Ville. Never going to happen. Acura Legend. Always loved the car and the name. Can Acura build a car worthy of that name now? Chrysler New Yorker, what a confident sounding name. They’re lucky to be here with America’s import. Lincoln Continental, or maybe you like MKZ better? Almost anything would be better than the alphabet soup we’re stuck with now.
Quite a few come to mind:
–Fifth Avenue –Fleetwood –Eldorado
–Electra –Aurora –Riviera
–Thunderbird –Firebird –Imperial
–Cougar –Fury
Certain there are more…those are the ones that immediately come to mind just because the names were memorable, even if the cars they were attached to were sometimes worthy of forgetting.
My names-wish list is the same as NorthShoreRealtr, (above). But also:
Chrysler LeBaron, or Imperial LeBaron and Crown for that matter.
As well, I like Dodge Lancer, Plymouth Sundance (my first new car), Park Avenue, Intrepid, Integra, Pheonix, Pacer, Corsair, (you all know I love Edsels, but I am NOT suggesting that name!). And how about Starfire, Delta, Comet and Marquis?
Fiat Chrysler’s ideas of brand hierarchy need to be thrown through the window and not only does Plymouth need to be brought back, but so does Dodge Trucks.
Dodge should sell just Trucks, Vans, and SUVs, but also the Viper since it has been around since the 1990s and renaming it would be silly.
Chrysler should continue to be upmarket like what Cadillac is to Chevrolet. Chrysler should never have sold a Voyager (in the United States) or any other non luxury vehicle. Also, the Chrysler Town and Country should not be the only Minivan available after 2016, that is so stupid.
Plymouth should sell everything else and be what Chevrolet is to Cadillac.
I am tempted to design my own badges and apply them to a (new) vehicle that I buy. American Value Package, Magnetic Ride, Bed Step, etc.
Exactly. Everyone outside the company still calls Ram trucks Dodges anyway, and Ram should be reserved as a model name for the pickup line only, ProMaster for the big vans and just call the small one Dodge City Van or Dodge Doblo.
Doblo sounds like ‘double-O’, a model railway scale.
How I miss evocative model and feature names! Lincoln Continental and Cosmopolitan, Chrysler Crown Imperial or New Yorker or Saratoga or Imperial LeBaron, 60 Special, Fleetwood Brougham, Coupe deVille, Patrician, President, Ambassador, Commodore all good. Hydra-glide, Hydra-matic, Powerglide, Dynaflow, Torsion-Level, Cruise-O-Matic, Ultramatic, Automatic Drive………maybe even Fluid Drive!
What sounds more like an honest, no frills basic car than Rambler American?
But, best model name ever? Apperson Jackrabbit!!!!
You clearly haven’t heard of the Mazda Bongo Friendee! It was a 1980s velour-lined passenger version of a forward control van.
ps that was sarcasm just in case I’m misunderstood!
Rambler, sounds like a relaxing Sunday afternoon drive.
“The Rambler” was also Samuel Johnson’s periodical. I wonder how many Am. Motors people knew this bit of 18th-century Tory trivia?
I like Powerglide™, that was a killer name. Ford staff envied Cadillac’s Northstar™, which was also the name of a Canadair DC-4 derivative.
Roadrunner. And get rid of the stupid Ram for Dodge trucks; it’s a Dodge. That’s all you need to know…
If you’re going to have an Impala, shouldn’t there also be a BelAir? And maybe it’s the BelAir and not the Impala that hits the rental fleets. Also, Nomad is a wondrous name, one befitting of an upscale Chevy SUV.
Bel Air or Biscayne would be a good name for the Impala Limited (previous gen model) that GM still builds for police and fleet customers. Limited traditionally implies a top of the line luxury model, not a workhorse.
Yeah, that name never made sense. “Classic” on prior-gen Malibus was clever – a nicer sounding spin on what literally means “old version”. But what’s “Limited” about a W-body Impala? My only guess is that it’s supposed to increase the appeal/resale for the retail buyers who purchase the 2-year-old versions after the rental companies pawn them off to dealerships at 1/3 the original price.
when i read the article i was not thinking so much about model names as i was about colors and options. we need more “hugger orange” and “go pack” and the little smirking bee is pretty cool too.
what do we have now? “convenience package” and “black onyx”. geez lammo and redundant respectively. oh, yes, we also have universal naming, and badging and scripts that follow corporate culture. i am so bored i could fall asleep.
Thunderbird. Probably my favorite car name of all time. Sounds powerful and kind of corny at the same time…perfectly American.
Bring back the Manly names! What the hell is a “C-Max” mean?
It’s in the C-segment of global car sizes, or what we Americans call “compact”. B-segment is our “subcompact,” and A-segment is micro/mini/city car, or Smart Fortwo-sized. Ford also makes a B-segment MPV called the B-Max (basically a tall Fiesta) and a B-segment CUV called the EcoSport (a Fiesta with a lift).
Ford also has a minivan based on their Mondeo D-segment platform. The S-Max, of course.
Bingo! That a big part of the problem. Leave the insider wonkish stuff out of the marketing department; branding 101. I think GM calling the Citation (aka the Crustacean) an “X” car was the first time the US public was exposed to that kind of stuff and it doesnt help.
Dragon – as in Kaiser Dragon. “I drive a Dragon Vagen”!
Vagabond – another great Kaiser name!
GMH built a Vauxhall Vagabond it was a E series Velox Convertible.
It brings images of drinking metal polish and asking passers by for spare change
Velox! Yes, it sounds like metal polish! Or possibly medicine for an upset stomach!
Vauxhall has some weird model names back in the fifties. Velox and Wyvern. I’m surprised they didn’t rename the top PA-series car the Gargoyle – it would’ve fit perfectly with the styling!
“I’ll be there soon, I’ll be in the Invicta Black Prince!”
Perfect!
I would have said Viva a year ago, but that is coming back.
Zephyr and Zodiac is so much better than Mondeo. Come on Ford.
Particularly since (a) I think the current Mondeo/Fusion is bigger than the old MkIV Zodiac/Executive and (b) one of Ford’s ongoing dilemmas with the D-segment is that the Mondeo lacks a “premium” image.
Ford did briefly revive the Zephyr name for Lincoln, in fact, with the predecessor of the Mondeo/Fusion-based MKZ. So, clearly we’re not the only ones who’ve had this idea.
My Favorite Lost Names:
Chrysler: Dodge Truck-Ram can be a sub line, Magnum, Valiant, Commando, Barracuda, Imperial, LeBaron.
Ford: Continental, Zephyr, Mark, Cougar, Falcon, Futura, Thunderbird,
GM: Chevy: Monte Carlo, Nova. Biscayne, Nomad
Pontiac: Bonneville, Grand Prix, Trans Am, Lemans, Grand Am
Olds: Cutlass, Regency, Starfire, Jetstar
Buick: Roadmaster, Electra, Riviera, Century, Invicta, LeSabre, Reatta,
Cadillac: Eldorado, Fleetwood, SeVille, Allante. Biaritz.
Sure there are others but the above come to mind first.
This is what I don’t understand.
GM still owns the names used by Pontiac and Oldsmobile. Why don’t they use them for Chevrolet and Buick?
What’s wrong with a Chevrolet Trans Am, Grand Am, or Grand Prix?
A Buick Regency or Cutlass Supreme?
What are they doing sitting on these names? What are they going to do with them?
LeSabre. It was the best selling nameplate in it’s class from 1991-2005.
New Yorker- Even the K-Car ones were nice. It sounds a lot nicer than 200 or 300.
AFAICT, LeSabre had too much of an old-people’s stigma. Given that the average age of a LeSabre buyer was somewhere around 70, I can see why they wanted to dump the name despite (or perhaps because of) it being emblematic of Buick as a whole.
Quit trying to make hip Buick happen! It’s not going to happen!
I own a 1995 LeSabre as my backup car. It’s my favorite. The name to me is iconic, but I can see why they changed it. Going to “LaCrosse” isn’t a far stretch of the imagination, but it just seems too willing to throw in the towel, I guess…
Whether it was to old people or not, GM had a huge hit with the LeSabre. They couldn’t build them fast enough it seemed…
It was once the car company many younger folks aspired to. In the 1960’s the A body Buick Skylark GNX was not your dad’s Buick and 20 years later the Grand National and the Grand National GNX were the cars to lust after.
I do agree with trying to make Buick appeal to younger folks as the older demographic that would be buying them, has shifted to Camry, Avalon and Accords(even before the death of the PA and Lesabre)
It is true that the 2000-2005 Lesabre was a big seller, but having owned one for 2 years(a 2005 with 60,000 miles on it) a few years ago, i found it both cheap feeling and not at all well made compared to the previous generation. Therefore I feel that the 1997-1999 era Lesabre was the last of the good Lesabres. I did not like the 92-96 versions due to the plastic fenders that seem to crack easy.
I have a 1997 Lesabre and had a 2005 Lesabre and the 97 feels so much better and solid then the 2005. The feeling could be found in the simple closing of the doors. The 2005 doors felt cheap
But was there too much disparity between the GNX and the rest of the Buick range? I think there needs to be a consistent feel and intent between the halo car and the rest of the products.
And a cheap-feeling Buick? That should be an oxymoron.
I own a 1995 LeSabre and the plastic fenders are still fine. But, I thought it was a bad idea, too. I prefer the metal fenders, and the 1997 streamlining really helped in my mind.
I agree on the 2000-2005 LeSabres- the interiors belong in an Impala. That’s where it looks like GM grabbed them, to me. The Oldsmobile Aurora was a much nicer car on the inside.
Buick needs to be a premium brand. Offer high end stuff in a refined package. But, showing young people in ads isn’t enough.
I think that Buick needs to refine itself, offering technology that you won’t get in a Chevrolet. I think they need to be the American Audi, of sorts.
Oldsmobile was working on it with the Aurora. A modern take on that would be a true Buick to me. If there was a wagon version, I’d be on cloud nine!
Lots come to mind, as everyone notes, but one above all, Lincoln Continental, and it needs to bring back all those fabulous 60’s styling cues. Secondly, the Thunderbird. Those wonderful evocative tag lines, “Lincoln Continental, America’s Most Distinguished Motorcar,” and “Thunderbird, Unique in all the World.”
I like snake-y names like Cobra and Viper.”Copperhead” is cool, but definately not “Rattlesnake”!
There was a Cobra replica in Australia decades ago called the Taipan after a local highly poisonous snake.
I’m definitely a name guy, unless the alphanumerics are actually part of the heritage, such as for BMW and MB.
American names I love and would like to see back:
LeSabre, Electra, Invicta, Riviera, Roadmaster, Skylark, Estate Wagon, Coupe DeVille, Sedan DeVille, Fleetwood, Eldorado, Monza, Monte Carlo, Newport, New Yorker, LeBaron, Daytona, Magnum, Falcon, Thunderbird, Country Squire, Grand Wagoneer, Renegade, Imperial, Continental, Town Car, Cougar, Comet, Marauder, Aurora, Cutlass, Delta 88, Ninety-Eight, Vista Cruiser, Custom Cruiser, Clipper, Fury, Road Runner, Barracuda, Valiant, Bonneville, Catalina, Ventura, Executive, Grand Prix, LeMans, Safari.
Great Japanese names: Legend, Integra, Prelude, Supra.
These just come to mind off the top of my head. But any of them beat most of what is on the market today.
I really like your list of names!
A lot of good old car names to think about. A few I like:
Fury (the one I would most like to see back)
Thunderbird
Wildcat
Triumph (British, I know, but a great car name and a marque I would like to see back)
Not really a favorite, but perhaps the most “futuristic sounding”: Futura
And just for fun, a few old descriptors (most just wouldn’t work today):
Pontiac’s “Radial Tuned Suspension”, or “RTS”
GM Delco’s “Wonderbar” radio
Olds’ “Rocket” V8’s
GM’s “Crossfire” fuel injection
My God, bring them ALL back! Even the crappiest names of the past were better than MK320LX50123SE. I have to imagine SOMEDAY people will tire of this naming hell we currently live in. *NEWSFLASH* reliable, safe and economical doesn’t require dull inoffensive names, or styling for that matter. It’s a small wonder why less and less people enjoy cars in this country, they’re all brainwashed into buying cars they hate inside for the misperception of practical.
When I saw that Dodge brought back Torqueflite and Scat Pack names I almost jumped through the ceiling in joy. If they can do it so can anyone else. Fuck focus groups.
Alpha numeric designations have two advantages: 1. They can never become politically incorrect (Studebaker Dictator?). 2. They can never acquire an ‘alternate’ embarrassing meaning (Chevrolet Nova? Yes, I know the story has been long disabused, but it still sticks). Which guarantees that marketing department will keep them going. In the long run, they’re safer.
You aware of the Top Gear controversy in Argentina caused by license plate alphanumerics? Literally everything can be taken as politically incorrect if read into.
For all the farmers out there, International made a model 666 tractor. It fit well into the naming scheme of their 66 series, but…
Numbers can still cause a problem! The Germans have done fine with boring names. But, we need to quit imitating Audi!
We’re America! I want a manly car!
Now, where is my ThunderCougarFalconBird!?
The Germans took a wise decision by giving their cars numbers. Any name would immediately and inevitably lead to all kinds of warfare-references.
There was an Eicher Tiger and Eicher Panther though: farm tractors.
And I want a Dodge Beaver, by the way. The original name for what would become the Demon, speaking of 666.
Number 2 is not exactly true. Aside from the example Matt gives, the number 4 is considered unlucky in Chinese-speaking countries because the Chinese word is a near-homophone for the word for “death.” Alfa had to rename Hong Kong-bound 164s “168” because 8 is a lucky number for comparable reasons.
What about the Audi A4, then?
An excellent question. Somebody who’s spent time in China would know better than I.
However, I would generally echo Syke’s thoughts and add 3) Alphanumerics create fewer (though by no means no) potential trademark headaches. It’s increasingly difficult to find any evocative English word that would actually survive a trademark search, so you end up with either made-up words or obscure ones that might as well be made up as far as most people are concerned. (“Corolla,” for instance, is an English word, but not one that shows up in casual conversation unless you’re a florist or a botanist.)
Well that’s definitely a problem, and unfortunately in the efforts to cover up notorious models by renaming them or copying other successful company’s naming schemes in a shallow and specious way to be competitive with them, a lot of the names many of us we’d like to see come back have long been abandoned and likely lost. For all of us who gripe about Toyota’s blandness(myself included) at least they stuck with their names for several decades.
Toyota’s certainly made do, though.
The Camry nameplate has been used since the 80s, if not earlier (I’m not a Toyota guy, so don’t hold me to the dates).
We have had nameplates. Impala. Taurus. Diplomat. Ambassador. Grand Prix. Wildcat. Toronado. Thunderbird.
Out of all of those, the only nameplate that we still use is the Impala (The Taurus is going away, apparantly). That’s the problem. We don’t need to come up with new names.
We can re-use names that still sound great. The Japanese can do it…
First Camry was 1980, if anyone cares.
It’s a Camry. Few people will care. 😉
The Camry’s a basic car that’s nothing special. But, people know what it is. I think that’s the value of a name. If Toyota can make a name last 35 years, so should we!
Good point, Syke. Another example is the all-new (at the time) 2005 Buick LaCrosse, which was sold in Canada as the “Allure”. Why? Because “LaCrosse” was discovered to be Quebec slang for masterbation. (Oh my!).
Travco
I’d love to see Ford or Lincoln resurrect the names like LTD, Montclair and Parklane and GM revive names like Electra, Wildcat, Caprice and Chevelle
In a Australia, lifting the hood on some models of Valiants equipped with a 318 V8 would reveal a large 318 Fireball decal on the air cleaner, I always thought it was a cool name for an engine.
One of my favourites would be
DeSoto Fireflite with Torsion-Aire suspension & Auto-Pilot cruse control
And as others have commented, a Dodge Truck should be exactly that.
Javelin, Hornet, Gremlin and Pacer. All the golden-age AMC names should come back, even though the Pacer was originally an Edsel trim level.
“even though the Pacer was originally an Edsel trim level.”
So was the Citation.
…and Ranger.
The Japanese home-market names have been consistently wonderful…Bongo, Sunny Excellent, Fairlady…but the best badge, which adorned an Isuzu truck, was the Light Dump.
Japanese names are the best! I’ll take an Izusu Mysterious Utility Wizard in blue, please…
I’d love to see Bongo Friendee brought over here, though, just to read the articles. Sadly, I think it would be a comedy-filled flop. 🙁
The Bongo Friendee got a mention here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-asian/curbside-classic-mazda-f800f1000-expresso-bongo/
Second-best being the Suzuki Mighty Boy. A lot of JDM car names are pretty normal, but trucks, MPVs, and light utility vehicles seem to consistently bring out the whacky
“Honda That’s” is my pick for most bizarre automotive name of all time.
I think Mitsubishi should bring back the Mighty Max.
Light Dump…sensational
I like those Toyota Royal Lounge Noah things
There is currently a Citroen Jumpy van, I can’t imagine how that decision was made!
…and a bigger Citroën Jumper van. Due to those Citroën names I would go for the Peugeot or Fiat versions of the same vans.
‘Isuzu Light Dump ‘ I crack up ever time i see that one!
And I seem to be the only senior citizen who isn’t wanting to live in the past and drag some old names back. I know the difference between an MKZ, MKS, MKC, and MKT – even though I’ve never driven a Lincoln newer than the late 1970’s.
Don’t matter to me what they call ’em. I worry about what they cost and how they drive. And if I’m interested in a car, I don’t have much trouble learning its name.
+1 There are plenty of names that I love, but the truth is that 99.9% of what “makes a name” is the car itself. 2002tii, M3, 300SL, DB4, 240Z, S2000, RS6, GTI, F-150, AMX, etc. – were they any less memorable than their counterparts with proper names? Of course not.
There are exceptions. Dodge re-using Challenger works because it’s so close to the original. Impala and Camaro work because they had only been out of production for a short time. But trying to bring back awesome names like Jetstar, Terraplane, Wildcat, Galaxie, etc. seems like the automotive equivalent of Jefferson Starship. We built this city on rock and roll, and in order for it to keep on rockin’ in the free world, it needs to look forward rather than backwards.
My problem with the Lincoln MK* names is, how do you say them? “EmmKayZee” or “Mark Z” (rhymes with “Mark III”)? Seriously, it creates confusion which is not a good way to reinforce brand identity. At least I can say “Continental”.
My Dad cross shopped a Zephyr when they first came out, about year later when he was serious about getting a new car Lincoln all of a sudden renamed it the MKZ, not that that was the only thing to dissuade the purchase but It certainly didn’t help. I’d hardy call change for the sake of change, especially when it comes to something as shallow as a name “looking forward”.
Diman is absolutely correct. Remember the Merkur brand, and it’s sporty car; the XR4Ti? I recall reading car magazine articles at the time, that even the sales people, as well as the consumers, were confused about the pronunciation. Was it “Mare-KOOR” (apparently, that was German for Mercury), or “Merkur”?. Initially, Hyundai had that problem as well, and published print ads to help clear up the pronunciation confusion in 1984. They advertised thattheir name “ryhmed with Sunday”!
One nameplate that has made a comeback is Isis though it is no longer attached to an upascale Morris sedan and Shooting brake.
Hahah… wow. Imagine if Morris were still around and selling a 2015 Isis? Although if that were the case, perhaps the jihadist group would have chosen a different name.
Fury. A 2 door version of the Chrysler 300S with the Hemi minimum would be awesome as a new Fury.
1. Chevelle, Galaxie 500, Nova, Fury, Roadrunner, Barracuda, Cheyenne, Jeepster.
2. Engine sizes in CUBIC INCHES, not liters.
3. Not a name, but rear windows that roll down on coupes. (yeah I know – who cares?)
Now that you mention it, I am astonished that the Jeepster name hasn’t been revived yet.
There was a Jeepster Concept in 1998. I really thought it was cool at the time
There would pretty obviously be a market for this kind of thing if it were priced within reason. Hell, if it had decently low CO2 numbers, there would be a substantial market in Europe, not just here. European buyers are apparently in love with cute utes.
Jeepster is certainly a cool name.
I agree with Cubic Inches but I think that would just confuse consumers, although I’m not sure your average car shopper looks at that number anymore, MPG and speed stats play a much bigger role now a days IMO. There was the Boss 302 Mustang a few years ago, that’s the only recent car I can think of that used C.I. over liters. I was actually pleasantly surprised they didn’t call it a “Boss 5.0”, which would have been really cheesy.
And I definitely agree with the roll down rear windows/hardtop. Not a name but they were called “Hardtops” in marketing, so indirectly it is.
My favorites are Flashamatic and Jetaway automatic transmissions and the Weather Eye.
My ’66 Tempest had ‘wondertouch’ power steering…
Toyota Van. Yes its a real name.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/10/junkyard-find-1984-toyota-van-with-bonus-san-francisco-beachfront-rust/
Acura Cadillac Infiniti Lincoln should loose alphabet soup names. Nobody knows or cares to learn them.
Danica Super Exceed FTW!
Bringing back some of the old name won’t bring back the cars they were attached to. Although I don’t see why Cadillac is calling the XTS that instead of DTS, unless they are trying to distance themselves from the de Ville era.
I don’t really think much of the current Cadillac names, but back before World War Two, they used series names, with the base Cadillac a series 60 after the mid 30’s. The Fleetwoods generally started at 70 and went up. At least you knew that the bigger the series number, the higher end. I would not suggest going back to that. They are changing to a two letter scheme (CTx for sedans, x is a number) with the first car a CT6. The CTS may become a CT4. One thing I can say for this is that I think it may make more sense than the present hodge podge of letters.
Audi’s system of letters and numbers works OK, but I am not up with all of the letters. I know that an A8 is top of the line, except that maybe there is an S8.
I’m guessing there won’t be a CT4 for the aforementioned Chinese language issue. Maybe CT5, though.
Don’t forget “Toyopet”
Toyota still has Toyopet-branded dealers in Japan, although they haven’t used the Toyopet badge on actual vehicles since the late ’70s.
The other reason a lot of the old names will probably never make a comeback, aside from what’s already been mentioned here, is that some of these names sound pretty silly today and marketing people are consistently terrified of looking silly. (And when they do try to be whimsical, it’s typically so heavy-handed and clunky that is borders on the actually painful.)
Years ago, a former coworker remarked that “Powerglide” sounds like a feminine hygiene product. A casual comment — and she might or might not have been joking, I don’t remember — but one person saying something like that in a meeting is enough to kill a name for an entire generation.
The desperate terror of looking ridiculous is perhaps the only thing middle-aged marketing people have in common with the teenagers to whom said marketers try so hard to sell things.
And yet their random alphanumerics look pretty silly.
Sometimes, but the same mentality that thinks “Powerglide” sounds embarrassing thinks alphanumerics are sophisticated and cool.
Utopian Turtletop
Andante con Moto
Hey now, everyone! Stop making fun of my Poor Edse!!!
FYI, GM actually still uses the Hydra-Matic trademark for their transmissions. Including “turbo” would probably just be confusing to the modern customer.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/index.php?page=Trans_guide
Here’s another one from the same poet, Don: Mongoose Civique.
Just kidding, Edsel.
Model names I miss are the romantic evocations of space and place, less names of cities. Starlight, Starliner, Vista Cruiser, Turnpike Cruiser, Belvedere, Panoramic, Sierra, Alpine, Skyway.
Names for excitement: Dynamic. Love that one.
Someone needs to make a Dymaxion. Really.
GM: Nova. Because “Cruze” is just silly.
FoMoCo: Lincoln Continental. With Mercury gone and Lincolns mainly sold through Ford dealers, the strategy behind the ’61 Continental could be due for a comeback.
Mopar: Duster. This would be ideal for the model sold in China as the Fiat Ottimo, which is a Dart hatchback.
What was that name that Buick used to put on their radios in the 60s? Something like Sonoramic, but that was a Mopar name.
I’ve always loved the name “Terraplane” as in Hudson. I guess Chrysler would have the rights to that one.
Well considering Dodge is able to have two models named Hellcat without inciting a riot from Bible thumpers, how about bringing Demon back? I always loved that name on the Duster’s cousin.
I have a notion to rebadge my two cars to their JDM names: Soarer and Celsior. I won’t even discuss Cadillac throwing their history away.
I’d buy a Weaselstomper if anyone had the cajones to name a vehicle as such.
The person at GM responsible for dropping “Roadmaster” and the person at Ford responsible for dropping “Zephyr” should be whipped with boiled spaghetti. Have they no sense of heritage? No sense at all?
That ZF automatic had better prove to be as rugged as an original TorqueFlite or Chrysler should be put in the stocks.
“That ZF automatic had better prove to be as rugged as an original TorqueFlite or Chrysler should be put in the stocks.”
Ultradrive, ultradrive, ultradrive…
From the cobwebs of my automotive trivia mind: Fury, Wildcat, Galaxie, Belevdere, Savoy, Commander, President, Dictator, Skylark, Catalina, Cruise-a-matic, TorqueFlite, Comfortron AIr Conditioning, Ultramatic, Dynaflow, Turbohydramatic, PowerFlite, AirTemp Air Conditioning, Select-Aire Conditioning, Magic Lacquer finish, body by fisher, Mirror baked enamel finish, torsion air suspension, ride engineered, Radial Tuned Suspension, Pleasureizer shock absorbers, Oraflow shocks…….
Anyone recall how the extreme left (colder) setting on AMC’s HVAC knob was labeled “for dessert use only”?
Edsel. Definitely Edsel.
Gyromatic. Liquamatic. Ranger. Pacer. Corsair. Citation. Utopian Turtletop. Mongoose Civique.
Oh, wait. These are supposed to be names that actually sell cars?
Bel-Air. Impala Super Sport. Bonneville. Catalina. Grand Prix. Fleetwood Sixty-Special. Eldorado. Ninety-Eight. Dual-Range Hydra-Matic. Fairlane 500. Four-door hardtops. Two-door hardtops. Station wagons.
Not a name, but the fuel filler hidden behind the driver’s-side taillight (I’m looking at you, Cadillac!). Fender skirts (yes, I like them; I imprinted on them as a child, and luxury cars have never been the same without them).
I think a lot of really great suggestions have alreadxy been made, so I’ll try to keep it original.
Cadillac Talisman. It wasn’t around long before and I think it’s a great name that would work well on a flagship Cadillac model.
Dodge Phoenix and Monaco.
Fiero, though I don’t know what brand would use it since Pontiac is no more. I like the name and the fire-breathing dragon emblem they used.
Dodge Ramcharger, though I’m not holding my breath for this one.
There’s a car that floats around in my mind, a car I draw and redesign constantly, a car that’s not actually a car, but a movement. In the 1960s we lost Studebaker. Their last true effort, the Lark, was a grand idea. Build a “modular” car, one that could lend some or even all of its parts to create a new design by simply rearranging them. I could imagine Studebaker coming back as an independent company once more, using the soon-to-be-released Tesla platform to create a new modular car. A new Lark. By licensing the Telsa chassis and battery pack, by using 3D printing methods to create all the little parts, by putting them together outside a factory environment (and thus earning “kit-car” status and avoiding crash test standards), and by selling them through an online dealership… We might see something very great. Or not, knowing that America’s regulation of everything makes achieving a dream such as that nearly impossible nowadays. Still… A new Lark! Maybe.
Biscayne (Chevrolet), also Delray and Yeoman-1958 only
Chieftain (Pontiac)
Cranbrook (Plymouth)
Super (Rambler)
Looking back at some of the cars that I owned over the years and its modern focus group polished names:
Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT —- (AR – GS)
Oldsmobile Delta 88 —- (Olds – 88)
Austin Clubman Estate —- (Mini Estate)
Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham —- (Cadillac YTX)
Chrysler needs a premium, ultra-soft nappa leather seating option called – what else? – Corinthian leather. It’s a Chrysler trademark that nobody else can use and is fondly remembered. It also has no real meaning so it can be whatever they want it to be. But it sounds elegant (and of course “soft” and “rich”) and it’s associated entirely with one brand. Who else has their own brand of leather?
Buick have a convertible called Cascada..is that a laxative..why not Skylark?
LEGEND LEGEND LEGEND! As a matter of fact Acura should consider bringing back the Integra name too. Why throw away years of recognition and trust in a name? Totally stupid if you ask me!
The Legend name is still used in Japan, although it has a definite “not long for the world” vibe. (They didn’t introduce the latest version until a month ago, more than a year after the latest RLX.)
Spitfire4 MK2……..
Falcon……
Rambler American…..
As Van Halen once sang, ” Baby where have all the good times gone? “
The comments section here is so brilliant, there is no other name I can add. Other than say that I would put my hat in for Galaxie and Falcon from Ford. Nova on the Cruze and build a sweet wagon body for that super epsilon Impala and make us a Nomad again. Lastly, make a proper SUV for Jeep to carry the Grand Wagoneer name again.
“Probe”. With the special “Osis” interior trim package….
I would be afraid of a Probe with Powerglide.
I am surprised that nobody has used either Adventurer or Scout for an SUV.
Studebaker had some names that would so well again like Champion and Hawk. I think Jeep did recycle Commander a few years ago, but put it on an unpopular vehicle.
Hornet and Wasp should be back as well.
Humber Super Snipe
It’s not just a regular ol’ Snipe, it’s a SUPER Snipe..
That would be fitting on a Chrysler 300 for the UK market.
Not super minx then?how about sceptre ,stiletto? Rootes put great names on dull cars.
The Dodge Durango would wear the “Husky” name well.
If Buick ever decided to do a version of the “Volt”, “Electra” would be an obvious name!
Datsun
Actually, the Datsun brand has returned in 2013, in India.