More to the point, why don't we get the really cool names they use in foreign/home markets like the Mazda Friendlee Bongo or the Geely King Kong? Stephen --- On Fri, 6/18/10, Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> Subject: NVC vehicle model names? WT_ were they thinking? To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Date: Friday, June 18, 2010, 12:08 PM
When car and truck companies name a vehicle it's supposed to evoke an image, right? Get you, as a prospective buyer thinking about "the...Whatever.." and how cool it sounds, so you'll be more likely to buy one of them, right? Well sometimes that might work.....a little, but most of the model designations are pretty lame and some are downright laughable... Anybody care to cite a few and what they bring to your mind? How bout the SUVs? (I am not dissin anyone's ride here, just commenting on the Names) the Yukon, the Armada? The Tundra?....Brings to my mind those huge open pit mining trucks driving across a fragile landscape crushing all kinds of delicate plants and leaving frozen ruts for All of Time.. The Range Rover....back in the day that may have been kinda appropriate as a name forthe very adequate off road vehicles that they were... but now the name evokes a couple of snobby wanna-be adventure tourists dressed up headed to a play, driving on the freeway. Toyota Tercel...does that evoke a small falcon swooping along? Nope...not to me anyhow...I think "generic little car" with a dumb name.\ "Hummer"...nuff said. Dodge Magnum...that one sort of fits the vehicle..and Powerstroke Diesel Ford...good description, I guess...But "Excursion" for the SUV? Or Tahoe? I don't think 'beautiful alpine lake' when I see one of those oversized tanks rolling along with Mom in it, headed to the supermarket.. Here's a couple of 're-badge' suggestions: The old Air cooled vans from VW should have been called "Antartics" maybe..or "Glaciers" Aztecs coulda been called Upchucks. Land Cruisers could be Land Crushers. Prius' could be Prissys. Pontiac Vibe?...no comment. I dunno...I was creeping through Portland, Or. rush hour recently amusing myself looking at the Marketeers names on all the vehicles and just chuckling at some of them...Motorhomes are further out..Even Porsche got into it recently...with the Cayenne, the Cayman, the Boxster...maybe they shoulda stuck with the numbers. .. Don Hanson |
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