Right folks the current thread on the mitsubishi Carisma has got me thinking - which cars are misnamed so badly that you could sue the manufacturer under the trades descriptions act?
Mitsubishi Carisma - more like charisma bypass!
Suzuki Swift - the GTi was nippy but it was hardly swift.
Mitsubishi Shogun Sport - Sport? your having a laugh!
Skoda Superb? more like the Skoda Not bad
There must be a load more that i'm sure you can think of.
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This topic has be aired in the forums in the past, but it's only fair to point out that the Superb, a slightly stretched version of the Passat, revived the model name of a much admired Skoda of the past.
The Czecks have always been excellent engineers and although Skodas were so often the focus of jokes in the past, they were better than many gave them credit. Remember the long run of annual RAC Rally successes in their class?
Mitsubishi can probably claim it is exempt from criticism as it leaves the aitch out of the car's name....:-)
Here's a link which sums up the Carisma perfectly:
en.mimi.hu/car/mitsubishi_carisma.html
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Nissan Sunny.
Toyota Picnic.
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A bizarre Toyota decision:
www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000853027736/
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Datsun Cherry (cars and pips don't mix well)
Morris Minor (when it made a Major contribution to motoring)
Fiat Bravo/a (any Fiat is only for the brave?)
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Rover Metro (underground rust)
Toyota Yaris (rear seats not best for backsides)
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Mercedes Vaneo!
What were they thinking?!
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Probably the same as when them came up with the Viano!
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Adam
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Why do some makers insist on using numbers for names?
BMW, Peugeot, Mercedes, hang your heads in shame. At least Renault saw the light some years ago and reverted back to mames..
I've never bought a car with a number name and never will.
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Volkswagen Sharon.
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Golf. Don't get me wrong - great cars but back in the day, when the MkI had just come out, did it not sound ridiculous?
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Adam
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Golf. Don't get me wrong - great cars but back in the day, when the MkI had just come out, did it not sound ridiculous?
Would you rather say you drive a VW golf or a VW Rabbit like the yanks have to?
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You're kidding me. I know they call the Beetle a Bug but you can't be serious.
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Adam
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Oh yes i can!
s87762315.onlinehome.us/month.htm
And it's not just a nick name like the Bug but VW america actually called it the rabbit!
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Well I'll be damned. Unbelievable! Almost as silly as a "Corolla" or even an "Avensis"!.
;-)
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Adam
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Well I'll be damned. Unbelievable! Almost as silly as a "Corolla" or even an "Avensis"!.
Almost as bad as the new Ford Out-Of-Focus!
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Even more wierd, the septics liked the name!
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VW america actually called it the rabbit!>>
Now you know why you see so many Golfs there...:-)
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No more than its little sister the Derby. It all went horribly wrong with the Marina, that's where the rot set in. Wolsely 18/22
was ok though. Nissan Cedric, Hyundai Pony, wasn't Citroen Xsara the first car with a totally made up name. Don't even go there with US cars, LeBaron?!
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- Skoda Favorit - surely nobody's favourite car?!
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and its range topper, the Sharon Carrot. OK, Carat
-- Lee Having a Fabialous time.
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i think the 'Sharon' was made for essex housewifes maybe?
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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I've never bought a car with a number name and never will.
I've heard some bizarre reasons for avoiding a car, but that has to take the biscuit.
Actually, my Gran had exactly the opposite opinion 'what's with giving them all these airy-fairy names, when a number would do'. I doubt, had she been a car driver, that she'd have based a buying decision on it though.
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I've heard some bizarre reasons for avoiding a car, but that has to take the biscuit.
Peugeot three hundred and seven, four hundred and six.
Totally meaningless.
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True but you don't say "I have a Peugeot Four Hundred and Seven". You say "I have a four oh seven".
What does Mondeo mean?
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Adam
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clever name - almost the Spanish word for world (mundo)
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Also eerily close to Mundane which describes it perfectly.
The Focus is an anagram of sucof and the Escorst was a Scrote re-arranged.
Ford need to tghink more carefully.
As for a Probe!
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True but you don't say "I have a Peugeot Four Hundred and Seven". You say "I have a four oh seven".
But that's what they say Adam, Do you see my point though?
Four oh seven then, still totally meaningless it could be called 931, 575, 29 or whatever.
i rest my case m'lud.
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But generally, for those manufacturers which use numbers, they do mean something. And actually, they are a much clearer indication of what type of car it is.
What's easier to understand as a progression of size of car:
106, 206, 306, 406
or
Corsa, Astra, Vectra, Omega?
And what do any of those words mean, in terms of the car, that makes them preferable to a number?
I do see your point, a number is hardly emotionally charged, it can't on it's own evoke any feelings. But that's OK, it leaves it to the car to do so instead, so can't be used to cover up how dull most of them are.
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Alright Imagos. I see your point!
I will end my post with 3 little numbers,
911.
:-)
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Adam
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Reliant.
My father in law used to get dozens of happy, care free motoring from his.
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I've never bought a car with a number name and neverwill.
Just when I had thought that you would love my BMW 530d for 2.5p !
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At least the Vectra never morphed into the predicted Vectrum -that would have been fun for Jeremy and his little pals...!
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Nissan Silvia.
Liked the car, but could never buy one because of the name.
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Ford Ka. Because it's almost a car.
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It must be the Chevy Nova which takes the biscuit. Of course "No Va" in Spanish means "doesn't go". I bet that one had the marketing loonies wondering why sales were so poor in the US Hispanic community.
Slightly peripheral, but also the Honda VTEC. VTEC is an afflication of the bowel similar to e.coli......
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Slightly peripheral, but also the Honda VTEC. VTEC is an afflication of the bowel similar to e.coli......
I thought the air conditioning had a dodgy smell.
:-)
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I really really really wish that ford would bring out an Si version of the Ka!
It has to be done - Please!
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A clutchless version could be called the Auto-Ka
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If it got nicked it could be the Ka-less.
Anyway; Ssayong ?
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most 70s and 80s ford cars capri, sierra etc give the impression of something exotic which they really were not. admittedley they were not the only ones car manufacturers seem to be living on another planet with some of the names they dream up...cheers...keo.
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The Capri Cabaret and Calypso by any chance? Well ard motor.
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My favourite is always the dymanic names given to caravans :-
Crusader
Valliant
Viking
Swift
Ghengis Khan
OK, I might have made the last one up. Favourite this weekend, and there's been a lot of caravans in the Lakes was one being pulled through Keswick by a Picasso ... more a political statment than a name
The Sterling Europa
-- Lee Having a Fabialous time.
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Ah, you can't get more exotic than a Yaris, why didn't they call it a bunion, it looks more like one?
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Did they ever launch the Ford KA sport Injection - Kasi is such a nice name.
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8< snip 8<
nothing like an honest unashamed plug.
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ooops guess from your tone you can't put links in your sig, ok its gone, sorry
LP
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ooops guess from your tone you can't put links in your sig, ok its gone, sorry
Correct, not without the permission from HJ first. It's always polite to ask the owner of a site before you start advertising on it. I've removed all reference of them from your previous posts. DD.
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Did they ever launch the Ford KA sport Injection - Kasi is such a nice name.
Yeh i think you are right there if you wasnt a bloke! But Ka sounded weird but it was original!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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>>If it got nicked it could be the Ka-less.>>
Or the SI version if it had a built-in loo?
Ssanggyong is a marque, not a model.
At least Peugeot's numbers usually go in sequence i.e. 205, 206 and 405, 406 and 407.
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Surely following in the footsteps if the sport-ka and the street-ka it would be a Si-Ka?
Given the goverments current policy for giving anything they can their own dedicated lanes on the road perhaps these would also get a special lane Si-Ka-Paths.
I'll get me coat!
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What about the Bedford Rascal?
Also recall something like a (Bedford?) Scamp
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Ford Mundano
Nissan All Mere
Citroen Sucks So
Fiat Pun To (Drive)
Daewoo Newbie
Skoda in Czech language means "damage", "loss" or "pity".
Oh. And of course the infamous Toyota MR2 badge in French speaking countries - "I drive Toyota Merde, pfft, va va voom"
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I always like the vans that are called Largo, obviously a cross between large and cargo. Musically, Largo is a term for slowly or similar. My car is a Mitsubishi Legnum (numb leg?) The small snail-shaped vans are called S-Cargo.
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Presenting the...
Hillman AVENGER
(and its american cousin the Plymouth CRICKET)
Regards,
John R @ Home
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Can't believe nobody has mentioned the Allegro (unless I have missed it). It was anything but quick.
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Austin Allegro....should have been Adagio senza accellerando.
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I see they have now, lol.
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I think I mentioned this before but today I saw another Ford Everest Ascent 4WD. Must be some 4WD.......
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How about the Lancia Dedra? Certainly finally killed off the brand in the UK...
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During the 1970's Ford went through a period of naming their cars after porn mags - Escort and Fiesta!
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On a related subject - why so many variations of suffixes on vehicle types. OK everyone knows what GTi (thats the sporty one) and TDi (thats the smokey one) mean, but L, LX, GL, GX, XSi, SX, Si etc.... Any point or meaning to these???
Leon
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I know a few such as LX - Luxury Extra, GLX - Grand Luxury Extra. I can guess most are a variation of some sort on these.
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Adam
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GTE as an the old astra GTE is the german equivalent of a GTI - can't remember the exact word but injection in german starts with an E.
Same with a Peugeot 306 S16 - the french for valve is something like Soupage so it means 16v.
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Ford Mondeo: - 'mon dieu!' in French = 'Oh my God!'
Here's a suggestion for Japanese manufacturers who like using English sounding names just for their sound, without much reference to their context:
The Honda Breakdance
The Diahatsu Stop
The Nissan Grand Piano 4x4 Deluge
The Subaru Legume
Cheers, SS
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not misnames, but remembering back to 50s-60s...
Hillman Imp, Singer Chamois/Gazelle, Sunbeam Rapier, Ford Pilot/Prefect and (my all time favourite) Morris Minor Traveller. Austin must have been ahead of its time with use of numbers, A30/35/40.
I feel better now.
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Hmmmm....Renault Migraine!
Clive.
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Hacko
What bout the Morris 100000 - yes it was true probably the first limeted edition car ever, made circa 63(?) to vlebrate, quite rughtly, a million moggies.
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oh yes, forgot abt that Milestone Moggy - my dear Dad loved his Minors (mostly 850s) and I was pretty well weaned on 'em. Then, for some strange reason, he bought a new Ford Popular (couldn't afford the Anglia!) - think Mum, wanted to go modern or posh.
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Was that the sit up and beg or the lay down and give in?
Clive.
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bit late, but yes - the one you could wear a top hat in
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>>The Nissan Grand Piano 4x4 Deluge
Laughing out loud again, thanks SS
-- Lee Having a Fabialous time.
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If we're going back into history the worst misnomer of all was surely the Hillman Minx. A minx is a girl with spirit - all Hillmans (Hillmen or even Hillpersons) were pedestrian, underpowered horrors - engine always a size too small for the body.
My mum had one (circa 1947) in the early 50's when I was very small - I can just remember it but I can certainly remember her saying that my dad's A40 Devon was like a Bentley in comparison.
The Austin seems conventional now but was quite ahead of its time with four gears, overhead valves, independent front suspension (I think), a 12-volt battery and an ability to start reliably from cold.
Someone has mentioned the Avenger - this and the Hunter were similarly unlikely to live up to their names. Alongside the Hunter (late 1960s) they also marketed a Minx version with even less power, if that was possible.
It was sad to see the old names go, especially Austin, Riley and Triumph, but I don't think there was a wet eye in the country when the Hillman name breathed its last.
OK Hillman fans, blast back....
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Blast back. Avenger Tiger. Bit of a beast in it's time.
Clive.
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