# How in the hell do they come up with these stupid car names? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 19, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759 "2005-11-19T03:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/41 "2005-11-19T18:35:27Z")
My vote for most insensitive car name: the **Chevy Avalanche**. Having lost friends as the result of tons of cascading snow, this thing is just offensive to me. Dumbest car manufacturer name: **KIA**. Why would I buy something that is already Killed In Action? Car names should be creative, so I offer the following: **Llada Crapola** : Shitty performance, turd-shaped, similar to the Ford Taurus. **Audi Duty** : Wooden performance, no strings attached. **Ford Excrement** : Latest in the line of crappy SUVs from Ford, that start with the letters “ex”. **Seat Swon** : Spain’s micro mini urban commuter for those who don’t want to use the carpool lane. **Mercedes RMF** (Rich MotherFucker): Tells it like it is. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/42 "2005-11-19T18:36:53Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The poet Marianne Moore [names for the Edsel]…(some of which, to be honest, were pretty stinky themselves…“The Intelligent Whale”?) **Magigravue. Pastelogram. Turcotingo! Mongoose Civique! UTOPIAN TURTLETOP!** ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/43 "2005-11-19T18:41:42Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > My vote for most insensitive car name: the **Chevy Avalanche**. Having lost friends as the result of tons of cascading snow, this thing is just offensive to me. > > Dumbest car manufacturer name: **KIA**. Why would I buy something that is already Killed In Action? > > Car names should be creative, so I offer the following: > > **Llada Crapola** : Shitty performance, turd-shaped, similar to the Ford Taurus. > > **Audi Duty** : Wooden performance, no strings attached. > > **Ford Excrement** : Latest in the line of crappy SUVs from Ford, that start with the letters “ex”. > > **Seat Swon** : Spain’s micro mini urban commuter for those who don’t want to use the carpool lane. > > **Mercedes RMF** (Rich MotherFucker): Tells it like it is. Letterman did a Top Ten List of rejected car names. My favorite: The Yugo Screwyourself ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/44 "2005-11-19T18:43:36Z")
The whole list: 1. Pontiac Cyst 2. Dodge Glove 3. Oldsmobile Beiruter 4. Nissan Spleen 5. Chevy Junta 6. Hyundai Accordion 7. Mazda Eczema 500 8. Dodge Johnson 9. Yugo Screw Yourself 10. Ford Gelding ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/45 "2005-11-19T19:16:36Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Letterman did a Top Ten List of rejected car names. My favorite: > > The Yugo Screwyourself Letterman is as subtle as an anvil. I would have called it the **Yugo Tahel** or somesuch. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/46 "2005-11-19T19:48:40Z")
I saw a car with “Cressida” on the back and laughed myself silly. They’re really pandering to the lowest common denominator with these names, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/47 "2005-11-19T21:24:47Z")
> [@Tracy Lord](#): > > I saw a car with “Cressida” on the back and laughed myself silly. They’re really **pandering** to the lowest common denominator with these names, aren’t they? The Amish judge gives it a 10. Good callout! ---
**Author:** ![who\_me\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/87869e/32.png) [@who\_me\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/who_me_2)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/48 "2005-11-19T21:46:49Z")
> [@](#): > > but it’s called the “Aspire”… heh, round here we call it the “Asspirate” ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/49 "2005-11-19T22:49:17Z")
Wouldn’t you know it. **Colibri** beat me to the Tercel explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/50 "2005-11-20T00:18:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > **Llada Crapola** You mean Lada? You can get _Russian_ cars in Alaska? Cool. ---
**Author:** ![VegemiteMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df788c/32.png) [@VegemiteMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VegemiteMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/51 "2005-11-20T00:22:47Z")
No, _Llada_, it’s …uh… Welsh, yeah, that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/52 "2005-11-20T00:38:59Z")
Oldsmobile claimed that “Toronado” didn’t mean anything, but it’s slightly misspelled Spanish for “swimming bull.” ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/53 "2005-11-20T02:37:08Z")
Ladas were sold in Canada for quite a while starting in the eighties. But then Hyundai arrived, beat the pants off them with their first inexpensive model, the Pony, and started marching upmarket. I still have friends who swear that the Lada Niva, a small 4x4, was one of the best cars they ever owned. Apparently it was built “thick and simple”: the car was old tech, with easy to repair parts. The Lada sedan was considered Canada’s equivalent to the Yugo. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/54 "2005-11-20T03:02:06Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Ladas were sold in Canada for quite a while starting in the eighties. But then Hyundai arrived, beat the pants off them with their first inexpensive model, the Pony, and started marching upmarket. > > I still have friends who swear that the Lada Niva, a small 4x4, was one of the best cars they ever owned. Apparently it was built “thick and simple”: the car was old tech, with easy to repair parts. > > The Lada sedan was considered Canada’s equivalent to the Yugo. Yeah, I guess it’s only got one “L”. The Niva was as described. I’ve also seen a Panda 4x4, which was just wrong. Hey, how about a **Fiat Donfaylme**? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/55 "2005-11-20T04:26:06Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > What’s really stupid is when they re-use a car name: > > [1978 Mercury Zephyr](http://www.postcardpost.com/cr34.jpg) > > [2006 Lincoln Zephyr](http://www.seriouswheels.com/2006/2006-Lincoln-Zephyr-FA-Flags-1600x1200.htm) From 1936 to 1948 (with a break for World War II), the [original Lincoln Zephyrs](http://www.lzoc.org/photos/photos.htm) were manufactured. As post #282 in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269920&page=6&pp=50&highlight=Edsel+Pacer) demonstrates, several Edsel model names have been recycled, both by Ford Motor Company (Ranger, Villager) and other manufacturers (Pacer, Citation). Other revived names have been Phoenix ([1960 Dodge](http://www.seriouswheels.com/1960-1969/1960-Dodge-Phoenix-Hardtop.htm), [1984 Pontiac](http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/1215/phoenix.htm)) and Skylark ([1940 Hupmobile](http://www.ragtopsmotorcars.com/40hupmobile/cartemppg.html), [1954 Buick](http://www.calcruising.com/54skylark.html)). General Motors took the first from Chrysler Corporation, the second from the now-defunct Hupp Motor Company. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/56 "2005-11-20T04:33:52Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Oldsmobile claimed that “Toronado” didn’t mean anything, but it’s slightly misspelled Spanish for “swimming bull.” I have an old _Car & Driver_ magazine. 1966, I think. There’s an article on the Toronado in it. I didn’t realise that car was front-wheel drive. Oh, and it got crappy mileage according to the article. (They didn’t call it that – it was 1966. But it was like 16 mpg.) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/57 "2005-11-20T04:34:43Z")
> [@Tracy Lord](#): > > I saw a car with “Cressida” on the back and laughed myself silly. They’re really pandering to the lowest common denominator with these names, aren’t they? Some drivers are so embarrassed by the Cressida insignia that they Priam off. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/58 "2005-11-20T04:39:42Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Some drivers are so embarrassed by the Cressida insignia that they Priam off. If they don’t, they get hectored every time they take the car out. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/59 "2005-11-20T04:40:23Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > The Yaris has been around for years. It’s just now being imported into the US to replace the Echo. I have seen it here for at least 4 years. It never sold well though. > [@lorinada](#): > > Honda’s website hints it’s because it is a car “[for](http://world.honda.com/investors/annualreport/2005/07.html) the [people](http://world.honda.com/CIVIC/history/01/02.html)”. As opposed to a car for whom? > [@Bambi Hassenpfeffer](#): > > Don’t forget the Mazda Laputa, which thankfully is not marketed in Spanish-speaking countries. That’s a car I would buy, if only because of the name. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759/60 "2005-11-20T06:31:21Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > That’s a car I would buy, if only because of the name. 😃 If I had one, I would drive down to Miami or up to Orlando just to watch fellow motorists drive off the road, laughing hysterically. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-in-the-hell-do-they-come-up-with-these-stupid-car-names/331759.md?page=4)