# Japanese car nomenclature. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 12, 2001, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951 "2001-08-12T22:29:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2001, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/1 "2001-08-12T22:29:32Z")
In Japan, how are car trim models named. For example Civic EX, Civic LX. Impreza WRX. Do they use Japanese Characters, Then aproximate them into the English alphabet. Do they use a completely different system in Japan, then create the letter system for the American and European markets. Or do they just always use the English letters to fit into an English language dominant world market. ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/2 "2001-08-13T00:19:21Z")
I have never seen a Japanese character used as a factory-installed emblem on a car. The world may be dominated by the English language, but it is most definitely dominated by the Roman alphabet and numerals. ---
**Author:** ![Oystaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@Oystaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oystaman)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/3 "2001-08-13T01:03:17Z")
I think they just use letters that sound good together. Especially “x” ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/4 "2001-08-13T02:26:30Z")
I bet the Japanese model and trim names are either English-sounding, or in Roman characters. Witness the “Engrish” phenomenon; the Japanese incorporate much English into their product names and advertising. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/5 "2001-08-13T02:33:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Oystaman \* > \*\*I think they just use letters that sound good together. > Especially “x” \*\* I think that’s pretty true. Car makers are very fond of L,R,S,X,Z… etc (the macho letters). You won’t often see a D,H, J, or P. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/6 "2001-08-13T02:41:15Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* \*\* > [@](#): > > You won’t often see a D,H, J, or P. \*\* I’ll have to call you on this one. H is used quite a bit, as in HO, for High-Output (Ford and Pontiac both used this one a lot) or Hurst/Olds; Honda and Jaguar have also had designations using “HF”, too. **J** aguar has been rather fond over the years of using “J” in different model designations. Honda’s most common trim designator is **D** X. Nothing with “P” comes immediately to mind, though. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/7 "2001-08-13T03:22:29Z")
As far as I know, the only car sold in Japan with a Japanese model name (not make or company name, but model name) is the Camry. It means “crown.” And even that is written in the English alphabet. There are cars sold in the US with Japanese-sounding names, but in Japan they are sold under English-sounding names. The Miata (which sounds vaguely Japanese but I’m not sure of the origin) is called the Eunos Roadster. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/8 "2001-08-13T03:55:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*As far as I know, the only car sold in Japan with a Japanese model name (not make or company name, but model name) is the Camry. It means “crown.” And even that is written in the English alphabet. There are cars sold in the US with Japanese-sounding names, but in Japan they are sold under English-sounding names. The Miata (which sounds vaguely Japanese but I’m not sure of the origin) is called the Eunos Roadster. \*\* Actually Toyota name a very large number of their cars “Crown” in different languages. There’s the “Crown” obviously, the “Corona”, the “Camry”, the “Corolla”, the “Cressida” and probably some others that I can’t think of right now. ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/9 "2001-08-13T12:45:03Z")
wolfman, I agree with wishbone. I bought an imported Mitsubishi FTO about six months ago (it had been built in and for Japan & had been owned there for the first 3 years of its life). On its boot lid are - in English letters - “Mitsubishi” and “GPX” (GPX is its trim level - other FTO trims are GS, GX, GR, GPversionR, and I don’t know what ANY of them stand for!) AFAIK these letters are original (as is the “FTO” graphic embedded in the plastic rear bumper). The only Japanese writing on the car is on small plates (e.g. on the driver’s door; in the engine compartment). Also, what occ said: FTO stands for (wait for it…) “Fresh Touring Origination”. Hmmm…you drive a what? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DVous\_Means](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@DVous\_Means](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVous_Means)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/10 "2001-08-13T13:51:55Z")
re the unfashionable letters D,H,J,P Loaded Dog should remember that the biggest selling cars in Australia’s history wore designations such as HQ, EH, FJ… ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/11 "2001-08-14T23:35:42Z")
Actually, one of the first big successes in the Japanese car market was the Nissan/Datsun Bluebird, a word completely un-render-able in Japanese (buruubaado). English has always been “sexy” and “high-tech” in Japanese marketing, so of course cars have tended to have English names. These are often changed for foreign markets; the Bluebird became the 210 (I think - it might’ve been the 510), since I guess Bluebird sounded a bit fruity to native speakers… ---
**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:** [August 15, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-car-nomenclature/75951/12 "2001-08-15T02:22:28Z")
Sometimes the Japanese automakers aren’t paying attention. Several years ago they offered a Mazda RX-7 with a Limited Slip Differential and badged the car accordingly.