# Stupidest NAME for any Car **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 21, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331 "2003-12-21T17:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/101 "2004-10-20T14:44:41Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > IIRC, the 280 ZX was going to be called “Bluebird.” Seems Datsun/Nissan has a thing for cheery names. IIRC, the Nissan Sentra is marketed in the UK as the “Executive Bluebird Deluxe” ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/102 "2004-10-20T14:49:37Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Ford was going to name a car the “Banshee,” too…they decided to go with “Thunderbird” instead. I guess Detroit happened to have a copy of the “Big Book of Mythology” handy. ``` Actually, I belive it was the (Pontiac) Firebird that was supposed to have the name Banshee. ``` Still, you wonder where the heck the guy with the Book of Mythology was when they named the Gremlin. ``` Then again, my Uncle had one. Gremlin was a good name for it. ;) ``` I still giggle whenever I hear an ad for the Volkswagen “Toe-rag” ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/103 "2004-10-20T15:01:36Z")
> [@Sweetums](#): > > I still giggle whenever I hear an ad for the Volkswagen “Toe-rag” Whoever’s pronouncing it “Toe-rag” is a moron. The word is pronounced “TWAH-regg”. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/104 "2004-10-20T15:14:50Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Whoever’s pronouncing it “Toe-rag” is a moron. The word is pronounced “TWAH-regg”. :rolleyes: WHOOSH!!! ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/105 "2004-10-20T15:38:27Z")
I realize that this is excessively pedantic, but that’s never stopped me before. Nissan _Maxima_ Ki ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/106 "2004-10-20T15:42:49Z")
Sonovagun, that was wild! The tip of my pinkie finger somehow got stuck between a bunch of keys and before I knew it my post got submittinated! Sorry 'bout that! Anyway: Nissan _Maxima_ Kia _Spectra_ In each case, we are talking about _one_ car, yes? Then why isn’t _Maximum_ and _Spectrum_? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/107 "2004-10-20T16:22:12Z")
Anal Lotus Anal RoadRunner Anal Excursion Anal Beetle… ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/108 "2004-10-20T19:59:15Z")
There’s also the [Tongtain Glow](http://www.autoindex.org/maker.plt?no=2441). I think I win with _Anal Glow_. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/109 "2004-10-20T20:35:10Z")
What? No one’s mentioned the [Renault Twingo](http://www.renault.com/gb/produits/twingo.htm)? I’d like to second some of those already mentioned: Daihatsu (that’s not a car, it’s a) Charade :rolleyes: Toyota Previa :rolleyes: Datsun/Nissan Sunny, Cherry, Violet etc. (blugh!) Ford Probe (ouch!) Mitsubishi Pajero 😃 …all old favourites of mine. /slight hijack/ And not forgetting those annoyingly banal slogans on SUV spare wheel covers like “Tread softly on the earth’s environment”. The obvious reply? “Don’t drive an SUV”. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/110 "2004-10-20T20:51:48Z")
> [@Martha](#): > > /slight hijack/ And not forgetting those annoyingly banal slogans on SUV spare wheel covers like “Tread softly on the earth’s environment”. The obvious reply? “Don’t drive an SUV”. You mean [Tread Lightly](http://www.treadlightly.org/memberships.mv?action=list&type=Corporation)? That’s real, sorry. Or are you talking about those tire covers that are displayed on the “Engrish” website? ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/111 "2004-10-20T21:25:46Z")
Acura Vigor Porsche Boxster ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/112 "2004-10-20T22:18:47Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > Kia _Spectra_ Kia’s one of the worst offenders, cf _Sportage_ (already mentioned), and _Sephia_. What the heck’s a Sephia? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/113 "2004-10-20T22:59:46Z")
> [@VivaEuropa](#): > > Maybe a tad off topic, but: > A really great driving game is to add the word “anal” to the name of a car. I read this somewhere and have done it constantly in my mind every since. This works especially well for SUVs, but is hillarious no matter what. Some of my favorites: > Anal Rodeo > Anal Dynasty > Anal Explorer Hmm. There’s the Ranger, the Hummer, the Armada, the Brat, and of course the Probe. But my vote goes for the Anal Thing. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/114 "2004-10-20T23:04:44Z")
I have heard that the Fiat Panda was going to be called the Fiat Rustica, until they considered marketing the Rustica (rusty car) in UK. Waiting for someone to name their car model the Sfinkter. ---
**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:** [October 20, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/115 "2004-10-20T23:25:13Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > What? No mention of [Le Car](http://leroux.andre.free.fr/repe14.htm)? A car so bad, Renault had to tell people what it was. (Strangely enough, even though the car was sold in the States, I can’t find any 'Merkin sites devoted to it.) There used to be a race series based on this car. They were relatively cheap and easy to drive. If you flipped it over during a race, a couple of guys would run out and flip you back over and off you’d go. A veteran car could be indentified by the lack of straight edges on the body work. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/116 "2004-10-21T00:11:51Z")
I’ve got to agree with the Ford Aspire. Even the guys on Car Talk made fun of it, telling someone who owned one that he should Aspire to get a real car someday.\* Oh, and the VW Golf. Bwahahahaah. - Paraphrased from memory ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/117 "2004-10-21T00:25:30Z")
HUMMER. Hmmm! ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/118 "2004-10-21T00:40:36Z")
> [@LilyoftheValley](#): > > Oh, and the VW Golf. Bwahahahaah. I guess most English speakers think of the sport when they hear _golf_. Originally the name had nothing to do with that. It is named after the German word for _gulf(stream)_. In the seventies VW introduced a naming scheme mostly centered around winds or weather: _Golf, Passat, Scirocco_ and later _Vento, Bora…_. However most customers associated the sport. VW acknowledged that shortly after the introduction of the _Golf_ when they named the next smaller model _Polo_. Since then the naming was ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/119 "2004-10-21T01:14:01Z")
> [@Jeep's Phoenix](#): > > You mean [Tread Lightly](http://www.treadlightly.org/memberships.mv?action=list&type=Corporation)? That’s real, sorry. Or are you talking about those tire covers that are displayed on the “Engrish” website? The tyre covers - I’m not surprised they’re on the “Engrish” website. The real things make even less sense than my paraphrasing from memory. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331/120 "2004-10-21T03:34:56Z")
> [@Martha](#): > > The tyre covers - I’m not surprised they’re on the “Engrish” website. The real things make even less sense than my paraphrasing from memory. Like [this one](http://www.engrish.com/detail.php?imagename=rav4.jpg&category=Cars&date=2004-08-18) on a Rav4, and [this](http://www.engrish.com/detail.php?imagename=nissan.jpg&category=Cars&date=2000-02-08) on a Nissan. “Take a grip of steering!” 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidest-name-for-any-car/220331.md?page=7)