I have a hypothesis that whenever marketers of pickup trucks or SUVs are stumped for a model name, they get out a big map of the western North America and throw darts at it. Evidence for this theory is the following list of model names:
[ul]
[li]Chrysler Aspen[/li][li]Subaru Baja[/li][li]Kia Borrego (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is near San Diego)[/li][li]Chevy Cheyenne[/li][li]Chevy Colorado[/li][li]Doge Dakota[/li][li]GMC Denali[/li][li]Dodge Durango[/li][li]Škoda Kodiaq[/li][li]Ram Laramie[/li][li]Kia Mohave[/li][li]Pontiac Montana[/li][li]Buick Rainier[/li][li]Hyundai Santa Fe[/li][li]Chevy Scottsdale[/li][li]Kia Sedona[/li][li]GMC Sierra[/li][li]Chevy Silverado[/li][li]GMC Sonoma[/li][li]Toyota Tacoma[/li][li]Chevy Tahoe[/li][li]Hyundai Tucson[/li][li]Hyundai Veracruz[/li][li]GMC Yukon[/li][/ul]
OK, not all SUV/pickups with geographic names are from the west. There’s the GMC Acadia and the Subaru Tribeca where their darts went off course. And a couple from other continents: Porsche Cayenne and Nissan Murano. But still, most of the data points to my dart theory.
Overlapping with this list are vehicles named for Indian tribes. In fact, due to various reservations and counties, all of those could have been in the above list, although I only included a couple. Here’s that list:
Well, it doesn’t take branding genius to see that the light truck/SUV market likes to believe in vague notions of open road, open space, freedom, blue skies, yadda yadda yadda, and all of that adds up to “The West.” I don’t think a Chevy “42nd Avenue” or a Dodge “Levittown” would get much traction even if the vehicle spent its working life within those locales.
Borrego, in Spanish: 1, a lamb that’s one or two years old.
Also 2, sheeple. 3, simpleton. 4, fluffy white cloud. 5 (dictionary says Mexico but we use it in Spain as well and I imagine other places) sheepskin-lined jacket
It’s a minivan, which is stretching “SUV” a bit. And it’s, inexplicably, the “Tribeca B-9” or something like that, even though it’s the only model in the line.
Someone - maybe Dave Barry, if not SF Chron cartoonist Meyer, suggested the next Ford in the series be named the Evacuation.
Yes even on the GM line, the trim lines were the basis for the current names. While some early sixties chevy trucks were badged “Apache” that was not the “model”
For a long time the trim levels were as follows:
Custom -> Custom Deluxe -> Cheyenne
In the mid 70’s they followed a common practice of kicking the trim lines down one notch, while also introducing a “top level” work truck trim level named “Scottsdale”
I think that as the name Silverado was the “preferred” version they just changed the name of the line to the Silverado as trucks marketing moved from a utilitarian tool to a lifestyle indicator.
Ford, as the F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle for over three decades, would most likely take a huge risk by implementing a branding change. The aspiration to gain more of a foothold in that market was probably the driver for a lot of GMs rebranding efforts.
No, I do not think that darts were involved. As has been pointer out, you could end up with names like Wagon Tire, Dead Horse, Lost cow, or even Broken Axle. Few of these would be good choices. Of course if darts are involved, there would be some kind of vetting going on to weed out such names. Hmmmmm. Well OK, maybe darts were involved.
I know it will come as a surprise to some of you from “Back East” that most folks actually would like to be portrayed as a cowboy, or a cowgirl, or at least “Western”.
I know that some of you-all can not imagine being away from your “civilization”, big cities, etc. Those of you that think this way are not the demographics that Pickup & SUV manufacturers are targeting with these names. You are not going to buy an SUV anyway. You have almost no need for one. OK, some of you could use the four wheel drive for the winter months. However, along with the “civilization” comes plowed streets & parking lots, or at least it should. Good snow tires & front wheel drive will go a long ways there.
My wife & I own a Buick Park Avenue. While I am Western, I like the ride of the Buick for the long road trips to the beach from here in Colorado. So, unless I need a truck, we take it. The Park Avenue name does not bother me at all, I would have bought a similar car no matter what the name as I want one for the comfort. I bet that the “civilized” folks feel the same way about the “western” names on their pickups & SUVs.
