In Asia, Nissan sells an SUV called the “Pajero” - even in the Philippines, where enough people still speak enough Spanish to know that “Pajero” is slang for “masturbator”.
Appropriate, que no ?
I never understood what “Camry” was supposed to mean. Does it mean anything? It sure doesn’t sound nice. Camry Camry Camry. Yuk! (btw, I adore my '86 Camry.)
Green Bean, they often make up words that don’t mean anything for names. They appear to; but they don’t.
Definitely the Chevrolet Caprice.
Do these people even know what that word means?
Yeah. When I think of what I want in a car, fickleness is definitely high on my list. :rolleyes:
Wheee, my first post! I have always thought the Chevy Sonoma was a stupid name…Sounds like either a sleep disorder or a cancer…“Well according to your test, Mr. Jones, you appear to have Sonoma.” “Oh god NO!”
Camaro… it’s a variation of the spanish word Camaron, which means “shrimp”. Think about it. It’s the arch-nemisis of the Mustang. I can just hear the GM PR people! "Ford names their cars after fast horses. We’ll name ours after a small critter in the ocean that’s routinely served up to people in a variety of ways (think Bubba from Forrest Gump… “shrimp cocktail, shrimp salad, shrimp junkheap!”
The Jimmy can lead to some funny conversations…
“hey, where’s bob?”
“oh, hes outback waxing his jimmy”
This has to go to all Toyota vehicles. What the hell is up with them and just choosing names out of the blue? Solora? Corona? Cressida? Corolla? Tacoma? Supra? Just what the hell are these names supposed to mean?
The same with their Lexus division. What’s with all the numbers? LS400? SC400? GS300? IS300? I mean, really, who’s the crackhead behind all these names?
It’s a Mitsubishi, I think. The one that’s called a Shogun in the UK, and maybe in the US too? It’s a Pajero here as well. So, a Mitsubishi Jerk-Off huh 
What about the Golf? I love my car but why did they name after the most boring sport there is?
Actually, the CEO of Toyota is very superstitious, and most Toyota names begin with “C” because his astrologer told him to do it.
-Ben (waiting for the Toyota Canola)
Well, most of them mean something.
Corona = crown
Cressida = either mythical woman or Shakespearean character or both (can’t remember)
Corolla = part of a flower.
Tacoma = City near Seattle
Solara = suggests “sun”
Supra = suggests “super” as in "better than.
This is not to say that they are good names for cars!
damn code. sorry for the bolding in the above post.
Ben explained, “Actually, the CEO of Toyota is very superstitious, and most Toyota names begin with “C” because his astrologer told him to do it.”
Well then I guess he’s been overruled a few times, because Toyota also makes the Avalon, ECHO, 4Runner, Land Cruise (oh, I guess there’s a C in that), Rav4, Sienna and Solara.
However their newest car takes the name-cake:
ÊÊÊÊÊÊ**“Prius”**
It’s their new electric/gas hybrid car. According to their Web site, “Prius” is Latin for “to go before.”
The name sounds too close to Priapus/priapic to me.
Interestingly enough, looking up the word “prius” in M-W came up with “quos deáus vult perádeáre priáus deámenátat,” which means “those whom a god wishes to destroy he first drives mad.” Imagine that.
Chevrolet Celebrity, anyone?
How about a Diplomat?
Cadillac Cimarron? (Which was based on another moronically named car, the Cavalier.)
Now excuse me whilst I go hop in my Eagle Talon and zoom off into the distance.
I am currently in ownership of my second-ever car. My first one lasted a whole four months.
The original Racinchikkimobile was a Subaru GL. That, my friends, is the COMPLETE AND TOTAL ABSENCE OF A NAME. “What kind of car do you have?” “A Subaru.” “What kind?” “A Subaru.” “No, what’s the model name?” “Subaru.” What does GL stand for, anyway? In my case, at least, it stood for “Good Lord” – what you’re yelling when I’m taking corners like I’m at Watkins Glen on the last lap of the race; or who you’re praying to in hopes that the motor will not literally explode as I try to climb this hill.
My new one is a Chevy Cavalier [z-24]. I keep trying to say both words at once and calling it a Chevalier. I personally think that sounds better.
The Eagle Vision – this always reminds me of that old Native American idea of the vision quest. The designers went off into the mountains, did some hallucinogens, had a vision of the car…?
There’s a Ford Taurus. There’s a Dodge Aries. Why isn’t there a Chevrolet Capricorn; a Kia Pisces; a Mitsubishi Virgo…
My own favorites:
(In Japan, maybe elsewhere)
Mazda: Bongo Friendee (I swear I’m not kidding)
Daihatsu: Naked
Honda: Whitee, Craftee, Life
Nissan: Homy
And now a confession: I am responsible for some of the stupid names you see on TV and in stores. For one year, in 1998, I worked for the Tokyo office of a company called Interbrand, where my job was to come up with names for products. Most of the products we worked on were only for sale in Japan, but a few are sold overseas.
The entire naming staff were native English speakers (most of the companies wanted western-sounding names), but our boss was Japanese, and would often insist on adding his own creations to our lists (and then recommend them to the clients). As a result, Toyota almost had a new compact called the Whiz.
And before you ask: No, we did not name Pocari Sweat. Or Creap coffee creamer.
–sublight, namer of Sony Aibo and Lego Mindstorm.
Why, o’ course, that’s the thing whut Uncle Jed uses to make photy-graphs at the Grand Old Opry!
The Chevy Mutilator doesn’t seem like something I would like to be driving in front of.
And I certainly wouldn’t want to be in a head on collision with a Dodge Decapitator.
Believe it or not, I actually called Toyota back in the 80s to find out what the deal was with their names.
Camry, I was told, is an American pronunciation of the Japanese word for “little crown”. (WAG: Japanese word is “camuri”?)
I was also told that “Paseo” is Spanish for “to take a walk”.
Okay, now for the bad names:
Yamaha used to sell a bike called the TDM. Toyota puts TRD on some of their cars. Aren’t those pronounced tedium and turd, respectively?