CAR NAMES: The Shift From Names to Acronyms

Why have so many of the companies shifted to number/letter combination cars?

I remember reading an article that compared Acura sales - the "Legend" was a hit, but has floundered since being renamed (RL?).

Is it because people are imitating the BMW and MB trend?

 

I remember reading back when the Legend was renamed that there was some confusion between the name of the car and the name of the brand. In an effort to boost the Acura brand, they switched to numbers

 

Numbers allow the manufacturer to specify a "top of the line" or "newest" car. Like the 7-series BMW, or the RX-8 (they started with R100, then RX-2, and so on).

Thats my WAG.

 

This could go sideways.......

 

I saw a Civic that had this on the trunk:

Honda (Acura Logo) Civic Si Type R Vtec
.......................................Intercooled

 

I'm still waiting for the successor to the Honda Prelude.

Then I got kicked out of a Ford dealership for asking to drive a Lately.

Ford 500. 500 what? Pounds? Horsepower? Inches of mercury?

 

500 sold this year.

 

At least Ferrari makes sense.
308: 3 litre 8 cylinder.
328: 3.2 litre 8 cylinder.
360: 3.6 litre 0 cylinder.
430: 4.3 litre 0 cylinder.
550: 5.5 litre 0 cylinder.
575: 5.7 litre 5 cylinder.

What's with Porsche going away from numerical model designations to using actual names?

Panamera: Signifies the great Pan-American race of so many years ago, or perhaps the airline.

Cayenne: Also signifies the arduous Pan-Cayenne races in South America during the 60's.

Cayman: Signifies world-renowned overseas haven for tax shelters and dummy corporations.

 

I miss names also. Integra was the best name.

 

Yes. No question. It seemed to start as they began beating up on Detroit's sales.

 

Ferrari uses numbers, but throughs names at a handful of models: Daytona, California, Modena, etc. What's odd is the 360 is the Modena and the 430 is... "F430."

 

From a branding view, you're better off having people develop a clear perception of your name than the car. It's a statement of brand power to be able to sell something called a 512TR or 348 or whatever, knowing that the marque is evocative enough to fill in the blanks.

It also demonstrates that engineering is the core of what the company does. BMW wants you to know the 4-litre V-8 is powering a 540i. Ferrari wants you to know the F355 has 5 valves per cylinder. Etc.

BMW is the textbook example. Everyone knows their tagline and their sporty driving feel.

The other thing is that names don't usually age that well. For every Speedster, Boxster, or Testarossa, there are a hundred Rabbits, Dashers, Prizms, Skylarks, Azteks and other arbitrary names that sound like random exercises in marketing and have nothing to do with the car's heritage. GTI was probably VW's best nameplate.

I think Acura makes boring (but good) cars. I couldn't spot an RL unless I was staring at the trunk lid. Boring cars defy effective naming.

 

Ferrari :

250-Their way of calling it a "quarter horse".
330-Time of day each car was finished. Explains the empty wine bottles left in cars.
246-(8?), who do we appreciate? Comes from a nursery rhyme Enzo sang around the office.
308-3 liter, 0 Rust Protection, 8 cylinders.
308i-3 liter, 8 cylinder-insult!
308QV-Same, except QV=Quicker Version. British ones: Queen Victoria edition.
328-3.2 liter, 8 cylinders.
348-3.4 liter, 8 cylinders.
355-3.5 liter, 5 wheels (Including the spare)
360-3.6 liter, zero warranty support
550-5.5 liter, 0 shaped pistons (as if we didn't know)
575-5.7 liter, 5......ah......wheel bolts.
456-Successor to the popular but basic '123' model.
612-6.1 Liter, 2 cylinder. AKA "The Big Thumper". Their attempt at the "helicopter sound".

 

Yeh. And the Ferrari 575M Maranello.

The Chevrolet Monza.

Or the brilliance behind the Ford Pinto...as if we could see the sporting lineage there. Start out in a Ford Pinto, move up to a Mustang, and wind up in an Arabian!

 

Actually, the 550 is the Maranello. The 575 is just the 575M.

 

I thought the 575M Maranello was 575 (M)odificato Maranello.

 

AFAIK, the 575 is not the "Maranello," just "575M."

 

It is officially, 575M Maranello. The M meaning Modificato as Korr indicates.

 

I stand corrected!

 

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