How about the biggest bonehead name of all?  Chevrolet's electric "Impact"?

Karl Wolz

----- Original Message -----
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, December 27, 1999 12:18 PM
Subject: Re: [ev_update] VW to replace my Eurovan

> Absolutely!  It is all about marketing and the name can make or break
> the entire marketing campaign.  "Variant" is a good example, this word
> does not have a good connotation, and would be impossible to build an ad
> campaign around.  "At your dealer's now the new 2000 Variant"  just
> doesn't cut it!
>
> Names have to be pulled out of thin air in order to be copyrighted.
> "Vanagon" was concocted to create the image of a combination station
> wagon and van.  Station wagons were still the choice for families then;
> the Vanagon pre-dates Chrysler's invention of the mini van and was the
> first small van to have true car-like handling characteristics, or at
> least compared to cars of that era.
>
> There were some notable naming mistakes in the past.  The first one that
> comes to mind was the Porche 914. This car was a big hit in the US but a
> dud in Europe, most likely because it was badged as a Volkswagen and
> sold through VW dealerships there. Here in the US it was an affordable
> Porsche, even though it was had the 2.0 aircooled VW engine underneath
> the skin!
>
> However, I will never understand some of the Japanese names:  Camry,
> Corolla, Tercel, Solara, Gallant, Maxima?  What's with those?  And what
> is the rational behind "Golf?"  Sounds like a golf cart.
>
> Then there is my all time favorite, the Acura Vigor!  Who in their right
> mind would be seen driving a "Vigor?"  Apparently not very many, Acura
> has now gone mostly to alpha numeric designations.
>
> You'll never see the American's coming up with stupid names like those!
> Umm, well, then there was the "Pacer" (a bit slow maybe?) and I can't
> quite come to grips with "Lumina" either!
>
> Per Lindgren wrote:
> >
> > Stuart MacMillan wrote:
> >
> > > You are basically correct.  All foreign manufacturers began selling
cars
> > > in the US by setting up distribution centers, since US franchise laws
> > > prohibit direct manufacturer to consumer new vehicle sales.  Foreign
> > > manufacturers can only enter our market by selling franchises to
> > > independent dealers, hence the need for distribution facilities.
> >
> > Is this also the reason why you (the north American market) got so many
> > cooky names for the different VW models?
> >
> > I give examples:
> > Vanagon = Transporter and Caravelle T3
> > Eurovan = Transporter and Caravelle T4
> > Rabbit = Golf A1
> > Dasher = Passat B1
> > Quantum = Passat B2
> > Superbeetle =1302 and 1303
> > Fastback = 1600 TL
> > Squareback = 1600 Variant (Variant is VWs designation for a wagon, just
like
> > Audis Avant. Even Golfs and Passats are called Variant when the wagon
model
> > is described)
> > Audi Fox = Audi 80 B1
> > Audi 4000 = Audi 80 & 90, B2
> > Audi 5000 = Audi 100 & 200, C2 & C3
> >
> > Sometimes, we got the cooky names,
> > Vento = Jetta A3
> > Bora = Jetta A4
> >
> > Why they ever dropped the Jetta name here, when it first was established
has
> > always made me wonder...
> >
> > Seasons greetings,
> >
> > PerL
> > 87 Syncro 112i
>
> --
> Stuart MacMillan
> Manager, Case Program
> 800-909-8244 ext 208
>
> Getting your share of the Net yet?
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