Car Geography

[Misho]

Just looking at a couple of maps, i noticed that "Cayenne" is the capital city of the small south american country French Guiana.
Why do car makers like to name their cars after geographic aspects ? What other "interesting" geography-related car names do you know ?

[sleekeywoowoo]

I heard somewheres that Cayenne is also a spice in france, no clue if there is any truth to it.

[whiteballz]

the tourag or however you spell it is a tribe of natives in africa somewhere. (kenya i think...)

[Nerys]

Granada, Ascona, Capri, Marbella, Cordoba, Ibiza...

[spi-ti-tout]

I heard somewheres that Cayenne is also a spice in france, no clue if there is any truth to it.

It's true, Cayenne is a chili-type of spice I think. But not sure if it's only in France.

[lightweight]

This is a very popular way among manufacturers, to name cars. The names though are carefully selected in order to avoid "insulting" local consumers. For example an old Seat edition was named "Malaga", which means "@sshole" in Greek, with a little imagination. As you imagine the edition changed name
Another example is the Chavrolet Aveo which was Marketed as "Daewoo Kalos" in Greece. Kalos in Greek means "beauty" but also "corns on toes".
Careless Marketeers

[henk4]

old story about the Fiat Ritmo which was renamed Strada for the UK market. The name ritmo was already used for a condom.

[Matra et Alpine]

Capri, Cortina, Granada

and of course the VERY exotic ...

Cambridge

Winds were popular for a while too ....

Scirocco

[Mustang]

how about the pajero, they had to rename it for sale in spain or something because it ment wanker in spanish i think

and they were also not allowed the Nova in spain too me thinks as that was another naughty word

[McReis]

how about the pajero, they had to rename it for sale in spain or something because it ment wanker in spanish i think

and they were also not allowed the Nova in spain too me thinks as that was another naughty word

Pajero is not a nice word in Spain. However, Nova means nothing special neither in spain or portugal where it was also sold with the Corsa name.
Nova means new in the feminin.

[targa]

i prefer to just put in random letters and numbers that have no significant meaning

[IWantAnAudiRS6]

I always seem to remember the Cayenne being a type of pepper, red chilli and extremely hot.

Also a bit ugly, but still...

Seat managed to name their entire range after places in Spain, and the Corrado... Corrado is a type of wind, like Scirocco.

I like names of cars followed by a few numbers, I think that BMWs and Audis are very clinical.

Americans had those cool names, like the Dodge Super Bee, and the Dodge Challenger 440 Six pack... cheesy but cool!

[spi-ti-tout]

Cambridge

Vauxhall?
*shudders*


I like names with numbers after 'em too....sounds cool
Evo Series
Merc's
Beemers
Audi's
eeeerrrrmmmmm.....

But I even love names after animals, Mustang, Viper, Galloper (not an animal but tecnically somewhere around there), etc.

[GT F1]

numeric or alphanumeric

[Matra et Alpine]

Vauxhall?
*shudders*

Austin Cambridge.
and of course there was also the Morris OXFORD

But I even love names after animals, Mustang, Viper, Galloper (not an animal but tecnically somewhere around there), etc.

Good man, BAGHEERA