When the Name Fails: Strange and Funny Car Names

Choosing a name for a new model is a real headache for any car manufacturer. The name should be sonorous, easily memorable, and neutral in dozens of languages. A mistake can cost millions: the car simply won't "click" in the market. Many avoid the risk and limit themselves to numbers, like Mazda 6 or BMW X7, but that's boring. And beautiful words sometimes lead to unexpected incidents.

Below, we analyze what the names of different brands and models mean, and what funny stories are behind them.

Mazda: Light, Wisdom, and One Unsuccessful Laputa

The brand name Mazda appeared in honor of the deity of light Ahura Mazda and is consonant with the surname of the founder, Jujiro Matsuda. But the story with Mazda Laputa (1999) is much more interesting.

The manufacturer was inspired by the island from "Gulliver's Travels", but did not take into account that in Spanish "la puta" translates as "woman of easy virtue". Not surprisingly, the model did not catch on there.

Ford: From "Ugly Old Woman" to Strange Medical Associations

Ford traditionally names models short and sonorous, but they also have their slip-ups.

Fiera is a beautiful word, but in Latin America it means... "ugly old woman". The Probe turned out differently: in the English-speaking world, the word evokes associations with medical tests, which also did not add to its popularity.

But the Ford Pinto turned out to be a hit in the USA, but failed in Spain: "pinto" in colloquial speech means the male genital organ.

Audi: "Listen" in Latin and That Same e-tron

The name Audi is a Latinized surname of the founder August Horch (horch - "listen").

But with the names of models, everything is not always smooth:

• Audi e-tron in France sounds like "a pile of shit".
• Audi TT Coupé in French evokes an association with the expression "cut off head".

Not surprisingly, Audi marketers rarely smile.

Opel: The Resort Ascona, Which Was Understood Differently in Spain

Opel Ascona was named after a resort. But in some regions of Spain, this word refers to female genitals.

As they say, they wanted beauty - it turned out awkward.

Mitsubishi: "Three Diamonds" and the Legendary Pajero

The brand name translates as "three diamonds" - hence the logo.

But the most famous misunderstanding is associated with Mitsubishi Pajero. In Spanish, the word means "self-satisfying".

The model had to be renamed for the Spanish market to Montero, which sounds much more decent.

FIAT: Italian Factory and Finnish "Idiot"

FIAT stands for "Italian Automobile Factory of Turin".

But the Fiat Uno sold well all over the world - except for Finland. The reason is simple: "uno" in Finnish translates as "idiot".

Zhiguli / Lada: How the Brand Was Saved from Awkward Sounding

It was risky to export "Zhiguli" abroad. In different countries, the word was associated:

• somewhere - with the word "gigolo",
• in Arab countries - with the word "thief",
• among Hungarians - with a rude curse.

Therefore, cars went for export as Lada.

It was also funny with "Kalina": in Finland it was called 118 and 119, because the word "kalina" translates as "rattle".

Chevrolet: The Racer's Name and "Callus" Against the Russian Market

The brand is named after the racer Louis Chevrolet.

The Chevrolet Kalos model was not brought to Russia due to its dissonance. Although in Greek "kalos" means "beautiful", for Russian buyers it sounded too... strange.

Therefore, the car is sold as "Aveo" in our country.

Renault: The "Invader" Who Became Kaptur

The real name of the crossover is Renault Captur. But in Russian it was read as "sartir", which sounds, to put it mildly, comical.

Marketers simply changed the first letter - and Kaptur turned out. Now the name is more like "kaptur" and does not cause unnecessary associations.

Read more materials on the topic:

• Kimera EVO37: The revived legend that conquered Top Gear
• Sports cars designed for off-road: five rare examples
• Cyberdragon that didn't take off: Great Wall's dream failure in the EV market