View Full Version : Why car names change?
hec16
11-24-2005, 08:11 AM
Hey guys I know this may be a repost but yesterday Iwas thinking why car companies change the car names depending on the region for example here in Guatemala the Volkwagen mid sized car was called Jetta as in the mayority of the contries but since the new shape came out it is now called Bora this also happen with the toyota Vitz which is called Yaris here in Guatemala and Echo in some other places plz tell me whats the point of it?
________
BUDDY VAPORIZER (http://www.vaporizers.net/)
:Exige:
11-24-2005, 08:26 AM
Some words are better suited to society in some countries than they are in others. Some words can also be offensive in one language but fine in another.
hec16
11-24-2005, 08:35 AM
but for example the jetta was what they called it here before Bora and even before that they called it Vento
________
JennaCummings (http://camslivesexy.com/cam/JennaCummings)
Sant'Agata
11-24-2005, 09:13 AM
Maybe because it's easier to say it in a certain language.
Ferrer
11-24-2005, 09:19 AM
It can be (amongst the other reasons already stated) to prevent the newer car to have the bad reputation the old name might imply.
Pando
11-24-2005, 09:24 AM
but for example the jetta was what they called it here before Bora and even before that they called it Vento
Good point. Here it was called Jetta at first, then Vento, then Bora and now it's Jetta again... I guess the marketing department in VW has changed even more times during that period so motives and goals have changed aswell.
henk4
11-24-2005, 09:34 AM
Good point. Here it was called Jetta at first, then Vento, then Bora and now it's Jetta again... I guess the marketing department in VW has changed even more times during that period so motives and goals have changed aswell.
may be the customer wanted the Jetta back and VW actually listened....
Tourbillon
11-24-2005, 10:55 AM
Hey guys I know this may be a repost but yesterday Iwas thinking why car companies change the car names depending on the region for example here in Guatemala the Volkwagen mid sized car was called Jetta as in the mayority of the contries but since the new shape came out it is now called Bora this also happen with the toyota Vitz which is called Yaris here in Guatemala and Echo in some other places plz tell me whats the point of it?
Hey, man. Take a break, relax and catch a breath! You're all out now, I'm sure. :D
sholland
11-24-2005, 11:50 AM
This may not be true but I heard that when Vauxhall/Opel wanted to release the Nova in Mexico they got poor response because it translated to No Go so they changed the name to Corsa. That's another likely reason for different names though that more or less relates to different cultures as stated before.
henk4
11-24-2005, 01:08 PM
This may not be true but I heard that when Vauxhall/Opel wanted to release the Nova in Mexico they got poor response because it translated to No Go so they changed the name to Corsa. That's another likely reason for different names though that more or less relates to different cultures as stated before.
the car is called Corsa anywhere, except when carrying a Vauxhall badge..
dydzi
11-24-2005, 01:13 PM
wait as go.pawel comes here :D
go.pawel
11-24-2005, 01:26 PM
wait as go.pawel comes here :D
Oh, I think I owe you an explanation. Dydzi knows I'm majoring next year, and my master's thesis is "Strategies of diversifying offer of international car manufacturers" (roughly translated). And one of the issues I try to cover in it, is why do cars get rebadged on different markets.
As for VW, I must say I don't understand their name policy with the 4-door Golf version. First two generations were called Jetta in Europe. Then came Vento, Bora, now it's Jetta again. In the US, AFAIK, it's been always a Jetta. Now apparently in Guatemala the new Jetta is called Bora. WTF??? The only reason I can think of now is that this car has never been very popular in Europe, so they try and change the name every time, to allow the car a "new start".
BTW, VW's model names are like a total chaos. You can find there names of winds (Bora, Scirocco, Passat, Sharan, Vento), sports (Golf, Polo), gods (Phaeton, Eos) and a few that doesn't match with any of these groups (Santana, Touareg, Lupo, Caddy, Taro). Not to mention the New Beetle...
I like what the other makers from VAG group are doing. Like Seat, that uses spanish geographical names (Marbella, Arosa, Ibiza, Cordoba, Leon, Toledo, Alhambra, Malaga etc.), which not only sound great but are also a way of promoting the country. Or Skoda, that in the late 90s switched to names it had already used earlier in the 50s or even 30s (Felicia, Octavia, Superb).
taz_rocks_miami
11-24-2005, 01:45 PM
the car is called Corsa anywhere, except when carrying a Vauxhall badge..
Actually, sholland is right. It was gonna be called the Nova here, but in Spanish slang it does tranlate to No Go. :)
henk4
11-24-2005, 01:48 PM
Oh, I think I owe you an explanation. Dydzi knows I'm majoring next year, and my master's thesis is "Strategies of diversifying offer of international car manufacturers" (roughly translated). And one of the issues I try to cover in it, is why do cars get rebadged on different markets.
I am sure that you included the famous Fiat Ritmo/Strada case:D
henk4
11-24-2005, 01:49 PM
Actually, sholland is right. It was gonna be called the Nova here, but in Spanish slang it does tranlate to No Go. :)
so No Go meant it stayed in the UK:D
go.pawel
11-24-2005, 01:52 PM
I am sure that you included the famous Fiat Ritmo/Strada case:D
Actually no. What was with the Ritmo/Strada?:confused:
henk4
11-24-2005, 01:54 PM
Actually no. What was with the Ritmo/Strada?:confused:
Ritmo had to be renamed strada in the UK market, because it was a brand of condoms
taz_rocks_miami
11-24-2005, 01:57 PM
so No Go meant it stayed in the UK:D
The car is sold in Mexico, as the Corsa...like everyware else. :)
go.pawel
11-24-2005, 02:04 PM
Ritmo had to be renamed strada in the UK market, because it was a brand of condoms
Oh:D Great. Thanks for the tip.
A few other cases from last years:
Mitsubishi Pajero. In spanish-spoken countries it's been, according to my knowledge, sold as Montero. I believe it's because pajero in spanish slang means a jerk-off or a jerker. Can someone from Spain/Latin America say whether it's right? Oh, and why the hell is it called Shogun in the UK?
Buick LaCrosse. Another masturbation case. From what I heard, in quebec french it means also wanking? Any Quebec guys can confirm? I wonder if it has a dildo in standard trim?
Toyota MR2. In France it's been sold as simply MR. Cause 'em-er-deux' sounds too similar to 'merde' (shit).
jorismo
11-24-2005, 02:12 PM
I remember somekind of American Convertible called "SS". You really don't want a car in Europ that is called "SS". Beacause the SS were Adolf Hitler's eltite soldiers. Sow you'll never see a car that might be named SuperSport (SS) in Europe.
If you wanna know all about the SS: http://www.feldgrau.com/ss.html
taz_rocks_miami
11-24-2005, 02:14 PM
Oh:D Great. Thanks for the tip.
A few other cases from last years:
Mitsubishi Pajero. In spanish-spoken countries it's been, according to my knowledge, sold as Montero. I believe it's because pajero in spanish slang means a jerk-off or a jerker. Can someone from Spain/Latin America say whether it's right?
Almost, Pajero is very similar to Pajaro which means bird but in slang in means penis. :eek:
go.pawel
11-24-2005, 02:27 PM
I remember somekind of American Convertible called "SS". You really don't want a car in Europ that is called "SS". Beacause the SS were Adolf Hitler's eltite soldiers. Sow you'll never see a car that might be named SuperSport (SS) in Europe.
If you wanna know all about the SS: http://www.feldgrau.com/ss.html
Let's not forget why the Jaguar name came up. Before the war the car was SS Jaguar, SS being the make, and Jaguar the model. Only after the WW2 they thought the name should be changed.
go.pawel
11-24-2005, 02:28 PM
Almost, Pajero is very similar to Pajaro which means bird but in slang in means penis. :eek:
Actually, I've checked with my spanish friends and yes, pajero is used as a word for jerk-off. In portuguese too.
Niko_Fx
11-24-2005, 03:08 PM
This may not be true but I heard that when Vauxhall/Opel wanted to release the Nova in Mexico they got poor response because it translated to No Go so they changed the name to Corsa. That's another likely reason for different names though that more or less relates to different cultures as stated before.
Yeah, No-va means "Doesn't go" in Spanish.. however, Novas sold like crazy in Venezuela back in the day.
Almost, Pajero is very similar to Pajaro which means bird but in slang in means penis.
Mexicans don't use "La paja" as a jerk-off synonym?
Prius
11-24-2005, 03:33 PM
it can be detirmened by language (the Buick LaCrosse is marketed under a different name in Canada because they found that lacrosse in french means masturbation, you inow, they speak french i=n some parts of Canada) but it can also be because of the name being copyrighted in a country (The Mitsubishi GTO had to be sold as the 3000GT in the US because Pontiac holds the copyrights to the GTO name)
go.pawel
11-24-2005, 03:41 PM
it can be detirmened by language (the Buick LaCrosse is marketed under a different name in Canada because they found that lacrosse in french means masturbation, you inow, they speak french i=n some parts of Canada) but it can also be because of the name being copyrighted in a country (The Mitsubishi GTO had to be sold as the 3000GT in the US because Pontiac holds the copyrights to the GTO name)
As for LaCrosse: That's exactly what I wrote in #19.
The Mitsubishi was in sale in Europe also as 3000GT (in Poland at least?).
TVR IS KING
11-24-2005, 05:05 PM
in australia the mitsubishi magna was recently changed to the mitsubishi 380, because the magna was doing shit.
they had to revamp the model completely, so it wouldnt erect memories of the magna to potential buyers, and part of that was to create a new name for it.
thats one reason
LOL i said erect.
I remember somekind of American Convertible called "SS". You really don't want a car in Europ that is called "SS". Beacause the SS were Adolf Hitler's eltite soldiers. Sow you'll never see a car that might be named SuperSport (SS) in Europe
Bugatti EB110SS and the Dauer version of it?
henk4
11-25-2005, 01:47 AM
we had the Datsun 1600 SSS
jorismo
11-25-2005, 03:39 AM
Bugatti EB110SS and the Dauer version of it?
Those aren't cars you'll see very often. But you will never see an Peugeot SS or something...
QuattroMan
11-25-2005, 12:22 PM
Hey guys I know this may be a repost but yesterday Iwas thinking why car companies change the car names depending on the region for example here in Guatemala the Volkwagen mid sized car was called Jetta as in the mayority of the contries but since the new shape came out it is now called Bora this also happen with the toyota Vitz which is called Yaris here in Guatemala and Echo in some other places plz tell me whats the point of it?
its called marketing my friend!