Autoblog

Did you ever wonder how the Aztek received its name (okay, maybe not)? Well then, how about the Tiburon, Prelude, Aveo, or Allanté? What possessed Acura to drop "Legend" for "RL," or "Integra" for "RSX" (we're still dumbfounded on those). Why would anyone name a car The Thing?

Whether it is apparent or not, there is a ton of money and more than a little psychology involved in naming a car these days. It's not a simple matter. Not only do the names have to invoke quality, significance, and excitement, but they must not offend -- in any language. Most importantly, the name cannot already be taken (manufacturers "reserve" names years in advance, and hold them close to their chests). Automakers scour dictionaries in the East and West, forage through literature and geography books, and even flip through pet names knowing perfectly well that a name can make or break an automobile. That said, Nova had a good run at the time, but don't expect to see the name slapped on a trunk again in the near future.

Thanks for the tip, G!

[Source: AOL Autos via CNN.com]

Resurrecting the Taurus name isn't the only element from Ford's past that Alan Mulally thinks should make a comeback. Despite having one of their best lineups ever and winning accolades, customers have other makes further up on their list. Potential buyers who actually check out what Ford has to offer often come away impressed, and for this reason Mulally is suggesting a return to the "Have You Driven a Ford Lately?" tagline.

Please, no. Forward momentum, Alan. The return to the Taurus was smart, the name recognition alone is priceless. In that vein, Mulally wants to stop with the recent Ford practice of confusing and confounding consumers by switching model names so frequently. Horray! Building equity in a model name by sticking with it and continually improving the vehicle the badge is stuck to has worked quite well for Honda and Toyota with the Accord and Camry, and it'd be a smart thing for Ford to emulate. Inane 1980s marketing campaigns aside, Mulally is being effective at pushing Ford to operate their business in a smarter manner while building better product. There may be life in the old Tin Lizzie brand yet.

Hit the jump for a taste of Ford's 1984 television campaign.

[Source: Detroit News]

Will a Lincoln by any other name sell as sweetly?


The Zephyr/MKZ has racked up a good number of sales for Lincoln despite the brand's best efforts to confuse buyers over its name. Originally dubbed the Zephyr for its inaugural year of sales, Lincoln decided to quickly change the car's moniker to MKZ, pronounced "Mark Z," so that it would better jive with upcoming models like the MKX luxury crossover utility vehicle. After an earful of complaints from dealers, however, Lincoln's entry-level luxury sedan will henceforth be known as the (drum roll, please...) MKZ, pronounced "em-kay-zee." Funny, that's how we've been pronouncing "em-kay-zee" this whole time. Talk about a solution looking for a problem... sheesh.

[Source: The Detroit News]

The votes have been tallied in our Name the Volkswagen poll. Among the five names that Volkswagen has offered as possible monikers for its next small SUV, one stood out among the rest with 28-percent of the vote: Nanuk. Other names, such as Tiguan (a combination of the words "tiger" and "iguana" and one bad ass creature we wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley) and Samun were close behind with 23- and 24-percent of the vote, respectively.

We've learned, however, that none of VW's proposed monikers hits anywhere near the mark with Autoblog readers. Remembering that VW has a penchant for naming its cars using wind as a theme, so it may be that Samun, a hot desert wind that blows in North Africa, has the best shot of becoming affixed to the SUV's rear end. According to the company, however, it will stand by whatever name Autobild readers choose. Are you ready to drive away in a VW Tiguan?

Quick: Is an RX a Lexus, or a Mercedes-Benz? It's a Lexus. What about an XG?* And is the "M" an Acura, BMW, Lincoln, or Nissan? Well, that depends on whom you ask (as explained here, Acura squares off with Lincoln, and here, BMW suing Nissan).

Kim Seung-hyun of the JoongAng Daily tries to clear which alphanumeric name belongs to which brand and how each company arrived at their respective nomenclature schemes. The Hyundai Grandeur L330, for example, refers to its engine capacity of 3300 cubic centimeters. Peugeot use a three-digit naming scheme where the first number indicates the vehicle's make like a compact, mid-sized sedan, etc., while the third number tells what generation it is. Details on the naming scheme for BMW, Renault, and others can be found at the link. Bonus points to anyone that can recall what Merkur's XR4Ti nameplate stands for.

For everyone else who is still confused, be sure to check out our own Chris Paukert's Alphanumeric Soup rant over at TheTruthAboutCars.com for a moment of clarity.

*The XG's, as in XG 30,  XG 300, and XG 350, used to be Hyundai's flagship. The Azera has replaced it. 

[Sources: JoongAng Daily, TheTruthAboutCars.com]