[Bit]

You'd be lying if you say that you have never in your life loved/hated a car solely upon its name at least once, if not more. In a world with identity crisis and cut-throat competition, marketing heads of OEMs constantly have to keep squeezing their brains for letting those creative juices flow to come up with a "cool" name for a new vehicle, and while some do a better job than others, some just fall flat.

So, how much weightage do you think a car's model name has for not just its success, but attaining a cult like status among the crowd?

Do you think THAR would have that oomph factor if it would be named SUV200?

Or SCORPIO would still be perceived as fearful if it would be XUV450?

OR...the ambassadors that at one point, people subconsciously used to associate with an "Ambassador", would be so?

Or the CITY, Gypsy, Fortuner, Safari etc all would be worshipped and dreamt off by the folks with the exact same enthusiasm if they would be named something else?

Yes, the XUV700 is a home run hit product, but will it ever attain the cult status of THARs and Scorpios? I seriously doubt!

So in a world full of GLS350D, TUV300, A6, Q3, XC60 vs Fortuner, THAR, Hummer, & Wranger, which side are you on?

And if the creative names really do wonder, why don't many OEMS, especially the premium segment ones (I'm looking at you Germans!) move past from the boring A4, Q5, and GLA times and come up with unique, carving names for their models that leave a lasting impression on impressionable brains for the decades to come?

[Samba]

Liking a name is very subjective, the name I may like, may be disliked by others.

I feel it's more about the product than it's name. For example, the Maruti 800 was a simple name, but we all know that this car made history. Fiat Uno was once among one of the most popular cars in the world.
Similarly in the bike segment, the simple names like the RD350 or the RX100 are considered as cult products.

If a product is good, it will definitely get it's deserved value. I can hardly think of any product which didn't attain it's cult status because of it's name.

Every manufacturer has their own identity. It's the A Series and Q series for the Audi, similarly BMW has the 3, 5, 7, X series cars.
Who knows if Mahindra named the Scorpio as XUV5OO, and the XUV 5OO as Scorpio, then the outcome would have been same or different!

Regarding, liking or disliking a name, I agree there are car names which I do not like, but that has nothing to do with the product. If the car is good, people will buy it.
A bad car with a smart name will never succeed.

[DicKy]

A catchy name has a good part in making a model popular. But, the real usage of the model name is on the street and not in the creative sections of the marketing department. You can have all the fancy names with deep meanings and all, but people will start using their own names if they can't pronounce the name properly. Heck, before 2nd gen Thar, it was jeep for everyone. Not CL550 or CJxxx. People still call the Omni/Eeco as just Maruti Van. For many years, before Innova became popula, any 7+ seater MUV was TATA SUMO for most rural folks. Names can be passionate and evocative, like how it is for many American and Italian ones. But the power of something simple as 'S Class' has so much more power than any Continental or De ville.

IMO, if a brand was built over decades with proper generations and updates. In short, if a person can buy his first car (xxx brand) and can buy successive generations till his last car, then that is cult status for me. Examples like Corolla, Suburban, 911, Landcruiser or closer home something like WagonR or City or Bolero.

[Bit]

Originally Posted by DicKy

A catchy name has a good part in making a model popular. But, the real usage of the model name is on the street and not in the creative sections of the marketing department. You can have all the fancy names with deep meanings and all, but people will start using their own names if they can't pronounce the name properly. Heck, before 2nd gen Thar, it was jeep for everyone. Not CL550 or CJxxx. People still call the Omni/Eeco as just Maruti Van. For many years, before Innova became popula, any 7+ seater MUV was TATA SUMO for most rural folks. Names can be passionate and evocative, like how it is for many American and Italian ones. But the power of something simple as 'S Class' has so much more power than any Continental or De ville.

IMO, if a brand was built over decades with proper generations and updates. In short, if a person can buy his first car (xxx brand) and can buy successive generations till his last car, then that is cult status for me. Examples like Corolla, Suburban, 911, Landcruiser or closer home something like WagonR or City or Bolero.

You're right but if we bring rural India in the equation, you win outright and unfairly

[TG208011]

Actually Donut Media has made a great video related to this topic.

Turns out for manufacturers who want to sell their products in multiple markets, t becomes incredibly difficult to come up with a name for a car which not only sounds appealing, but also not offensive in any of the languages spoken there.

Manufacturers like Honda name their car Fit in one region and Jazz in another, because they make region specific models.

luxury automakers like Audi and BMW want more uniformity in their lineup, and their entire lineups are available in all the markets they operate in (usually), so they simply use alphanumeric names, which solve the 'not being offensive in any language' problem.

Also, these alphanumeric codes convey a lot more information than normal word names. When you hear the name Q5, you immediately know it is a SUV (or Crossover) positioned above a Q3 and below a Q7.

Atleast this my theory

[RD410]

I don't think the name matters. If the product is good and appealing to the masses, then whatever name it has will become a cult name. Tata Punch is a pretty good recent example.

[fhdowntheline]

We are equating "cult status" to sales. That may not always be true isnt it. A Thar could be a "cult" status car even if it sold 1000 units a month because of its unique design and capability. Consequently the Punch is nowhere close to being called a cult car. Andaz Apna Apna is considered a "cult" classic film. Doesn't mean it broke BO records (it failed actually).
A better question would be, which cars in the Indian automotive industry do you consider as cult classics.

[idontdrivedoi]

Originally Posted by Samba

A bad car with a smart name will never succeed.

The S-Presso would like to have a word with you.

Jokes apart, though, I believe that while having a good name can help bolster your sales (case in point, prone to mispronunciation Citroen has low sales), a bad name can impact your sales as well. But I don't think I've ever adored a car just for the name, although I like many cars even more than I already do because of the name.

[TheStoryweaver]

Initially, a name does create a first impression that it creates a possibility for the user to atleast have more know-how about it. In today’s time, a good name can create a good hype. Something easy to pronounce , something that conveys vehicles characteristics. For example, Curvv , it creates an impression, a bodystyle with curves and lines.

Second, after the car is out in market. Then, it depends all on how car performs over the years. Either that name is remembered for good (E.g -Ecosport) or one knows it’s not one to own (E.g- Datsun Go)

[theabstractmind]

Swift. The later generations are no match to the first generation. Yet, it sells. So, in certain conditions, "bas naam hi kaafi hai".

[condor]

A very old topic, actually. The Name and the font used for that name are a serious subject when it comes to a product. A few decades back, this question was applied to names of movies too - the title and the font used. Designers know this aspect quite well.

[EnthDriver]

I think the car's reputation precedes the cult status of the model's name. Like Hyundai had the Santro, Maruti had the 800, VW had the Polo and the list goes on.

[ChristComesSoon]

I do think the car's name does have a big impact on the ideas in conjures up.

For example, the Ford F150 Raptor and the Toyota Tundra both bring to mind semblances of a ferocious T-Rex & a machine capable of ruling the Tundra. Note: There are better machines than the Raptor - but due to the fact of its name - it's able to stick in people's minds as the mean machine.

I think wrongly naming a vehicle can have an impact in its sales & marketing potential.
For example - The Skoda Yeti is an amazing car - but the name associates it with an ugly lanky creature.

Or for example, the Toyota Hilux. If it had been named something like a Raptor or something like a Falcon or a Tank - it would forever have been associated in people's mind as the invincible pickup. 'Hilux' on the other hand, sounds like an average Kei car.

So much can be said about how Lambos are named or the Koenigseggs.