What's in a name?

[Tom H]

Early Datsun 240Z was the Fair Lady if I remember right.

Good thread. dose make you think about the names

Tom

[HardAspie]

I understand that one name Ford Motor Company pondered prior to deciding on "Edsel" was. "Utopian Turtle Topper". Some Female poet contracted by Ford came up with that.

[HardAspie]

Early Datsun 240Z was the Fair Lady if I remember right.

Good thread. dose make you think about the names

Tom

You are right  and indeed both the 1600 and 2000 cars, which were more than a tad MGB like that preceded the 24 Ounce were called Fairlady. I would not be one bit surprised to fond that current Nissan sports cars may be called such in Japan. (BTW: the 2000 was a nasti fast car)

[Tom H]

A friend of mine when I was a kid had a 2000. Seems like they had another name as well, at least for the 2000. Quick little car. Odd thing, he also had a 750 Ambo. Maybe that's where I got my start??

Tom

[oldbike54]

 Ford asked for , and received permission from Triumph to use the Thunderbird name .

 Dusty

[HardAspie]

Ford asked for , and received permission from Triumph to use the Thunderbird name .

 Dusty

I had never heard that, thanks!

[HardAspie]

Studebaker Dictator.

[oldbike54]

I had never heard that, thanks!

 You are welcome , I am a fount of completely useless knowledge  Between me and a buddy who has departed this mortal coil , we knew everything that almost no one cares about .Just ask any question , go ahead 

 Dusty

[HardAspie]

Good Lord. That is my specialty. I can bore people to death with important arcana. 

[rob-mg]

So does anyone know why the V7 Special is spelled Special on Moto Guzzi's Italian site instead of Speciale?

[HardAspie]

So does anyone know why the V7 Special is spelled Special on Moto Guzzi's Italian site instead of Speciale?

Errore.

[rocker59]

 If a company is trying to expand their market then they should probably consider names that bring up positive associations for customers unfamiliar with the history.

What names do you propose for Harley Davidson and Honda for machines they sell in Italy? 

LeMans, Monza, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix are all names Americans are familiar with - though they may associate them with some over weight cars.

You can't have it both ways.  I submit that the knucklehead who doesn't relate a sporting motorcycle named Imola to a racetrack in Italy will only associate LeMans and Grand Prix to Pontiac, Monza and Monte Carlo to Chevy.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Somehow the Harley Davidson Assen Park just doesn't sound quite right ... (dang emos have gone on Sabbatical)

 Dusty

More likely the Harley-Davidson Assless Chaps. ;-)

[SED]

What names do you propose for Harley Davidson and Honda for machines they sell in Italy? 

You can't have it both ways.  I submit that the knucklehead who doesn't relate a sporting motorcycle named Imola to a racetrack in Italy will only associate LeMans and Grand Prix to Pontiac, Monza and Monte Carlo to Chevy.

Well at least the guy who associates LeMans or Monza with a car is probably aware that the car was named for a racetrack.  Imola doesn't even have that connection in the US, but, as someone pointed out, the V35 Imola was never marketed here - so I shouldn't have included it.  Oh well.

For product names in general it makes sense to keep the name that the home market uses unless it elicits the wrong connotation.  If the wrong connotation is common in the new market, then consider a name with more positive connotations.  I don't speak the language or know any Italian word connotations or conventions so for me to propose names for bikes marketed to Italians would just perpetuate the problem in the other direction (if it is a problem).

[HardAspie]

I doubt that many Americans know much about Italy unless they have roots there or have followed some sort of GP racing. A question may be asked about MG's target audience: enthusiast or larger than that?

[SED]

Somehow the Harley Davidson Assen Park just doesn't sound quite right ... (dang emos have gone on Sabbatical)

 Dusty

I just looked up Harley names on their website.  I'd thought they would all be versions of XCLH or XCLR8 or something, but mostly they seemed to be a first name:  Fat, Wide, Street, Road or Electra combined with a second name:  Bob, Boy, Glide, King.  Throw in a few modifiers:  Ultra, Custom, Special, Limited and you can sell a lot of bikes!   

[SED]

I doubt that many Americans know much about Italy unless they have roots there or have followed some sort of GP racing. A question may be asked about MG's target audience: enthusiast or larger than that?

Good point.  I wrote the original thinking that Guzzi was trying to expand their target audience.  The 1400cc cruisers seem to suggest it.

[HardAspie]

I just looked up Harley names on their website.  I'd thought they would all be versions of XCLH or XCLR8 or something, but mostly they seemed to be a first name:  Fat, Wide, Street, Road or Electra combined with a second name:  Bob, Boy, Glide, King.  Throw in a few modifiers:  Ultra, Custom, Special, Limited and you can sell a lot of bikes!   

I heard they are hard at work on the Obese Blob Lard Ass.

[rocker59]

   I don't speak the language or know any Italian word connotations or conventions

Nothing wrong with that.  For some reason, though, I've always been curious, and have searched up names I didn't understand.

Here's one I didn't need to do that with, because I remembered it from literature in grade school:

You said:  "Centauro - a bull trapped in a maze?"

That was Minotaur.  Half man / half bull product of royal bestiality.

Centaur was a half man / half horse race of creatures from Thessaly.

And, that is why I thought you were joking...

I always thought Centauro was a great name for a motorcycle...  I've always considered the motorcycle a mechanical horse, and being an equestrian myself, understood the connection.

[rocker59]

I doubt that many Americans know much about Italy unless they have roots there or have followed some sort of GP racing. A question may be asked about MG's target audience: enthusiast or larger than that?

Armani, Versace, Gucchi, Guzzi. 

[SED]

You said:  "Centauro - a bull trapped in a maze?"

That was Minotaur.  Half man / half bull product of royal bestiality.

Centaur was a half man / half horse race of creatures from Thessaly.

And, that is why I thought you were joking...

I always thought Centauro was a great name for a motorcycle...  I've always considered the motorcycle a mechanical horse, and being an equestrian myself, understood the connection.

I actually remembered that Centaur was the half man / half horse while out on a little ride today! 

Centaur does make sense - agreed!  Until then I'd never understood where Centauro had come from.  My Greek mythology is too easily confuzzled.  Wonder if that is common?

[HardAspie]

Armani, Versace, Gucchi, Guzzi. 

Point taken.

[rocker59]

Point taken.

My mom says "Moto Gucci". 

LOL! 

[HardAspie]

My mom says "Moto Gucci". 

LOL!

Moto Gucci! Wasn't that the name of the horse the new sheriff rode into town?

[Penderic]

Polaris has the astronomical angle.


Lots of cars and bikes have been named after stars, planets and moons even.


Ships no exception!


 

[rocker59]

Moto Gucci! Wasn't that the name of the horse the new sheriff rode into town?

Nah.  Sheriff Bart had Gucci saddlebags.

[HardAspie]

Nah.  Sheriff Bart had Gucci saddlebags.

My bad! Mistook the bags for the horse. The horse was a bagger.

[HardAspie]

Polaris has the astronomical angle.


Lots of cars and bikes have been named after stars, planets and moons even.


Ships no exception!


 

That belongs in the "fastest get off" thread.

[rocker59]

My bad! Mistook the bags for the horse. The horse was a bagger.

The horse's name was "Sam", though it's not referred to in the movie.

[HardAspie]

The horse's name was "Sam", though it's not referred to in the movie.

People who know such things! No wonder I like it here!