A lazy naming job from VW

Apr 6, 2008 at 11:46 PM
8 comments

I see Volkswagen is bringing out a Chrysler-based minivan called the Routan.
Daft name, but I guess if it already has a minivan called the Touran in Europe, it was a matter of swapping two letters around in the mould.

07touran05

Volkswagen Routan

Aside from size, they kind of look the same, too.

8 comments

Jack Yan’s rating:

★★★★

Tags:

This also appears in:

Comments

[this is good]

I like the style but not the name.

I don't see any mini vans in my future. I find re-badged vehicles perplexing on the level of branding and identity.

The look is not too bad: both are contemporary. I just wonder what names can come up now from moving letters around. How about a Toyota that’s promoted with a major soda manufacturer, called the Rocolla? The new Nissans sold in the Peruvian capital, the Atlima? (Mercury can sell a Liman there, but I don’t know about Chevrolet’s Limabu.) How about going meaty with the Suzuki Balone (the company does less well with its I-Anal) or Roman with the Nero?

Alexis took an International Business and learned that Pinto means "small penis" in Portuguese and Nova means "no go" in Spanish.

Jack Yan replied to Zak Klemmer’s comment:
Apr 8, 2008
Reply

You may remember the Mitsubishi Montero. In most countries, including the original Japanese market, that was called the Pajero—which means masturbation in some Latin American countries.

I saw a really clean Mitsubishi 3000GT yesterday, even cleaner than my Miata. I was drooling. ;)

Hmm, I think they have dated rather horribly, but the Miata will always look good.

Zak Klemmer replied to Jack Yan’s comment:
Apr 15, 2008
Reply

Cool ;)

A lazy naming job from VW

Comments

Post a comment

About Me

My Links

My Groups

Neighborhood

Tags

Archives

Magazines