Do cars with yanks names give anyone else the *****?

in_xcess · 18-09-2013, 10:36 PM

How hard is it to change a name to reflect the Australian market?

**** it ***** me that Holden market the Colorado and Malibu - why not throw an Australian-centric badge on it to at least try and not look like lazy ****s.

Or is it just me... are Australians just Pseudo yanks so we don't care about our car names?

LEXUS = luxury export to the US...

The trend is to drop names and go with letters and numbers (Tucsons and Santa Fe's became 'i' whatever's as one example) but what other yank names can you think of that were or are clearly aimed at the US market and dumped on us?

TC200six · 18-09-2013, 11:08 PM

No not at all. When they keep a name plate the same in multiple regions, it prevents confusion.

Holden have been keeping the American names on US-sourced vehicles for decades, like when they used to build Chevrolets and Pontiacs here for example.

Hawkeye84 · 18-09-2013, 11:14 PM

Also comes down to cost...making tens of thousands of badges for a localised name adds unnecessary costs to to car. The market is tough and they will want to eliminate such costs to keep the price down

anto · 18-09-2013, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by in_xcess

How hard is it to change a name to reflect the Australian market?

**** it ***** me that Holden market the Colorado and Malibu - why not throw an Australian-centric badge on it to at least try and not look like lazy ****s.

Or is it just me... are Australians just Pseudo yanks so we don't care about our car names?

LEXUS = luxury export to the US...

The trend is to drop names and go with letters and numbers (Tucsons and Santa Fe's became 'i' whatever's as one example) but what other yank names can you think of that were or are clearly aimed at the US market and dumped on us?

what like falcon ?
Im fine with the yank names, its the euro trash that gets under my skin.
For example fusion > mondeo.

GCRXR6 · 18-09-2013, 11:23 PM

Sorry in xcess, but the Falcon is a yank nameplate. You're happy to have Mustang here in Australia aren't you? Then there's the Euros ... Volkswagen VW .. People's Car. Sorry, I'm gettin' cranky ... close to bed time.

TC200six · 18-09-2013, 11:33 PM

Don't forget the Fairlane was named after an American site too. It was the name of Henry Ford's mansion in Dearborn, Michigan.

Moby Vic · 19-09-2013, 01:30 AM

If the US manufacturers gave Australian names to US products sold in Australia, they'd be criticized for pretending to build something specifically for Australia that they were not actually doing.

jpd80 · 19-09-2013, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by in_xcess

How hard is it to change a name to reflect the Australian market?

**** it ***** me that Holden market the Colorado and Malibu - why not throw an Australian-centric badge on it to at least try and not look like lazy ****s.

Or is it just me... are Australians just Pseudo yanks so we don't care about our car names?

LEXUS = luxury export to the US...

The trend is to drop names and go with letters and numbers (Tucsons and Santa Fe's became 'i' whatever's as one example) but what other yank names can you think of that were or are clearly aimed at the US market and dumped on us?

I suppose Fairlane gave you the ****s too..

Neale · 19-09-2013, 01:51 AM

doesn't really bother me, I don't think the Ford Brumby would have the same ring to it as the Ford Mustang.

Lucky the Japanese don't have more influence over car names when they come up with stuff like the
-Nissan Cedric
-Nissan Sylivia
-Toyota Chaser Avante Lordly
-Mitsubishi Lettuce
-Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard (I'm glad they made the effort & rebadged it the Holden Frontera for Australia)
-Mitsubishi Pajero (I'm sure you have all heard of what it means in Spanish)

chevypower · 19-09-2013, 03:58 AM

Got anything against the Everest name too? Or does that slide since it's not Yank? Could rebadge it as the Ford Woolloomooloo if you insist, but you might need a bigger car to fit the badge?

BDA074 · 19-09-2013, 06:13 AM

I actually prefer American names. As stated we would not have the Falcon or Fairlane without them. Would prefer Fusion any day over Mondeo too.

Some names don't translate we'll though. I agree with Malibu, overtly American...

MNM96 · 19-09-2013, 06:14 AM

Imagine being able to articulate what you want to say without swearing. Thats a change I would like to see oneday.

I live in hope.

Moby Vic · 19-09-2013, 06:27 AM

Did Australia get stuck with the Probe, too?

Motorbreath310 · 19-09-2013, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Did Australia get stuck with the Probe, too?

Sure did.

Have you guys seen what a Tarago is called in it's home market? An "Estima Emena". Emena was a trim level. I think. Funny applying a name that sounds so close to "Enema" to a people/children-carrier.

You see some terrible names for cars that come out of Japan. Most of them are domestic market only.

Nikked · 19-09-2013, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by in_xcess

but what other yank names can you think of that were or are clearly aimed at the US market and dumped on us?

-Falcon
-Fairlane
-Futura
-Galaxy
-Mustang
-GT
-F-150, 250 etc
-Ranger
-Bronco

CyberWasp · 19-09-2013, 07:30 AM

The Malibu should have an Australian name.
It should have been called the Malabar because every drive feels like your on your way to a prison sentence.

in_xcess · 19-09-2013, 07:50 AM

You've mostly missed the point - and/or I didn't make it clear. A bit of column A and a bit from column B.

Location names not animals or names that have originated in the US. My examples were all locations in the US and have little relevance here. Malibu, Colorado, Tucson etc.

Australia has Falcons as a native bird so that's fine. Ford went with Territory as it has a local relevance - they could have called it a Detroit or a Seattle but of course it just wouldn't have made sense as the cars R&D came from here. Longreach was a successful nameplate. Subaru embraced the term Outback as a vehicle badge - it works. But do we need to have this Americanisation of everything including our cars via US locations...?

OzJavelin · 19-09-2013, 08:17 AM

What about American models with placenames of 'other' countries? Riviera, Parisienne, Monte Carlo, Newport, LeMans?

Are they OK? ;)

Road_Warrior · 19-09-2013, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neale

-Toyota Chaser Avante Lordly

Please provide more details of this vehicle, it sounds hilarious.

in_xcess · 19-09-2013, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

What about American models with placenames of 'other' countries? Riviera, Parisienne, Monte Carlo, Newport, LeMans?

Are they OK? ;)

They're fine, Europe has heritage and these are generic. You're missing the point which reinforces the point... the subtext is the Americanisation of cultures via the imposition of their place names.

Most examples being brought up are classics from the sixties and seventies when US cars dominated our motoring scene. The point is do short-term nameplates built in Malaysia or Korea with US location names demonstrate a lazy carmaker...?

Badges are a 2c piece of plastic - at least try and give a local market some respect.

Monaro... I think that worked!

350125GO · 19-09-2013, 08:39 AM

If its a good name I couldn't give two *****. Falcon = good. Malibu sounds like cheesy baywatch fluro crap. Golf = good, Clio = womens magazine... Chaser = good, Avalon snooze pension mobile.

**DJR-351** · 19-09-2013, 08:55 AM

.......nope, and until I read the thread title I had never even given it a thought.

NAK302 · 19-09-2013, 09:02 AM

we're slowly working towards being the 53rd state. didn't you know that?

in_xcess · 19-09-2013, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJR-351

.......nope, and until I read the thread title I had never even given it a thought.

Hence proving the point... Australia, the 51st state?

in_xcess · 19-09-2013, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT-0733

we're slowly working towards being the 53rd state. didn't you know that?

It's very apparent, no wonder Ford US canned local manufacturing here, judging by the apathy evident we never really had a local product... most seem happy with the imposition of a US-centric ethos.

The thread is about US place names on vehicles in the Australian market and not American cars. And whether a lack of desire on the part of carmakers from any country to change their names to reflect the market they are sold in suggests that culturally we are seen as an extension of an American market?

Would you buy a Mazda Tokyo or a Hyundai Seoul?

Bring on the Taurus I guess and change its name for the Australian market to New York as we won't have a problem with that.

**DJR-351** · 19-09-2013, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by in_xcess

Hence proving the point... Australia, the 51st state?

Actually that's incorrect, all it proves is other issues concern me more than the name of a car......

a-total-tool · 19-09-2013, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC200six

No not at all. When they keep a name plate the same in multiple regions, it prevents confusion.

Correct. Mitsubishi use region specific names, and I find it confusing. Before realising this, it made getting the good parts (typically not available in aus) quite difficult and expensive.

Mitsubushi Pajero Sport, Montero Sport, Shogun Sport, G-Wagon and Nativa are the same car - which is sold in Aus/NZ as the Mitsubishi Challenger.

Imagine if all cars were like this

NAK302 · 19-09-2013, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by in_xcess

It's very apparent, no wonder Ford US canned local manufacturing here, judging by the apathy evident we never really had a local product... most seem happy with the imposition of US-centric product.

Bring on the Taurus I guess and change its name for the Australian market to New York as we won't have a problem with that.

yep i agree mate, we've been slowly losing our identity now for several decades. remember, governments keep yelling at us through their media outlets to be more accepting of others and their ways, whithout the staus quo.

in_xcess · 19-09-2013, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

If the US manufacturers gave Australian names to US products sold in Australia, they'd be criticized for pretending to build something specifically for Australia that they were not actually doing.

Depends on how it's marketed. I think the opposite is true... at least if homage was paid to the local market by referencing a local name I'd give them points for effort.

Subaru weren't bagged for the Outback or Brumby and no, I'm not talking about them making a Kia Uluru or an Audi Dandenong - most know the point I'm making... really there's no major cost or confusion to be had - its just pure laziness and culturally that's what we are!

Do you reakon Italians would buy a Malibu?

BlueOvalPrint · 19-09-2013, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by in_xcess

Do you reakon Italians would buy a Malibu?

They do!!! https://www.chevrolet.it/vetture/malibu/

Apart from (Sbaru) Outback, (Ford Falcon ute) Longreach, (Holden) Monaro or (Holden) Camira, I can't think of many other Australian themed names that have been on cars in the last 30 years...