Tesla's upcoming BMW 3-series rival, long thought to be badged the Model E, won't use that model name. That's because Ford also applied to trademark the name, and the two were involved in a legal dispute.
Ford eventually won, leaving Tesla with a new car which will now apparently be called Model III, and the Blue Oval with an interesting moniker that is in keeping with its Model A and T cars from its past. Perhaps it might introduce Model E itself on a future all-electric model.
The dispute raises the question of how much value we put into car names. Manufacturers run customers clinics and focus groups to determine the correct name for their latest product, and the name can make or break a model in the dealership.
It has to be easy to say (anyone else struggle with Pagani Huayra or Mazda Furai?), easy to remember and convey the image of the car.
Some models do this very well. Who could think that the Land Rover Defender is anything other than an all-terrain SUV, or that the Mitsubishi Space Wagon isn't a spacious way to move the family?
There are also those manufacturers who have held on to established naming conventions. Try taking the 'class' out of Mercedes, the 'series' out of BMW or the numbers away from Peugeot.
The number of clashes between manufacturers seem to be on the rise. Remember in 2011 when Ferrari wanted to call its Formula 1 car the F150 to celebrate a century and a half of Italian unification? Ford – which uses F150 on its big trucks in the States – objected, forcing Maranello to think again.
MG and Mazda both have flagship saloons dubbed the 6. And going back a bit, the car we know and love as the Porsche 911 was originally to be called the 901 until Peugeot laid claim to any model name with an '0' in the middle.
Would it be better to class everything under one roof? That would mean rather than looking at a Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Golf you could simply look at B-Segment by Ford, B-Segment by Vauxhall and B-Segment by Volkswagen.
What do you think would make the business of car naming easier?
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A good point
For example Vauxhall changed the name from Vectra to Insignia. Makes the car sound so much better and it has the looks to compliment the name.
I wish Ford would do this with the Mondeo as I believe this name sounds "cheap".
Since the "Fusion" was taken out from their line up (because it was rubbish), can't Ford just copy and paste the names they give to their cars in North America and place them here?
The new Ford Fusion. The new Ford Escape.
Sounds a lot better than, The new Ford Mondeo and New Ford Kuga.
Hmmmmmm!?
100 years plus
Never understood the 901 / 911 story and Peugeot's apparent sole right to use car names with a zero in the middle. Surely there are many car names that fall into this category. For example Audi 100 and 200 had a zero in the middle just like numerous Mercedes have been 300s and 500s, and no one has bat an eyelid.