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Quattro369 April 15, 2009 12:51 PM

Remember Consignia anyone? Royal Mail had their fingers well and truly burnt.

Back on topic: If Vauxhall were going to change the Astra name they should have done it when the current car came out, it was so far removed from the previous car. The 2010 Astra - whilst no doubt improved - will not be enough of a step forward to warrant a name change.

David Harrington-Wright April 15, 2009 12:51 PM

My first car was a Viva, I thought it was the dogs watsits!

Car companies and their choice of name always amuses me, they spend millions, but most people dont give a hoot - I drive the latest Mondeo, but its nothing, absolutely nothing, like any of the previous ones, but I don't care what its called - and Ford saved millions by not having to research and copy protect a new one!

Admittedly with vauxhall the Vectra had to go as the name was associated with such a poor product, but where the hell did they get Insignia? Insignificant more like!

alfypalfy April 15, 2009 12:55 PM

Being a 'brand manager' must be the biggest wheeze going.

Funny how the really big, really successful brands do not change their name(s) - Rolls Royce, Coca-Cola, Apple, the Beatles, Levis, Kodak, etc etc

Remember Consignia anyone?

Of course, if you're an upwardly mobile international risk management enterprise being named after the foremost town in East Anglia might be seen as a challenge, but then again it might also be a USP.

Time for Autocar to rebrand as Electro-Bike?

horseandcart April 15, 2009 1:19 PM

Ringo Star, who he? It's Starr anyway.

As for 'Viva', the only explanation that anyone under fifty can remember this as a car name would be alliteration, imprinting itself on one's memory, as in Vauxhall Viva, Bouncing Bomb, etc..

It's a crap name anyway, shorn of its alliteration trick.

Apparently Opel are to resurrect the Ascona name for a new model between the Astra and the Insignia. Would think that junking the naff Astra(Vauxhall instigated) name for the old Kadett name would be a good idea too.

By the way 'Aviva' is apparently a hebrew term. Would it be too much for an English company to advertise itself under a readily recognisable English name/term, rather than one with hebrew, Latin or whatever else roots?

dc_manchester April 15, 2009 2:19 PM

Actually GM has resurrected the Viva name - the Daewoo Lacetti/Nubira was sold in Australia as the Holden Viva from 2005 until recently being replaced by the Cruze.

sotw April 15, 2009 2:24 PM

Midway through a Business Design course and the all encompassing idea is 'name change'. We are resisting because we already have a 'Brand Identity' (my wifes words not mine).

I heard a whisper recently that Renault were collaborating with Subaru in order to insert a flat four into a people carrier - they were going to call it the Kangooru...

Phinehas April 15, 2009 3:49 PM

Vivas were slightly dodgy from the beginning - I learned to drive in an HB which I think was the least naff of the three to look at. They all rotted like entropy was their sole purpose but were comfortable and practical, and would hit any tree you aimed them at.

Vauxhall lost out by losing the Victor, Viva and Ventura names, not so sure about the Velox (can't even remember how to spell it). Yes, they're alliteration, but we knew that, and that's what made them so memorable.

What IS an Astra or Insignia anyway?

That was in the days when a Vauxhall wasn't an Opel.

Talking about silly names, as a kid I remember telling everyone I had my Consuls removed. And surely the Cortina was curtains for Ford.

TegTypeR April 15, 2009 3:59 PM

If you said Chevette to a lot of people they would also think Vauxhall.  Doesn't mean that its a good idea to bring the name back.

Anyway, sod the Viva name, it's lacks dynamism.  If Vauxhall were going to bring anything back it should be the "Firenza" name, along with its amusingly titled Droop Snoot version.

Good old fashioned rear wheel drive fun.

ordinary bloke April 15, 2009 4:53 PM

Pinehas "What IS an Astra or insignia anyway ?"

They are both latin , I think. The RAF motto is "Per ardua ad astra" which is something like "Through adversity to the stars" and an insignia is a badge or emblem denoting a rallying point, as in an ensign or banner used by your lord in a medieval battle etc. I haven't looked these up so if anyone knows better, put me right.

sotw April 15, 2009 4:54 PM

'Anyway, sod the Viva name, it's lacks dynamism'

Not if you add the words 'Las Vegas' after it.

Remember my cousins first car as a red 4dr Viva. We saw Star Wars in '77 and wrecked the suspension on the way home pretending it was an X-Wing Fighter on a very bumpy country road. I was 12.

Memories...

Uncle Mellow April 15, 2009 7:42 PM

"My first car was a Viva, I thought it was the dogs watsits!"

In fact , the Mk2 ( HB) Viva really WAS the dogs watsits , especially the version with matt black bonnet and 4 exhausts. Trouble was , folk like me who lusted after it simply couldn't afford it , and most who could just thought it was too loud.

Phinehas April 15, 2009 8:11 PM

"Per ardua ad astra" - I always thought that meant "Not another dire Astra advert."

My sister had a Chevrolet Chevette, that's what I think of when I hear Chevette. And it's not a good thought.

manicm April 15, 2009 8:59 PM

And will someone at Vauxhall scrap the horrific name Ampera please??

cockneybloke April 16, 2009 1:46 PM

Ah, the Viva HB!  My first car, followed by a Viva Magnum - now that's a name to bring back.  To Uncle Mellow above, the special was the HB GT which had a 2 litre engine and four round headlights.  God, I so wanted one.

As for Aviva - waste of money.

James Ruppert April 16, 2009 7:44 PM

Jack Brabham offered a tuned Viva remember which had 'stripes' plus I do have a picture of James Hunt driving a Firenza Sport!

cockneybloke April 16, 2009 7:48 PM

He did indeed.  The Magnum I had was a HC, I don't know if he had a go at them too.  The HB is featured as Bob's car in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads.

coolGav April 16, 2009 9:11 PM

I like the idea of Big/Small Viva, but think they needn't bother. To me the new Corsa looks like an Astra, and it's not that different from the Vectra/Insignia too. So just call them all the Vauxhall Viva, perhaps having a new badge with a V above another V in a circle...

I used to quite like the design of Vauxhalls, but they've got increasingly terrible to me of late. Unfortunatly so have other brands, so if I want a car that looks half decent there's a limited choice - thankfully the Italians seem to know what they're doing.