Best and worst classic car names

When it comes to having a favourite classic car, you might look for the whole package.

Not only can that mean the drivability, the style, the shape or the character, but also the feelings of nostalgia it may evoke in you. And for some cars, the name itself helps to attach it to a certain time, be it an amazing era or a special time in your life.

However, while some classic car names are truly iconic, others haven’t stood the test of time quite so well.

In this article we will look at five cars we believe have some of the best names around, as well as five of the worst and how they came to be.

No matter what your classic is called, they all need to be protected with specialist classic car insurance. Talk to the team at Lancaster today to get a quote for your beloved motor.

5 of the best classic car names in history

• Volkswagen Beetle

It’s perhaps best to start with one of the most iconic classic cars ever, with a name to match.

Even when speaking to someone with little interest in cars, if you say Volkswagen Beetle, or even just Beetle, they will undoubtedly be able to picture the iconic bubble shape in their minds. Perhaps they would recall ‘Herbie’ – the star of the famous movies franchise that started with The Love Bug in the 1960s.

However, the car wasn’t always called the Beetle. Before World War II, the car was commissioned by Adolf Hitler as a ‘people’s car’ (or Volkswagen) that was affordable enough for the average German worker. This resulted in the creation of the less-catchy KdF-Wagen Type 1.

When a New York Times article called the car a ‘beetle’ in 1938, the name stuck and the car soon became affectionately known as ‘der Kafer’ (meaning beetle) in Germany.

By the 1950s, when the millionth Beetle had been made and the car was being exported all over the world, the name would eventually be officially changed to The VW Beetle. It is now remembered as one of history’s most successful ever cars, staying in production until as late as 2003 in Mexico.

• Lotus Elise

Like the Beetle, the Lotus Elise is popular among classic car fans – a small, pocket rocket on rails. Just make sure you’re pretty nimble as getting in and out can be a bit of struggle!

Many great car or brand names are the result of years of hard work by tenacious and creative marketing teams, but in this case it would be decided on the whim of one man. While the Lotus team had settled on the name 111 (pronounced as ‘one, eleven’), it would be changed at the last minute by Romano Artioli, who at that time was owner of Lotus.

Romano decided that the car should be named after his young granddaughter, Elisa Artioli. So when the car was unveiled at the launch in 1995, it was with the name ‘Elise’. The two-year-old Elisa would even play a big part in the launch, sitting excitedly in the driver’s seat as the curtain was pulled back for the big reveal.

While it may have caused some jitters behind the scenes, hindsight shows it was a stroke of genius. The Lotus Elise is now an iconic classic car that is credited with transforming the fortunes of Lotus, with various editions remaining in production until 2021.

• Ford Mustang

Car manufacturing is one of the biggest symbols of economic resurgence in the decades that followed World War II. So it’s fitting that one of the USA’s most iconic classic cars would be named after a P-51 fighter jet.

At least that is the most widely accepted theory about the origins. Others have suggested the name comes from the horse pictured on the car’s grill, and Ford has never officially confirmed either way.

Perhaps Ford itself is no longer sure. But what we do know for certain is the name has proven incredibly popular and the Mustang is now in its sixth generation. Throughout that time we have seen the muscle car star on the big screen many times, in films such as Diamonds are Forever, Gone in Sixty Seconds, and the iconic chase scene in Bullitt starring Steve McQueen.

Considered the ‘ultimate’ classic car by many enthusiasts, the Ford Mustang evokes images of cruising along Route 66 as the sun sets over the desert horizon – certainly one for the bucket list.

• Chevrolet Corvette

While the Lotus Elise would be named on one man’s hunch, history suggests the naming for the Chevrolet Corvette was a little bit more laborious.

For the Chevrolet advertising team, the brief was reportedly to find a ‘non-animal name’ that began with the letter c. During the internal competition, over 300 names were submitted but the standout name was from photographer Myron Scott.

The ‘Corvette’ was also a popular ship from World War II, which had ended less than a decade before. Myron believed that not only did Corvette sound cool, but it would also appeal to the Americans who had served in the war so recently.

In fact, the appeal of the Chevrolet Corvette would stretch far beyond that. The millionth Corvette rolled off the production line in Kentucky, USA back in 1992 and it’s commonly known as ‘America’s sports car’.

• Ferrari Testarossa

The name Testarossa is great for various reasons. Translating into Italian as ‘red-head’, many of us instantly think of the iconic 80’s silhouette sporting Ferrari’s classic red paint job.

However, Testarossa doesn’t relate to the car’s body – it actually refers to red cam covers on the engine. And in fact, two of the most famous Ferrari Testarossas in history actually have white paint jobs. Firstly in the hit 1980’s TV series Miami Vice, then more recently appearing alongside Leonardo di Caprio in the movie The Wolf of Wall Street.

On top of this, Testarossa holds even more significance for Ferrari fans given its heritage within the brand. The original 250 Testa Rossa, arguably more important in the history of the manufacturer, was one of Ferrari’s most successful race cars including several victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans races, among others.

If you own any of these vintage vehicles, make sure you’re protected with insurance for a classic car. Car club members could qualify for a discount on their premiums – ask the Lancaster team for details when you get a quote.

5 of the worst car names in history

1) Volkswagen Thing

The Volkswagen Type 181 has not enjoyed the same popularity as its cousins the Beetle and the Golf. This might be in some part down to its name – at least in North America.

The name would differ around the world. In West Germany, it was the Kurierwagen, the Trekker in the UK and the Safari in South America. However, as the Safari was already an established car model with Pontiac at the time, another name would be needed for the North America launch.

Why the Thing was chosen as the North American name is not entirely known. It could have been an attempt to win over various demographics due to the vehicles adaptability – the doors and windows could come off and it was framed as being just as useful for California surfers as for NATO inspectors.

However, it wasn’t the name that led to its demise in this market. After being re-classified as a passenger vehicle in 1975, it was unable to meet the US’s stricter safety regulations and was pulled from the market after just two years.

2) Suzuki Cappuccino

There were originally no plans to export this car, so perhaps this meant less scrutiny of how the name might translate for different markets. While naming cars after food and drink is not totally unheard of – who remembers the Nissan Cherry? – it is certainly more of a rarity.

In some ways, the name Cappuccino is apt for this car. With the power limited in order to meet Japanese Kei car specifications, it could compare in some way to cappuccino drinks, in which an espresso shot is weakened down with other ingredients such as milk. However, a weak coffee is probably not how many people would want their sports car to be described.

Questionable name aside and despite the fact that production ceased in 1997 after just six years, the Suzuki Cappuccino was critically well-received. For example, Auto Express says it ‘remains an affordable bundle of fun’ if you can find yourself one today.

3) Ford Probe

While Ford hit the jackpot with the Mustang name, that level of success can’t happen every time. Even then, how the decision was made to settle on this name feels tough to fathom.

Probe, of course, has more than one meaning. In the context of space probes, where a futuristic machine explores the unknown in our universe, it can feel quite futuristic. However, for a car hoping to achieve mass commercial success, it would never easily avoid the association with uncomfortable medical procedures.

Even in the 1990s, a decade where coupes had a surge in popularity, the Ford Probe struggled to secure sales in Europe. GT Planet argues that since the car itself was not disappointing – looking great and performing well – the name was a key factor in its fate. It describes it as a ‘hammer blow’ to the car’s fortunes, noting how European publications at the time reacted with ridicule and dismay.

4) Subaru BRAT

The Subaru Bi-Drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter was, interestingly, never sold in the manufacturer’s native Japan. It was, however, exported to countries like the US, where there was strong demand for car-like pickup trucks, as well as the UK, Canada and elsewhere. Released in 1978, it would aim to target various demographics, from farmers to surfers, with an affordable but practical option.

Sadly for Subaru, the abbreviation of BRAT evokes, for too many people, the image of a spoiled, annoying child having a tantrum. Whether this was on the radar of the marketing team at Subaru is unknown, but it is arguably not an ideal image to create for a utility vehicle. This may explain why in the UK it was rebranded as the Subaru 247.

The car itself would not enjoy lasting success, with the last models being made in the mid-1990s. It did have one high-profile fan in the form of US President Ronald Reagan, who owned a Subaru BRAT to use on his ranch in Santa Barbara, California.

5) Studebaker Dictator

Perhaps this name only became a bad one with hindsight.

In 1927, Studebaker decided on the name Dictator for its new launch, seeing the vehicle as ‘dictating’ the new industry standard. However, it wouldn’t be long before the word would carry another more sinister meaning with the public.

While some European dictators were already in power, such as Benito Mussolini in Italy, at this point the public image of dictators had not yet become overwhelmingly negative. Nobody, including Studebaker, could have predicted that the next decade would see the rise of several infamous dictators, particularly Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany.

As the world became increasingly anxious of a second World War, the word had become too synonymous with these fears and Studebaker had no choice but to act. By 1938, the name had been replaced with Commander, a term that had been used previously by Studebaker in another range. It proved to be a wise choice as World War II had begun by the end of the decade.

What do these cars have in common?

These classic car monikers may have endured mixed receptions but these motors all have one thing in common. They need to be protected with classic car insurance by a specialist who can look beyond the name and protect them for all they’re worth!

At Lancaster Insurance, with more than 35 years of experience in providing classic car insurance, our expertise means we can provide a quote for virtually any classic car on the market.

We work closely with carefully selected underwriters, enjoying access to some of the UK’s most competitive classic car insurance schemes, which we always tailor to suit your individual needs.

Contact us for a classic car insurance quote today.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.