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Cape Town - Fitta, Deliboy, Titan Dump... ever heard a bizarre car moniker and thought to yourself 'who approved such a ridiculous name?!'
Though we cannot answer the above, we can share some of those weird - and not so wonderful - vehicle names that have appeared throughout the years.
Weird names
Model names such as the bland Sandal have thankfully disappeared, while other bizarre titles still linger.
Did you know that the word 'Pajero' is actually a curse word used for an untrustworthy person? Or that one Mazda truck name is synonymous with a particularly large bowel movement?
The guys at Car Dealer Reviews sent us this awesome list highlighting some of the worst car names yet:
1 Honda Fitta
In Swedish and Norwegian 'Fitta' is a rather rude word for describing female genitalia. To top it off, the slogan for the model was 'The Honda Fitta: small on the outside, big on the inside'.
Good thing, then, that the vehicle did not come to SA
READ: Top 10 worst car names
2 Toyota Deliboy
Calling a car a Deliboy probably isn't the best idea but in all honesty, the worst crime of this truck isn't the name - it's the bonnet. It should have been called the duck-billed platypus due to its flatness rendering an already bland vehicle unattractive. And, besides, no other Toyota bus would have been a success at the time other than the Hi-Ace. This bus would have fallen flat on its face. Get it? Flat on its face...?!
3 Renault Fuego
When driving a car, an irrational fear held by many drivers is that their car might randomly burst into flames. The name 'Fuego' therefore may not be the best tittle as it translates to 'fire' in Spanish. At the time, Renault suffered from reliability issues (a problem that would persist for decades), both driver and mechanic would have been reluctant to go near a vehicle that even hint at setting alight.
What are your worst car names? Let us know via email, Facebook and Twitter.
4 Renault LeCar
The intention behind this moniker was to give A) french flair and B) would give it a touch of class for markets outside of France. Either the automaker's marketing team decided to call it 'The Car' in pseudo-French or they actually wanted to name it something that translates to 'the because'.
READ: Hustler anyone? Top 10 worst car names
5 Nissan Homy Super Long
We're not sure anything needs to be said about this suggestive car name. Sure you can make your own jokes but this car probably wouldn't have been a hit in Mexico. 'Super Long' serves as both an accurate description of its wheelbase and suggests its owner's sexual prowess.
6 Mitsubishi Mini Active Urban Sandal
Adding 'mini' 'active' or 'urban' to a model designation is the automotive equivalent of an SEO-friendly title. These descriptive titles only work if the actual model name is exciting. Sandal is bland at best...
Pajero in Spanish translates into a rude word for somebody who, shall we say, lies a lot, and cannot be trusted. Having a car with this meaning behind it may not be the best strategy, but then again they are Mitsubishi, so at least they're being honest? But the Pajero has been around for many years and it can't be because they lied about the product...
READ: Top pet names for cars
8 Mazda Titan Dump
Introducing the new Mazda Titan Dump tr... wait a minute, did a Japanese automaker just name that car after a bowel movement? Whomever was responsible for this title either has a penchant for toilet humour or is oblivious to the fact that the words 'Titan + Dump' should never be used together.
9 Mazda Laputa
Mazda once again delivered another weird name. Unfortunately for the brand, 'La Puta' is a derogatory term in Spanish often used as a curse word to describe woman. Unsurprisingly, sales in Spain weren't great...
10 Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard
If somebody requested a very stereotypical Japanese name for a car, odds are you'd come up with a something similar to this SUV. Japanese marketing executives probably assumed it would communicate the vehicle's capability. Instead it either sounds like something put together by a random word generator or that this SUV is capable of pulling off Harry Potter-esque magic. Very weird...
11 Great Wall Wingle
There aren't that many popular Chinese-built vehicles, at least outside of their home markets; At best they're barely on par with the competition (read: GWM Steed 6) and worst complete flops (Chery QQ). Enter the Wingle. Although the bakkie wasn't terrible, the name does sound like it's referring to a part of the male anatomy.
12 Geely Rural Nanny
A more light-hearted moniker to end this list is the Rural Nanny. Apart from what one would call a family caregiver in the bush, the word 'Nanny', doesn't inspire confidence; slow pace, poor handling and likely to require replacement parts soon.
What are your worst car names? Let us know via email, Facebook and Twitter.
Special nominees for worst car names:
1 Renault DeZir
2 Mitsubishi Pistachio
3 Volugrafo Bimbo
4 Daihatsu Naked
5 Nissan Prairie Joy
6 Suzuki Cappucino
7 Rickman Space Ranger
8 Honda Life Dunk
Images and list by Car Dealer Reviews
