Some thoughts on car and truck model names.

Did you know...American car and truck manufacturer REO (Ransom Eli Olds) also built cars for export to Spanish speaking countries. But REO in Spanish means “prisoner”. So REO cleverly badged the export models as RIO, which in Spanish is pronounced the same as REO is in English, and which means “river”... and has a somewhat better connotation.

Speaking of absurd names...The idiots at GM tried selling the Nova in the Hispanic world. It’s name meaning does not go in Spanish. Ooops.

Hudson did a little better when they changed the name of the Terraplane (1932-38) to Autoplano for the Latin market...seems terra plane is literally a "pile of dirt".

And why would anyone want to buy a car named Dodge Dynasty? The full name should be “Dodge or Die Nasty”.

Studebaker did well selling the Dictator while Benito Mussolini was admired around the world...but when he fell from grace fast and hard, Studebaker abruptly dropped the model name after 1937.

What about the Ford Probe? A name that had “unexpectedly offensive connotations for women” Hello!

Unfortunately one of the best names for a car ended up on one of the worst cars: Yugo. You-Go girl!

E:mail me your thoughts. foscop@adelphia.net

So where did the American Car brand names originate?

Buick: Named for founder David Dunbar Buick.

Cadillac: Named for Antoine De La Moth Cadillac (1658 - 1730), French explorer who founded Detroit (Fort Pontchartrain).

Chrysler: Maxwell car re-named for new company president Walter Percy. Chrysler.

Chevrolet: Named for renouned race car builder and driver hired by Durant for purpose of premoting new model.

DeSoto: Named for explorer Hernando De Soto (1500?-1542).

Dodge: Named for founders John and Horace Dodge.

Edsel: Named postumously for Henry Ford's son.

Eagle: Named for the bird.

Ford: Henry Ford, auto pioneer and company founder.

Graham: Named for the founding Graham Brothers, Joseph, Robert and Ray.

Hudson: Named for the company's financial backer.

Hupmobile: Named for founders Robert (Bobby) and Louis Hupp.

Imperial: Word origin with appropriate conotation.

Jeep: Name origin is in dispute. Decide for yourself...Jeep Name Origin

Kaiser: Named for millionare founder Henry J. Kaiser.

Lincoln: Named for the 16th President of The United States.

Mercury: Winged God of speed. Roman name for the Greek God Hermes.

Nash: Jeffery Company re-named for new director Charles W. Nash.

Oldsmobile: Named for founder and pioneer Ransom Eli Olds.

Packard: Named for founder James Ward Packard.

Pontiac: Named for Chief Pontiac, great leader of the Ottawa Indian tribe.

Plymouth: Named for the Pilgrim's plantation...or some say for a very popular brand of wire used by farmers.

Rambler: Word origin with appropriate conotation.

Saturn: Named for the 6th planet from the sun.

Studebaker: Family name of the Studebaker Bros. wagon builders since 1852.

Willys: Named for founder John North Willys.