Story highlights
Indian automaker Tata Motors says it is going to rename its new “Zica” hatchback amid fears over the Zika virus
Here are some extra automobiles whose names producers additionally may need regretted
Mahaz News
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As fears of the Zika virus sweep the globe, Indian automaker Tata Motors mentioned Tuesday it could rename its soon-to-be-launched hatchback, the “Zica.”
The automotive bought its identify from an acronym for “Zippy Car,” however modified it to keep away from calling to thoughts the mosquito-borne virus that has brought about a public well being emergency within the Americas.
The hatchback might be showcased publicly for the primary time on the Auto Expo 2016 in New Delhi this week. While it is going to carry the “Zica” label all through the occasion, the brand new identify might be introduced later.
Tata, the proprietor of Jaguar Land Rover, had already publicized and promoted the identify, together with the mannequin’s stylishness and “peppy driving experience.”
Here are some extra automobiles whose names producers additionally may need regretted:
The identify of GM’s sedan might have sounded jaunty in English, however “no va” had an unlucky which means in Spanish – “doesn’t go.” Nevertheless it bought comparatively properly in Latin America within the Nineteen Seventies. GM realized its lesson although: whereas its Vauxhall marque used the Nova identify in Britain within the 80s, in Europe it was generally known as the Corsa.
The German automaker’s van has by no means totally overcome the alarming impact its identify had on the inhabitants of Sweden when it was launched in 1996. “Vito” interprets as the feminine genitalia, or not less than a extra earthy time period. Honda was additionally on the verge of calling its metropolis automotive the “Fitta” in 2001, earlier than it realized what the phrase meant (it has equally anatomical connotations) in Swedish and Norwegian. It was finally launched because the Fit in these markets, and Jazz elsewhere.
Mitsubishi’s Pajero SUV was identified in lots of – however not all – Spanish markets because the “Montero.” Why? Well would you select a automotive whose identify means, in lots of South America nations, a liar, unreliable or lazy individual – or extra disturbingly, a person who “pleasures himself” lots. Thought not!
The identify of this boxy little hatchback could also be derived from the identify of an island described in Jonathan Swift’s 1726 ebook “Gulliver’s Travels,” however there’s no getting round what this phrase means in Spanish: “whore.” The automotive didn’t promote properly in Hispanic-speaking markets.
The identify of this hatchback was solely utilized in Japan. Car-buyers in Spain may need turned their noses up at it; there its identify means “booger” or “bogey.”
While, the automobiles listed above have been distinguished solely by their unlucky names, within the case of AMC’s quirky Nineteen Seventies compact automotive, “Gremlin” was totally becoming. Time.com included it in its listing of the worst 50 automobiles of all time, concluding that whereas it was fast, “that only meant you heard the jeers and laughter that much sooner.”
Source web site: www.cnn.com
