[anjan_c2007]

To start with, the most talked about model name that foremost comes to our minds is the Tata Sumo.
Sumo's christening has two theories. According to the first one, it is named after the architect of Telco, Mr Sumant Moolgaokar ("Su" and "Mo" are the first two letters of his name and surname respectively).

http://www.tatacentralarchives.com/h...moolgaokar.htm

The second one says that it is named after the Sumo wrestlers of the Far East, who are tough and well built.
It is more likely that the first theory is correct going by the Tata philosophy and tradition.
A few other model names like the CJ500D from M&M are difficult to understand. CJ signifies the original Willys/Jeep brand model prefixes, but "500" is mysterious, as the diesel is a 2350 cc from International Harvester. Neither its power output is 500 bhp nor its torque 500 nm.
The M&M models 540DP and 550 DP signify the Peugeot power plant inside viz. Diesel Peugeot, but the magic of the 540 and 550 like figures can't be well understood.
M&M is touchy about a last letter "O" in almost all its model names, now a days. Just see the names like Bolero, Scorpio, Xylo, Verito and now the Quanto. The Thar has a "r" however and is not selling so well. The small M&M commercial vehicles are full of "o"'s at the tail end. The Genio (Xylo pick-up), Gio and Maximo have this magic letter. The Ssayngyong range also includes the Rexton, which is due for a launch by M&M very soon. It does not have any "o". Will M&M rechristen it like a new bride would be sometimes done by in-laws, in the olden days in our country? The Logan is a French "bahu" or daughter -in-law,who has become Indian with the "o" (Verito).
M&M has again in 2011, come out with the XUV 500 ( zero or "o") name, picking up the magic figure of 500 (may be borrowed from the CJ500D) again. XUV could be indicating that it is a UV, MUV, SUV and everything else denoted by " X".

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

M&M has again in 2011, come out with the XUV 500 ( zero or "o") name, picking up the magic figure of 500 (may be borrowed from the CJ500D) again. XUV could be indicating that it is a UV, MUV, SUV and everything else denoted by " X".

Its not XUV 500, its XUV 5OO.

And I've no idea why they choose that name. But they were really desperate that it should end with an 'O'.

They could launch Rexton as XUV with different numerals (XUV 7OO anyone?). Would help them cash in on the success of the 5OO.

[carwatcher]

I posted about Thar naming 'mystery' on other forums twice but didn't get the relevant reply.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...ml#post2892484

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

The Thar has a "r" however and is not selling so well.

M&M has again in 2011, come out with the XUV 500 ( zero or "o") name, picking up the magic figure of 500 (may be borrowed from the CJ500D) again. XUV could be indicating that it is a UV, MUV, SUV and everything else denoted by " X".

WRT XUV, it is actually a Cross (denoted by X) over Utility Vehicle, hence called as XUV. Crossover UV means from outside it is rugged like a UV and from inside it has Sedan like finesse.
Fusion, Yeti, Aria, XUV 5OO and now Duster belong to that classification.

Any info regarding naming of Premier Padmini or other Indian cars.

[rajeev k]

XUV inspired Maruti to start a campaign as LUV for the Ertiga.

They could launch Rexton as XUV with different numerals (XUV 7OO anyone?)

It can be REXO or REXTO!

[condor]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Sumo's christening has two theories. According to the first one, it is named after the architect of Telco, Mr Sumant Moolgaokar ("Su" and "Mo" are the first two letters of his name and surname respectively).

The second one says that it is named after the Sumo wrestlers of the Far East, who are tough and well built.

Correct, SuMo was for Sumant Moolgaonkar. Though, the japanese wrestler connection did add weight to the name & to the fortunes of this model.

Actually, regular usage in certain parts of India have seen Sumo transform to "Somu" :P

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

M&M has again in 2011, come out with the XUV 500 ( zero or "o") name, picking up the magic figure of 500 (may be borrowed from the CJ500D) again. XUV could be indicating that it is a UV, MUV, SUV and everything else denoted by " X".

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Its not XUV 500, its XUV 5OO.

And I've no idea why they choose that name. But they were really desperate that it should end with an 'O'.

@CD, actually Anjan is again correct there. It is Five Hundred. It is just that, when pronouncing it, they want it to be said as Five-Oh-Oh. This does rhyme with Xylo and Quanto, though.

About why it is 500 and not 5-o-o : remember James Bond ? He is always called Double-Oh-7, even though it was Zero-Zero-7. No one ever called Bond Zero-ZEro-7, or Not-Not-7, or anything else other than Double-O-7, did we ?

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by condor

remember James Bond ? He is always called Double-Oh-7, even though it was Zero-Zero-7. No one ever called Bond Zero-ZEro-7, or Not-Not-7, or anything else other than Double-O-7, did we ?

Yes wikipedia also says so. James Bond's designation, 007, which is always read as "double-o seven", not "double-zero seven"
But both Five double O or Five O O complies Mahindra's naming reasoning of ending with O.

[swiftdiesel]

This should probably be familiar by now buy yeah Ertiga was named as such because Ertiga means 3 rows in Indonesian.

[simplyself]

Why borrow names from other languages/cultures ( though nothing objectionable in that) as we can have any number of names from the history of our land.

Auto companies may take cue from Defence and other agencies to christen their models with Indian names which have named missiles, tanks, aircraft carriers etc.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by simplyself

Why borrow names from other languages/cultures ( though nothing objectionable in that) as we can have any number of names from the history of our land.

Auto companies may take cue from Defence and other agencies to christen their models with Indian names which have named missiles, tanks, aircraft carriers etc.

Because mundane things sound awesome in some languages. Best example I can remember is the Maserati Quadroporte (Pardon me if spelling is wrong). Name sounds just right for a luxury brand, whereas it just means 'four door'.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by condor

Correct, usage in certain parts of India have seen Sumo transform to "Somu" :P
e ?

'Saar I am having Somu Vandi saar' ... Common usage in Tamil Nadu. Means 'I have a Sumo vehicle.'

[condor]

Shankar, not just TN - it's the same in other places too. Typical in interior regions.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

I posted about Thar naming 'mystery' on other forums twice but didn't get the relevant reply.

Feel the Thar mystery can be resolved by Mr Behram Dabhar, who is a teambhpian and was associated with the M&M here.

Originally Posted by carwatcher

Any info regarding naming of Premier Padmini or other Indian cars.

After PAL's collaboration with Fiat ended, it had come out with the Premier President.I have read that there were objections to the use of the word "President" by the concerned authorities, as such names cannot be used lately for products and business interests in India.Even they now a days do not allow anyone to register "Bharat", "Hindustan", "India" as company/ trade/brand names or even body/club or association names.
The next best thing PAL thought was to name it after Queen Padmini, the very beautiful Rani of Chittor, who mesmerised Alauddin Khilji (Delhi's ruler). Hence very soon the President became Padmini.

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

The Thar has a "r" however and is not selling so well. .

The Mahindra Major which is based on the body shell and chassis of the CJ4A, in its latest avatar, also has a "r" as its last letter. The Major's mainstay are the rural markets, but it is'nt exactly setting the sales charts afire. Hence, it can also be concluded that if M&M targets limited sales in niche markets it uses "r".

[GTO]

Why borrow names from other languages/cultures ( though nothing objectionable in that) as we can have any number of names from the history of our land.

Hindi / regional language words are mainly used for two wheelers & commercial vehicles. Car makers don't appear to be too keen.

One problem most manufacturers face is when selling the same badge & car globally. Either someone else holds the local trademark to that name, or it just means something funny in the local language (Mitsubishi rebadged the Pajero as Montero because the original name means, ummm, something sexual in Spain).

The Germans then decided to keep it simple with the C / E / S Class, the 3 / 5 / 7 Series and the A4 / A6 / A8. The manufacturer's name is one thing, but even the model names have acquired immense value over the years. For example, to most of us, the S-Class is the final word in luxury.

[DWind]

Originally Posted by GTO

Hindi / regional language words are mainly used for two wheelers & commercial vehicles. Car makers don't appear to be too keen.

Proton has successfully used Sanskrit for its car models and they sound cool. Eg. Satria, Wira

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by GTO

Hindi / regional language words are mainly used for two wheelers & commercial vehicles. Car makers don't appear to be too keen.

True ! Right from the Rajdoot, (Hindi for Ambassador which is a car name) the two wheelers and even some commercial vehicles have been named with typical Hindi/ regional language names.
The Royal Enfield Sherpa that came along after the Ensign, is also an example.The successors were the Crusader and the Enfield 200 (also called as a Mini-Bullet by the company to prop up sales, but all in vain).Their scooter introduced around 1963 was named Fantabulus. Perhaps after the Sherpa, Enfield swore never to use Indian or Hindi names for its models. The Mofa, Explorer and Silver Plus bear testimony to this assertion. None of these models sold very well, other than the Bullet.
The Military use truck in collaboration with Mann of Germany became Shaktiman. Many of our army jawans have been calling the Nissan as "Nishaan". Thats a forced Hindi name for a Japanese one. Spending my childhood in the Army environs as the son of a serviceman, I am privy to this pronunciation.
Ashok Leyland has many such names like Cheetah and so on. One of its early models was called Comet.There was also a Viking.
The Priya scooter by Maharashtra Scooters is another example.
Next comes the Vijai.Scooters India Ltd had the licence to use the trade name Lambretta for it scooter in 1972 when it bought Innocenti, Italy's scooter brand. But it preferred to use its new name"Vijai."It came as the Vijai Deluxe to soon become the Vijai Super.The exported scooters though not in very large numbers were named as Lambretta GP (GP for Grand Prix). The 125 cc scooter it introduced was Lambretta Cento and was marketed as such. Its satellite plants built in collaboration with State Governments had many brands like Aravalli (Rajasthan), Digvijay (West Bengal), Allwyn Pushpak (A.P.) and so on.Also the three wheelers made by Scooters India Ltd was named Vikram that is sold till this day.
The Rajdoot Bobby was a half "phoren" and a half Indian name.


A scooter called Girnar Leo was introduced by Gujarat Scooters in the late 1970's. This was based on a Piaggio model.


The Sipani Automobiles cars were named as Badal - its first three wheeled car from the mid 1970's. The Dolphin came later in the early 1980's, which was based on the Reliant Kitten from U.K.They also had introduced the D 1 which was an utter failure. For their Rover Montego of 1990, they did not meddle at all with the original name as christened by Rover.