Amphicar BUYER Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <span style="font-weight: bold">Embarrassed GM to Rename Car with Risque Overtones </span> Thu October 23, 2003 11:41 AM ET MAKUHARI, Japan (Reuters) - General Motors Corp will rename its Buick LaCrosse in Canada because the name for the car is slang for masturbation in Quebec, embarrassed officials with the U.S. automaker said Thursday.GM officials, who declined to be named, said it had been unaware that LaCrosse was a term for self-gratification among teenagers in French-speaking Quebec.GM officials in Canada are working on a new name for the car, a sedan that will go on sale next year to replace the Buick Regal.The mix-up is reminiscent of another GM vehicle with an unfortunate name. In the 1970s, GM exported its Chevrolet Nova to Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, only to be told that Nova translated into "doesn't go." Despite the name, and contrary to popular folklore, the car sold well.</div></div> Yes sir, there is somebody who didn't do the investigation required! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BruceW Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 hmmm...Wonder how that makes the residents of LaCrosse, Wisconsin feel??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Thankfully, the car had not yet been offered for sale -- or even advertised, for that matter. It would be interesting to know how GM gained knowledge of the problem with the "LaCrosse" name. Given that it's also the name of a city in Wisconsin, one would have thought that it was a fairly safe bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 A Google search shows that the US Lacrosse Group has 150,000 members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphicar BUYER Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">hmmm...Wonder how that makes the residents of LaCrosse, Wisconsin feel??? </div></div> Umm, satisfied? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Skyking Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Geeze, we are in the 21st Century, is that such a bad thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moskowitz Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 During the years I sat on Oldsmobile and General Motors boards, I was involved in several "badging" discussions. Believe me, it left you scratching you head at times. First you had the traditionalists (a minority), then the folks from the private name research companies (screwed up on the Lacrosse one!), the people from the marketing side and also the folks from the styling community. These discussions could be somewhat comical. I remember one time we were looking at a name that turned out to be a feminine hygiene product! Ford found some resentment from women because of the Probe name.In the end I think you could name a car Moskowitz, Scotland or heaven forbid, Hartman. If it was the best car on the market, it would sell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ex98thdrill Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 ...and I always thought that LaCrosse was a contact sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_SKYSTHELIMIT Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I've heard that the Chevy <span style="font-weight: bold">NOVA</span> means <span style="font-weight: bold">WON'T GO</span> in spanish. Is that true or is it an urban legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 It is true. It means "Doesn't go" and was an impediment to sales in Mexico. I think they renamed it a Caballero or some such. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />I had a Chinese friend ( a Chien no less from Beijing) who told me they LOVED the Roadrunner show at University. Beep Beep means ... FY in gutteral Manderin. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Boudway Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Here's another two gems: I understand that "Camero" in Spanish is the name for the "stuff" that the farmers spread on their fields.Also, our exchange student from Brazil informed us that "Pinto" was a word for the male sex organ in his country.Why does Detroit feel that they must have a catchy name for their product? Why not let quality and service sell the product? Perhaps that's why we prefer our older vehicles that only claim the year of manufacture and body type to identify them.Bill Boudway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I once heard a very fat woman described as having more chins than the Beijing phone directory.Now I wonder how many women, special interest groups and Lord knows who else I offended with that joke.Is it grounds for banning or just deletion?The devil made me do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 Maybe not banning this time, Howard, but I will definitely make you eat at Austin's in Ft. Collins for that remark! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 Has anyone asked a former AMC executive lately what the Spanish word for <span style="font-style: italic">"murderer"</span> is? If not, check here. Ooops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've heard that the Chevy <span style="font-weight: bold">NOVA</span> means <span style="font-weight: bold">WON'T GO</span> in spanish. Is that true or is it an urban legend. </div></div>Complete urban legend, albeit based on a stretch of pronounciation. In fact there is a chain of <span style="font-style: italic">NOVA</span> gas stations in Mexico. From <span style="font-weight: bold"> [color:\\"red\\"]about.com : <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The Chevy Nova That Didn't Go Commonly Told Tale Is Just an Urban Legend </div></div> </span><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Chances are you've heard about how Chevrolet had problems marketing the Chevy Nova automobile in Latin America. Since no va means "it doesn't go" in Spanish, the oft-repeated story goes, Latin American car buyers shunned the car, forcing Chevrolet to embarrassedly pull the car out of the market. Chevrolet's woes are often cited as an example of how good intentions can go wrong when it comes to translation. There are literally thousands of references to the incident on the Internet, and the Nova example has been mentioned in textbooks and often comes up during presentations on cultural differences and advertising. But there's one major problem with the story: it never happened. As a matter of fact, Chevrolet did reasonably well with the Nova in Latin America, even exceeding its sales projections in Venezuela. The story of the Chevy Nova is a classic example of an urban legend, a story that is told and retold so often that it is believed to be true even though it isn't. Like most other urban legends, there is some element of truth in the story (no va indeed means "it doesn't go"), enough truth to keep the story alive. And, like many urban legends, the story has the appeal of showing how the high and mighty can by humiliated by stupid mistakes. For anyone who knows Spanish, there are some obvious problems with the story. For starters, nova and no va don't sound alike and are unlikely to be confused, just as "carpet" and "car pet" are unlikely to be confused in English. Additionally, no va would be an awkward way in Spanish to describe a nonfunctioning car (no funciona, among others, would do better), just as in English we'd be more likely to say "it doesn't run" than "it doesn't go." Additionally, as in English, nova when used in a brand name can convey the sense of newness. There's even a Mexican gasoline that goes by that brand name, so it seems likely such a name alone could doom a car. A logical analysis of the story would also indicate its unlikelihood: It strains credibility to believe that a company as large as General Motors, with marketing executives and other employees and contacts throughout the world, wouldn't be aware of a negative meaning of a product name. In fact, according to one marketing analyst (Cecelia Bouleau, quoted in Business Mexico magazine), GM marketers discussed the possibility of confusion with the name, but "they kept the name and it sold very well. ... I think that the word is sufficiently incorporated into the language as meaning 'new' ? as in 'bossa nova' ? that the criticism isn't valid." GM, of course, isn't the only company to be cited as making advertising blunders in the Spanish language. But upon closer examination, many of these tales of mistranslation prove to be as unlikely and difficult to verify as the one involving GM. </div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphicar BUYER Posted October 24, 2003 Author Share Posted October 24, 2003 "No va" (two words) does indeed mean "doesn't go" in Español, But "Nova" (one word) means "Nova" in Spanish just as it does in English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 24, 2003 Share Posted October 24, 2003 Randall ~ When? John ~ Do you have a Spanish keyboard? How did you get the tilde in your Espanol? Dave ~ Matador it is, but I wonder if the word has that meaning in Spanish when it is associated with bullfighting? hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amphicar BUYER Posted October 24, 2003 Author Share Posted October 24, 2003 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">John ~ Do you have a Spanish keyboard? How did you get the tilde in your Espanol? </div></div>I cut and pasted it from Word using an internatioal font. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dave ~ Matador it is, but I wonder if the word has that meaning in Spanish when it is associated with bullfighting? </div></div> In spanish Matador does mean "killer" or "murderer" in either context.Mata = To kill-dor = Person who... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest xerxes Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I lived in Japan in 1979 - 1981. There were always reminders of pronunciation/spelling fiascos such as the time I saw a stereo company car go by with several prominent brand names and the word "amprifiers" listed with other items such as tuners and speakers. But the greatest mistake I saw, and regretably did not get a new car brochure for it at the time, was the Mitsubishi "Starion" sports coupe which had a rearing horse(stallion?) on the badging plate on the hood. They soon changed the badging and the 3 diamond (mitsu/3 bishi/diamond) replaced the rearing horse. I personally saw one of the originially badged cars in Nagoya in 1981 or 1982.In a different vein, don't forget the story about when Nissan first wanted to market their cars in the U.S. and Europe. They called a famous German marketing firm at the last minute for help. They told the Germans about their car line and their need for a new name. The Germans asked when they needed it and the Japanese said within 48 hours. The Germans said, "Dat soon?"Later gater.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I went to my wife's Iranian friend's graduation from nursing college. I guess giving her two thumbs up means something entirely different to Persians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 It is true. It means "Doesn't go" and was an impediment to sales in Mexico. I think they renamed it a Caballero or some such. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />I had a Chinese friend ( a Chien no less from Beijing) who told me they LOVED the Roadrunner show at University. Beep Beep means ... FY in gutteral Manderin. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />I loved my '68 Roadrunner and I am certain that after I kicked butts on Woodward Avenue with it that people in the losing car were commenting in gutteral Manderin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 NOVA is actually an acronym - Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo. And then there is the GM "floating bull".And what do Qubecois call the game that is sorta like Jai-Lai with longer sticks ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 NOVA is actually an acronym - Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo. And then there is the GM "floating bull".I find that a little hard to swallow since there were no Omegas, or Apollos when the first Novas were built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I thought "nova" meant "new" in Latin... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I thought "nova" meant "new" in Latin... ?novus= new (Latin).nova= a star that suddenly increases it's light output tremendously and then fades away to it's former obscurity in a few months or years......(just like the GM Nova).No va= Spanish for no go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I always thought Hudson's "step down" body was a lousy name. You should be inviting customers to "step up" to a new car not "step down".Franklin ran an ad campaign in the twenties on a Western theme. One ad showed a 49er panning for gold with the slogan "Opening a new vein of public favor". In today's safety conscious days you would not mention opening a vein in your ads.have also seen a "Blockbuster Sale" on antifreeze (they must be watering it down) and a "Blowout Sale" on tires (not on my car).Of course the biggest blunder of all time was Edsel. We know it was named after Henry Ford's son but the public never heard of him. In testing it brought up thoughts of "red cell" "dead cell" etc.The finalists for the car were Ranger, Pacer, Corsair or Citation. These became model names. Any of them would have been better than Edsel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I always thought Hudson's "step down" body was a lousy name. You should be inviting customers to "step up" to a new car not "step down".Franklin ran an ad campaign in the twenties on a Western theme. One ad showed a 49er panning for gold with the slogan "Opening a new vein of public favor". In today's safety conscious days you would not mention opening a vein in your ads.have also seen a "Blockbuster Sale" on antifreeze (they must be watering it down) and a "Blowout Sale" on tires (not on my car).Of course the biggest blunder of all time was Edsel. We know it was named after Henry Ford's son but the public never heard of him. In testing it brought up thoughts of "red cell" "dead cell" etc.The finalists for the car were Ranger, Pacer, Corsair or Citation. These became model names. Any of them would have been better than Edsel.LOVE the tire "blowout sale" term. I do not think I would want a car called a "Citation" because it might mean that you would be getting a ticket all of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 So...on the Nova thing...I guess I did not retain enough of my Spanish lessons...sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 The No Va story is much repeated, an as I say in many marketing and global management textbooks, so don't feel like you forgot something.That goes to show you how a silly urban myth can become a "fact". The fact is, and any native Spanish speaker will agree, "nova" means the same thing in Spanish as it does in English, basically an exploding star. The No Va thing never happened. Those that choose to believe it will, however, argue, until their last breath, that it is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I always thought Hudson's "step down" body was a lousy name. You should be inviting customers to "step up" to a new car not "step down".I agree, but what would you have called it? Wasn't it the first car with footwells and a lowered belt and roofline?The Continental Mark II was the first Ford with footwells. Interestingly, the name "Continental" was a bit of a blunder on the part of the sole importer of Porsche cars in the 1950s. He insisted that Americans didn't buy cars with silly numbers like 356, they liked names like Speedster and Continental. The Continental sold pretty well, but the cheap stripped-down Speedster was the real hit. Ford "asked" Porsche to cease using the "Continental" name as they claimed it as an extension of the earlier model. The Speedster name lived on and the rest of the cars reverted back to silly numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 The "Nova" thing was explained once to me this way:"Nova" in Spanish means "no va" in about the same way "gold" in English means "go old". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 (edited) White trucks had a Mustang before Mustang. When Ford asked if they minded them using the name White said if you want to name a car after a truck go ahead.There is also a story that Chrysler was going to name their new compact Falcon in 1960. Indeed Chrysler had a Falcon show car in 1955. But Ford registered the name first so they settled on Valiant. Edited January 9, 2010 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 (edited) Ford had a Capri in England. I heard they considered the name Caprini for another model until they found out it meant goat droppings ha ha ha. Edited January 9, 2010 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 If I were picking a name for the step down Hudson I would look for something that suggested lowness, sleekness, stability and safety.I wouldn't name my cars after bugs and insects either. No Wasps, Hornets etc.Animal names are safe and popular. Panther, Wildcat, Mustang, etc were up for grabs back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Hudson Wasp now there is a name to offend the minorities. Like Studebaker Dictator it belongs to an older time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 What politically incorrect names can you think of, let's start off the list with Dictator, Wasp, Imperial, and in the South Lincoln and Rebel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 While not politically incorrect, my AMC Pacer couldn't get out of its own way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfudd Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 SS Jaguar. And, while not politically incorrect at the time, the pre-WWI K.R.I.T. It had a swastika emblem, which was an ancient good-luck symbol until the Nazis made it forever unacceptable. I understand that present-day K.R.I.T. owners have to spend more time answering questions about that swastika than must of us brass-car nuts have to spend answering questions about age, speed, present value, and whether we can still buy tires.Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 There is a Swastika Ontario founded in 1908.Swastika - Ontario Highway 11 Homepage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 (edited) 1956 Dodge LaFemmehttp://www.dodgelafemme.com/ Edited January 10, 2010 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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