Here are 20 of the most literal car names

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

July 24, 2024

What’s in a name
© Skoda
The history of the car is littered with car names of varying degrees of success. For every Interceptor and Thunderbird there’s a Grandland X or a Probe.

But what about the most literal car names? To mark the 90th anniversary of the original Skoda Superb, here are 20 of our favourite names that do exactly, or near enough, what they say on the badge.
Skoda Superb
© Skoda
‘The name Superb has to be earned’, proclaimed Skoda in the book to accompany the launch of its third-generation flagship of the modern era. The Superb, you see, dates back to 1934, when its name reflected its class, sophistication and a wealth of technical innovation.

It’s fortunate that the modern versions of the Superb have been able to live up to its name. The alternatives, such as ‘Skoda Merely Adequate’ or ‘Skoda It’s Really Good But Some Folk Will Still Buy An Audi’, don’t exactly roll off the tongue.
Aston Martin Rapide
© Aston Martin
Ah, the Rapide: a non-stop coach service – predominantly to London – with fewer seats, a hostess service and – wait for it – a toilet. Passengers had never had it so good on the National Express.

In truth, the Aston Martin Rapide would probably get to London Victoria faster than an MCW Metroliner, but you’d have to take your own jolly hostess for crisps and tea. The name dates back to the Lagonda Rapide of 1961.
Renault Espace
© Renault
The Renault Espace wasn’t the first MPV – rivals from America and Japan got there first – but in Europe it had the most influence on this new segment. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that Matra struggled to convince carmakers that a car-like people carrier had genuine potential.

With Peugeot and Citroen failing to see the light, it was left to Renault to lead the way. After a slow start, the Espace – which is French for ‘Space’ – struck a chord with European buyers and inspired a number of imitators. Four decades later, the MPV appears to have had its day, as motorists turn to SUVs for their practical kicks.
Mini
© Mini
The ‘Swinging Sixties’ was the decade of the mini. Opinions vary on who invented the miniskirt, but London designer Mary Quant did more than anyone to thrust the short skirt into the mainstream of popular culture. Then there’s the Mini, first introduced in 1959.

Alec Issigonis’ creation was a triumph of packaging and marketing, helped in no small part by its name. Mini is little more than a shortened ‘miniature’, ‘minimal’ or ‘minimum’, but it became the accepted word for anything small or reduced in size. Genius.
Austin Maxi
© Austin
You could write what we know about fashion on the side of a Boden clutch bag, but we know that the maxi skirt reaches down to the ground. The floor-length skirt became fashionable in the late 1960s, embraced by hippies who shunned the more revealing miniskirt. Or maybe they didn’t have the legs for it.

Whatever, the Austin Maxi arrived in 1969 and was the final car designed by Alec Issigonis. Once again, the emphasis was on interior packaging, with the Maxi blessed with a commodious boot and rear seats that could fold in both directions. Issigonis’ final car was British Leyland’s first and it set the tone for a decade of mismanagement and missed opportunities.
Lamborghini Countach
© Lamborghini
More than five decades since the Lamborghini Countach wowed the crowds at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, it still has the ability to turn heads and send jaws plummeting to the floor. While it couldn’t compete with the Miura in terms of beauty, it blitzed its predecessor in terms of theatre.

And that name is the work of brilliance. Countach, you see, is a Piedmontese expletive meaning ‘wow’ – or perhaps something a little stronger.
Subaru BRAT
© Subaru
You get the impression that Subaru’s marketing team of the 1970s and 1980s didn’t spend a lot of time in the boardroom conjuring up memorable names. Pick up a range brochure from the early Eighties and you’ll see four cars: 4WD Sedan, 4WD Hatchback, 4WD Station Wagon and 4WD MV (multi-purpose vehicle). What you see is what you get.

The MV is best known as the BRAT. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this makes it ‘a child, so called in contempt’. Not so literal, until you discover that BRAT is an acronym for Bi-drive Recreation All-terrain Transporter.
Toyota MR2
© Toyota
Described by Motor magazine as ‘the most exciting new car from the East since the Mazda RX-7, and arguably much more significant’, the Toyota MR2 was unveiled as the SV-3 at the 1983 Tokyo Show. It was Japan’s first mid-engined production car.

The name stands for Midship Runabout two-seater, but as Brian Long points out in his excellent book on the MR2: ‘by happy coincidence, MR also describes the car’s layout, i.e. Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive’. Neat.
Maserati Quattroporte
© Maserati
It’s universally accepted that everything sounds better in Italian. Monica Bellucci might be telling you that her drain is blocked with raw sewage, but it’ll sound like she’s inviting you to play beach volleyball with her best friend Sophia.

“Il mio scarico è bloccato con acque reflue grezze” just sounds more alluring. Then there’s the Quattroporte, which is little more than Italian for ‘four doors’. Mi piace!
Triumph and Rover Vitesse
© Rover
The Vitesse name – which is French for ‘speed’ – rose to prominence in the 1960s with the go-faster version of the Triumph Herald. It was reintroduced in the 1980s with the launch of the Rover SD1 Vitesse: an aggressive brute of a machine.

It returned again to grace the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, which went slightly faster than Rover’s former European Car of the Year.
Nissan Cube
© Nissan
This one might be a stretch, but you can see what Nissan was trying to do with the name. Besides, good luck creating a car that looks vaguely similar to a pyramid, sphere, cone or cylinder. ‘Cube’ gives designers a fighting chance.

The original Z10 Cube was based on the K11 Micra, but the K12-based second-generation car was arguably the most cube-like. Did you know the Cube was sold in Malaysia as the Mitsuoka M-Box? You do now.
Nissan S-Cargo
© Nissan
The Nissan S-Cargo paid homage to the Citroen 2CV Fourgonnette and included a number of subtle references to the classic van. A single-spoke steering wheel and roll-back roof were just two nods to the French utility vehicle.

Then there’s the name. Officially, S-Cargo is short for Small Cargo, but it sounds like escargot, which is French for snail. And ‘Tin Snail’ was the nickname given to the Citroen 2CV. Clever thinking, Nissan. And a neat van, too.
Toyota Land Cruiser
© Toyota
Land Rover has a good track record of conjuring up cool names, with Defender, Discovery and Range Rover the most impressive. In terms of setting a scene, these cars score highly, but they’re eclipsed by the Toyota Land Cruiser.

The name was introduced in 1955, but the Land Cruiser’s origins lie in the Jeep BJ of 1951. The most capable model available in the UK is the Invincible. Toyota must have incredible faith in its product to label it such. No pressure…
Smart Fortwo
© Smart
In 2013, Bernstein Research produced a list of the most loss-making European cars of modern times. Sitting pretty at the top of the table was the original Smart Fortwo, which delivered a €3.35 billion loss for Mercedes-Benz, almost double that of the original A-Class.

It’s fair to say that Mercedes-Benz won’t remember 1997 with a great deal of fondness. On the plus side, Fortwo was and remains a great name. A small car for two people, joined by the Forfour: a larger car for four people. Bravo. Doesn’t help with those lost billions, mind.
Citroen DS
© Citroen
These days, car manufacturers are unable to launch new cars without a series of teaser images, carefully-worded press releases and a huge dollop of hype. Citroen did things differently, and the DS was kept entirely under wraps until its debut at the 1955 Paris Motor Show.

Unquestionably, the Citroen DS was one of the most significant cars of the 20th century, but it was also blessed with one of the most inspired names. DS is a pun based on ‘Déesse’, which is the French word for ‘Goddess’.
MG Midget
© MG
Times change, and while Midget might have been a perfectly acceptable name for a sports car in the 1960s and 1970s, the same wouldn’t be true today. Indeed, according to Little People of America, ‘the word “midget” is considered a derogatory slur’.

We had a look through the archives for alternatives, which include ‘Hop-o’-My-Thumb’ and ‘Dandiprat’. While not great, they’re still preferable to Grandland X, Kadjar and F-Pace.
Hyundai Coupe
© Hyundai
When all else fails and the ‘Generator-o-Names’ refuses to play ball, it’s time to throw caution to the wind and chuck any creativity out of the window. Which is how Hyundai must have stumbled upon ‘Coupe’ for its, er, coupe.

In fairness, the Coupe was known as the Tiburon and Tuscani in other markets, but it’s hardly the most appealing name. That said, the earlier model was known as the Scoupe: a combination of ‘sporty’ and ‘coupe’. And nothing at all to do with portions of ice cream.
Ferrari Testarossa
© Ferrari
The 250 Testa Rossa, which completed its first race in 1957, was one of the most successful competition Ferraris in the history of the company. The name, quite literally, means ‘Red Head’, a reference to the red-painted camshaft covers.

In 1984, the name reappeared, this time in the form of the Testarossa (single word), which once again featured the red-painted covers.
Mitsubishi Minicab
© Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Minicab is a range of light commercial vehicles sold in Japan since 1966. As kei trucks, they’re powered by small engines housed in very small cabs, hence the Minicab name.

In 2011, Mitsubishi introduced an electric version, known as the Minicab MiEV.
Renault Le Car
© Renault
The Renault 5 made its North American debut in 1976, marketed as ‘Le Car by Renault’. Contemporary ads positioned it as the ‘Le City Car’, while claiming that, ‘In Europe, nearly two million people drive Le Car with passion’.

As for the name, ‘Le Car’ actually means ‘The Bus’. We’re not sure ‘La Voiture’ would have caught on in America.