Sometimes, a new car is launched onto the world stage by one name, only for that name to be changed a while later. It’s more common than you might think – there are dozens of cars that changed name.
You see, naming a new car model is really tricky. Manufacturers try to choose a name that says something profound about the car and the brand. But the name also has to make sense in multiple languages and pass various legal hurdles. There can even be political ramifications. Inevitably, the manufactures don’t always get it right.
Here, we’re going to take a look at five of the most interesting cases of cars that changed name.
Alfa Romeo Milano changed to Alfa Romeo Junior
Earlier this month (April 2024), the Alfa Romeo Milano was unveiled as the brand’s new small SUV – it’s closely related to the Jeep Avenger. The name was chosen in tribute to Alfa’s hometown of Milan, in Northern Italy. But Italian politicians immediately took umbrage.
See, the Milano will be built at a factory in Poland, not in Italy. Italian industry minister Adolfo Urso claimed: “A car named Milano cannot be produced in Poland. This is forbidden by law.” In the interest of keeping the political peace, Alfa announced within days that the Milano would be sold under the name Alfa Romeo Junior. Though, as CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato commented: “We know we are not required to.”
Why has Alfa Romeo chosen the name Junior? Not only does it make clear the car is the smallest in the Alfa range, the brand has used it before. In the Sixties and Seventies, it was applied to entry-level versions of the delightful GT coupe and Spider convertible.
Porsche 901 changed to Porsche 911
The numbers nine-eleven are perhaps the most iconic in the entire motoring world. For 60 years, the evergreen Porshe 911 has been and remains one of, if not the most capable, most versatile, most engaging sports cars you can get. For many people, it’s the best car in the world.
But the 911 wasn’t always known as such. It was originally launched as the Porsche 901. 82 cars were built wearing that badge in late 1964, but Peugeot forced a change.
The French manufacturer successfully claimed that it had the exclusive right to give cars a three-digit name with a zero in the middle. It had already used that convention for several decades and still does today. In response, Porsche switched the zero for a one, and an icon was born.
Tesla Model E changed to Tesla Model 3
The Tesla Model 3 sticks out in the electric car brand’s range – it’s the only one with a number in its name. But it wasn’t supposed to be called Model 3. Tesla CEO Elon Musk wanted his mid-size saloon to be called Model E. Why? Because then the four-car Tesla range would have been S-E-X-Y. We’ll leave you to form your own opinion on that one.
Musk was thwarted in his plan. Ford raised objections because many of its early cars had followed a similar naming convention – Model A, Model B, Model T and so on. Curiously, Ford hadn’t objected to the earlier Tesla Model S and Model X, or the later Model Y. But Model E was evidently a bridge too far, and Ford successfully forced Musk to change his car’s name.
GWM Ora Funky Cat changed to GWM Ora 03
Chinese electric car maker Great Wall Motors landed in Europe in 2022 with a small hatchback that looked cute and had an even cuter name. But seeing a car badged GWM Ora Funky Cat left most people scratching their heads. What was it that made this a car Funky Cat? And what even is a Funky Cat?
The car’s modest sales suggests that the name may have been putting buyers off, perhaps not fancying the prospect of explaining they’d just bought a Funky Cat. Whatever that is. But GWM realised its mistake, renaming the car GWM Ora 03 in January 2024 – it’s known as such in markets outside Europe, anyway. It was also successfully sued by heavy machinery maker Caterpillar, which holds a trademark for CAT.
Toyota MR2 changed to Toyota MR-S
Toyota has a history of giving its cars wonderfully matter-of-fact names. For instance, the name of its luxury division – Lexus – is a contraction of Luxury Experiment United States. In 1985, the Japanese brand launched a new sports car, the Toyota MR2. What was the meaning of this mysterious alphanumeric? Mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two seats – the car’s layout. Wonderfully matter of fact, indeed.
However, there was one country where the MR2 was known by a different name. In France, it was badged MR-S. Why? Well, if you remember secondary school French lessons, you can probably work out what MR2 sounds like in French…
There are lots of other examples, as well. The Ford Mondeo was originally going to be named Lyrus, after the son of the Greek goddess Aphroditie. But it was decided the car would be sold globally under the completely meaningless manufactured name Mondeo. The Volvo S40 would have been badged S4, had Audi not had dibs on it for the line of high-performance A4s.
In Portugal, the Hyundai Kona is badged Kauai, after the Hawaiian island, because ‘kona’ is a deeply rude slang term in Portuguese. And the Alfa Romeo 164 was sold as the 168 in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia because, in Chinese, the number 164 means ‘all the way to death’. By contrast, 168 means ‘all the way to prosperity.’
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