Carrera Panamericana Mexico

I recently looked up the origin of the Panamera name online. Here’s what I found:

“The Panamera’s name was inspired by the Carrera Panamericana Mexico, a road race held in Mexico in the early 1950s. The 911 Carrera also takes its name from the race, and in 1989 Porsche unveiled a concept car called the Panamericana.”
*Source: Wikipedia, “Porsche Panamera”

Well, there you go! The Carrera Panamericana Mexico was one of the wildest and most grueling races in the world at the time. Fatal accidents involving drivers occurred year after year, and the legendary event was held for just five years, from 1950 to 1954.

Even so, Porsche chose the name Panamera (and “Carrera” was inspired by the same race). The race must have meant a great deal to the company.

What Do Japanese Car Names Mean in English?

A car’s name matters. It shapes the image of the vehicle, needs to avoid awkward meanings in different languages, and should be memorable enough to earn fans’ affection for decades. That got me wondering how Japanese car names come across overseas, so I did a little digging.

■ Nissan
Skyline … horizon
Fairlady Z … beautiful young lady

■ Toyota
Crown Athlete … crown athlete
Aqua … water
Vellfire … quiet
Mark II … target two

■ Honda
Insight … insight
Fit … a perfect fit

…(-_-)

Some of those sound a little odd in English. A few models are sold under different names in other markets, and perhaps some weren’t originally intended for international sales. Even so, “Want to drive a Crown Athlete?” or “Let’s take a beautiful young lady for a test drive!”—well, they do sound strange. Naming cars is harder than it looks. That’s what I’ve been thinking lately.