Comments on: Hyundai To Launch Luxury Brand; Ridiculous Name to Follow

By: Martin Schwoerer

Martin Schwoerer — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:17:09 +0000

Hyundai already has lots of impressive names that they have been using — albeit in Europe.

Accent Atlantic
Amica
ATOZ
Galloper
Grandeur
Highway
i-mode
Santamo
Satellite
Sonica
Scoupe
Starex

NB the Scoupe was officially called the S-Coupe after some fool journalist posed the question: “Is the Scoupe a coupe? No, it snot.”

But seriously, I think Hyundai should take inspiration from the part of Korea north of the DMZ and call its new brand “Dear Leader”, or at least Fearless Leader.

By: menno

menno — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:25:22 +0000

No, no, no. isteal would have to be a CHINESE luxury car brand (itself an obvious oxymoron).

By: theflyersfan

theflyersfan — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:36:49 +0000

How about iSteal?

By: talldude07

talldude07 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:44:52 +0000

Cicero :
March 18th, 2008 at 4:39 pm

Whats Korean for lead balloon?

# Kurt B :
March 18th, 2008 at 4:57 pm

Lets see..

Hyundai is to Honda as
X is to Acura.

Acuyexus?

# lprocter1982 :
March 18th, 2008 at 7:46 pm

How about I Can’t Believe It’s Not Hyundai

HAHA I cant stop laughing at these new names. How about INFINIDAI or KMW (Korean Motor Works!). On a serious note what is it with every car company trying to become the next Lexus (VW, and now Hyundai) The market for those high end snob cars is shrinking. And not to mention nothing beats the brand prestige of Mercedes or BMW or Jaguar…Why cant they just buy the Jaguar brand? Maybe they want to build a new organic brand from scratch but with the economy in the US they way it is that is not the best choice.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:10:18 +0000

The first model will be

Acyurai Accordeon

By: Mrb00st

Mrb00st — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:59:35 +0000

Wang.

By: keepaustinweird

keepaustinweird — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:35:34 +0000

Fortasse (latin for “perhaps”)

By: Durishin

Durishin — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:24:36 +0000

Hey! This is pretty straightforward as a proposition.

Toyota did it with Lexus to huge success

Nissan did it with Infiniti, also with success, albeit after the initial Zen commercials

Subaru didn’t do it with the SVX and that great car failed miserably

Brand matters!

Do you like that little horsie and rider on my golf shirt?

By: Mark MacInnis

Mark MacInnis — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:05:53 +0000

How about “Dementia”….?

By: JK43123

JK43123 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:05:03 +0000

How about Ikia? (Like Ikea the Swedish upscale store)

Get it?

John

By: Rix

Rix — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:49:30 +0000

I think people will be surprised. I think Hyundai will be extremely successful with this. Most of the technology is available on the international market. ZF transmissions, etc. Most people thought Lexus would NEVER be successful, after all, Toyota was a brand of bland imports and Lexus had no grand history behind it. Snobs sniffed that only a ‘marque’ with a long and grand history could succeed in the luxury market. Today, Lexus is first tier and has brand reputation second to none. I will seriously look at Hyundai’s first luxury cars. I will start by looking at the genesis as it appears at first glance to provide a better value.

By: CarShark

CarShark — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:41:37 +0000

I’ve got it! They want a luxury brand, right? So they’ll name the brand…Luxury! It’s soooo obvious. And the first model should be called the Car, unless Pontiac sues.

By: starlightmica (Richard Chen)

starlightmica (Richard Chen) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:40:07 +0000

Mazda named their stillborn luxury division Amati after the family of violin makers of Cremona, Italy a few centuries ago. The recession of the early nineties deep-sixed those plans.

By: foolish

foolish — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:29:25 +0000

Basmati

The new Basmati AW80t36^, everything a luxury car shouldn’t be.

By: Captain Tungsten (of GM)

Captain Tungsten (of GM) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:21:12 +0000

Duesenberg. They seem to be arrogant enough to take that suggestion seriously.

By: Cicero

Cicero — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:51:51 +0000

Owner: “I’ve got the yellow Smegma”

Valet: “You really should get that checked out.”

By: i6

i6 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:49:58 +0000

“Anyone remember when Mazda tried this same thing??? They developed one vehicle for it, cancelled the plans and marketed it as the Mazda 929 if memory serves me correctly.”

-red dawg
The 929 was designed as a Mazda from the get-go. You are thinking of the miller-cycle Millenia which was intended to be marketed as an ‘Amati’ (whatever that is).

By: lprocter1982

lprocter1982 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:46:50 +0000

How about “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Hyundai”

By: kerstensutton

kerstensutton — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:40:30 +0000

Smegma = The matter secreted by any of the sebaceous glands. Specifically:
The soapy substance covering the skin of newborn infants.
The cheesy, sebaceous matter which collects between the glans penis and the foreskin.
Source: Websters Dictionary
Not a name I would pick, or even drive.

By: revjasper

revjasper — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:50:19 +0000

Coq Au Vin?

By: Jonathon

Jonathon — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:38:39 +0000

They should just buy one of VW or GM’s 86 combined brands.

Which leads us right back to Brendan’s suggestion of Buick.

By: red dawg

red dawg — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:48:33 +0000

How about FAILURE, DISASTER, FLOP !!!!!!!! Good names for a division that isn’t needed anyway. And all the above names is what it will be. Most people don’t equate Hyundai with luxury. They equate Hyundai with ecocnomical small cars. This things needs to be nipped in the bud ASAP !!!!!! They are just getting a well deserved reputation for quality and if this fails (and it will) it will really hurt them image wise. What’s next??? A luxury division for KIA as well (since Hyundai owns KIA, it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities) with management making this kind of decision !!!!!!! Or here’s an idea: make KIA the brand Hyundai is now and make Hyundai the luxury brand. Just a thought !!!!!!!!!

P.S: Anyone remember when Mazda tried this same thing??? They developed one vehicle for it, cancelled the plans and marketed it as the Mazda 929 if memory serves me correctly.

By: 50merc

50merc — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:38:10 +0000

I suggest “Poseur” or “Redundcia.” Interiors should feature Nouveau Riche Corinthian leather.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:35:04 +0000

Acurai.

By: Thagomizer

Thagomizer — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:35:03 +0000

A French name: Ti-Pet