The reason why many auto companies like BMW and Benz choose alpha/numerical designations is that it requires a person to focus on the actual brand name. This way a particular model does not become more popular then the brand it self if a car is called a “Mercedes” S-Class, “BMW” 3-series “Chrysler” 300 , and etc because the brands name is tied to the car and a designation (like 300) on its own inspires no passion like a real name does.

Many cars in GM’s lineup are more popular then the brands they represent like Corvette, Camaro, and etc. because those names are what drives the passion and not the brand itself. I think this is why many of GM brands have 1 or 2 cars that people are passionate about but the really don't have a sense of loyalty to any particular GM brand anymore. This is why people have more of a connection to the Camaro or a Vette but not really to Chevy or some love the Firebird and the GTO but Pontiac as a brand has become meaningless.

No suprise as the hope of a new Camaro fades many peoples loyalty to Chevy in particular and GM as a whole fades with it.

 

Add Escalade to that list (hope they keep that name though)

 

Really intresting.

I never thought of it that way.

 

Yup, the germans and japanese have been keen to that for a long time. Pontiac looks like they are getting it with the G6, and soon to be a G4, I think. Why Chevy hasn't done it yet is beyond me. Think about it, no one says, "I drive a 540." When someone asks what they drive, they simply say, "A BMW, 5 series." Brand recognition.

 

I've never thought of it that way either...but it sure makes a little more sense.

 

Alpha numerics allow status seeking yuppies to conveniently rank themselves. Obviously, someone with a 330i has higher status than someone with a mere 325i, and of course a 540i would beat both....

Plus, think of the tooling savings. Mercedes can tool up a chrome C, E, S, L, K and numbers 0-9 and cover their entire model line up.

 

WERM I have to agree 110% with you on that idea.

 

On the Yuppie theory, MB, BMW, Porsche, and others have been using letters and numbers for 50+ years, long before the birth of the yuppie. In most cases these numbers tell you something about the car! Sounds logical.

Now a better question is why do Americans like stupid names for their cars?

Camaro! It means what? Friend in french? If you like that name you must also think that Amigo is a good name. If the Germans named cars like us then they would sell the BMW Buddy.

How about Monte Carlo. a nice "fast" sounding name. Has any Chevy ever won the race at Monte Carlo? Has any ever been entered? What if Honda had the same naming convention? Then they would sell the Honda Talladega. Makes as much sense as naming a Chevy after a GP circuit. Hey at least you could find some Hondas in the parking lot at Talladega.

Trivia time. Did you know that someone else also made a car called the Monte Carlo? Lancia, they do have a history of running and winning there. When they brought their car over they had to change the name to the Lancia Scorpion.

Speaking of Grand Prix well what about the Grand Prix? Does this car celebrate Pontaics long history of Formula 1 racing?

 

I guess I'm old school on this one....I have a personal relationship with my cars.

I wouldn't call my wife Harden 2 and I don't want to know my cars by some indistiguishable numeric or alphabetical designation.

You think people would sing songs about E300 or 325ci's? Hell no......

They sing about Stingrays and GTO's......and NO-ONE doesn't know that I drive a car called CAMARO.

If you want to sell appliances, then go ahead....

 

But also remember how easy it is for buyers. The companies don't have to focus on marketing one model as above the other. In terms of placement, the consumers already know where each model stands, so it's convenient. They won't ever get confused because they don't need to remember a ton of names....

 

GM has finally caught on to the marketing/branding trick with the HUMMER's H1, H2, H3, and most likely an H4 as well as Caddies XLR, CTS , STS, and etc.

I wont argue that alpha/numerical designations make it easier for people to rank themselves considering that the reason why people "LEASE" (they usually don't buy) luxury brands is for status and to feel a sense of importance and uniqueness. The reason why they lease (other then for legit business write-offs) is that they can get the newest status-symbol car every 3 years. LEASING a luxury car usually has the same monthly payment as BUYING a boring-but-nice mid-luxury-brand Buick or Mercury which have no status significance to most people.

People who do buy luxury cars are those who buy them used after someones lease has expired since they figured out they can buy a 3 year old 5-series with 45,000 for the same price a new Camry. "Let someone else lose a ton of cash on deprecation in those first 2 years" as most people who buy used cars think, right?

Is buying a used luxury car that usually has very expensive maintenance with complicated-defect-proned-cutting-edge-electronics after it warranty expires worth the same price as a reliable and fully-warrantied new car? If status is the name of the game then it is.

 

I always thought that car companies used alphanumeric names so that they wouldn't have to come up with lots of different names in lots of different languages. It would have simplified things if the buick lacrosse had a alphanumeric name, they would have avoided the whole french canadian fiasco.

 

Does ANYONE know how to decipher BMW's nomenclature?!?

 

That's a different way of thinking.

I still don't like it.

 

Isn't the first number the series, followed by the engine size? 528 is a 5 series with a 2.8l motor, while a 330 is a 3 series with a 3.0l. I think the I forget the last thing, like Ci or Cix, I think the i means convertible, and the x means awd, but I'm not 100% on that.