The TFL Top 5 Best and Most Sales Challenged Current Car Names

Skoda_Yeti_Concept_01
Skoda Yeti

It’s that time of year when automotive journalist like to compile lists. Next week you’ll see lots of year-end round-up stories and lists. But today I thought I’d get ahead of the curve and give you my personal list of the Top 5 Best and Most Sales Challenged current cars names in the automotive biz.

Without any further delay, here are my Top 5 best current car names.

Top 5 Best Current Car Names

5) Skoda Yeti:

I love that fact that a Czech car company owned by Germans named a car after a Nepali Abominable Snowman.

4) Dodge Challenger, Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang:

All three of these cars compete head to head at the dealership as well as for the coolest Muscle/Pony car name in the car biz.

3) Porsche 911:
4808_porsche_911_carrera

If you have to call a car by a number, the number “911” is a great choice. The only other number that would be cooler would be the Porsche 007. But that name would certainly not fly with Ian Flemming and Aston Martin fans.

2) Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Defender:

Talk about two cars that have the perfect name. When I hear the words Wrangler or Defender I immediately think of rugged off-road fun.

1) Ford Interceptor:
Ford-Police-Interceptor

What’s more badass than a Police car named after what it does. The Ford Interceptor is a real Mad Max car you can see on the streets everyday. In my book that has to be the number 1 on my personal list of the Top 5 best current car names.

citroen-cactusBonus: Fiat Panda:

The name is so cute, cuddly and small….just like the car. And…

Citroën C4 Cactus:

It’s so round and prickly….just like the car.


volkswagen touaregTop 5 Most Sales Challenged Current Names:

5) Volkswagen Touareg:

Why name a car after an unpronounceable African tribe? Is it (two rag) or (twa reg) or (two wa reg)?

4) Any Acura:

Just because you can use a three letter monogram for a car’s name…does not mean you should. What happened to great Acura names like the Legend and Integra? I miss these classic Acura cars and name plates.

3) Any Infiniti:
infiniti qx30 concept

Why is “Infiniti” spelled with an “i” instead of a “y” like most English speakers spell Infinity? And why is Q better than M? I suppose if I could answer these questions I’d be running an ad agency and not an online car news, views, and reviews publication.

2) Any Lincoln: 

See number 4. I miss the Lincoln Continental Mark V most of all. What a crazy great name for an American monster luxury car.

1) Bentley Bentayga:
bentley betayga

Wikipedia says: “The name was inspired by Taiga the world’s largest transcontinental snow forest, and is composed of the first four letters of Bentley and an altered spelling of Taiga.”

To me it sounds like a new sleep medication. I keep hearing the TV commercial running in my head, “Do not take Bentayga when operating heavy machinery as it may make you drowsy.  Side effects of Bentayga include dizziness, loss of apatite and the early onset of male pattern baldness.”

Bonus: Any new Mercedes-Benz:2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC 4MATIC
Once upon a time there was the C, E, and S class Mercedes. Today we have an alphabet soup of all sorts of seemingly random letters that include GL, A, AMG, B, CL, SL and so on. I know they all mean something but keeping up with that something is almost impossible.

Please let me know your best and most challenged current car names in the comments below. I’m sure I missed a ton.