CAR NAMES AND WHAT THEY MEAN

We get so used to vehicle manufacturers giving their cars strange names, but have you ever wondered what they actually mean?

For many people, a car name is just that, a name. But, it's very seldom the man on the street knows where the name comes from. Obviously, there are specific names which are literal, like the Ford Mustang, or the AC Cobra, but what does Hyundai Kona mean?

Well, Hyundai says it's named after the Kona district of Hawaii, which sounds great in English, but, in Portuguese, it's a slang word for a 'lady garden'. Hmm... not ideal.

Other lost in translation names include the Toyota MR-2. According to the Japanese manufacturer, it is an acronym for 'Midship Runabout Two-seater'. Unfortunately, in French, pronouncing MR-2 is very similar to another word, merde, which a humorous substitute for saying, 'shit'!

In this world of multiple languages and customs, naming a vehicle can be a tricky thing. In fact, there are more names out there that are absurd and, often, rude in another language that it's surprising they get through the marketing and law departments.

We join Matt from carwow.co.uk as he takes us through car names and what they actually mean. Some of them are hilarious, others are cringe-worthy, and some will just leave you shaking your head. Best you click on the play button immediately to find out for yourself!

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