[Vwdiesel] Rabbit droppings # 9 from Hagar. ( whats in a name ??? )

[TexasTDI]

VW's are commonly named after winds.

BORA (MK4 Jetta in Europe) - a violent cold northerly wind of the Adriatic

SCIROCCO - variant of SIROCCO -  a hot dust-laden wind from the Libyan
deserts that blows on the northern Mediterranean coast chiefly in Italy,
Malta, and Sicily

VENTO (MK3 Jetta in Europe) - variant of VENTA - river in Lithuania & Latvia
flowing into the Baltic

Chris Thornton
1991 VW Jetta GL 2 Door 1.6D - 234k miles
2000 VW Golf GLS 1.9TDI 130hp/229ftlbs - 77k miles
Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants Dealer #1098500
http://www.amsoil.com
http://texastdi.com/6/ubb.x

----- Original Message -----
From: "Drew MacPherson" <drew at scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca>
To: <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 12:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Rabbit droppings # 9 from Hagar. ( whats in a name
??? )
>
> Rabbit was a name chosen for the North American market because initial
> market research suggested that Golf (the name used in Europe) wouldn't fly
> in NA.  The idea behind the Rabbit name was that it implied
> characteristics like "light, nimble, and fun."  The fact that the car was
> spacious and economical was an added bonus.  And thus the A1 Golf became
> the Rabbit in North America.
>
> When the A2 Golf was developed, VW decided that the North American market
> had matured sufficiently that they didn't need to continue with the cute,
> bunny name (after 30+ years of "Bugs" and "Rabbits" we finally grew up...)
>
> As far as the origin of the Golf name, the generally accepted school of
> thought is that most VW names are derived from things that move - air
> streams, ocean currents, winds etc.  The Golf's name is thought to be
> derived from the Gulf Stream, the Jetta from the Jet stream etc.  No doubt
> VW's names were chosen by a group of well lubricated marketting execs in
> the cafeteria at the Wolfsburg facility... :)
>
> WV can be prided for not messing with things that work, however.  The
> highly successful Golf has carried its name from 1974 through 2003,
> through 4 platform changes (with a 5th on the boards.)  The Jetta moniker,
> on the other hand, has only held on in North America.  On the European
> market, the Jetta was renamed with the introduction of the A3 to Vento
> (wind this time!) in an effort to boost sagging sales.  When the A4 rolled
> around, it became the Bora (hello, what were they thinking??)  The reality
> is that the lightweight, compact Golf hatch is a practical, roomy small
> car suited to Europe's tight urban roads.  The Jetta has never been as
> popular because of its size and relative lack of functionality (huge
> trunk, but no hatch...)
>
> Drew