I am amazed, as you may be, about how many different and funny car names there are. Some names are very creative, like the Lincoln Zephyr. In comparison, others are more basic, like the mid-fifties Chevrolet Model 210.
These are some of the most creative car names of all time. And there are some doozies regardless of the year of car or manufacturer.
Current Creative Car Names
Some more creative car names are still in production or near production.
1. Audi Q4 e-Tron
I am unsure if the 2022 Audi Q4 e-Tron is related to R2D2, but it could be. Audi’s newest entry into the all-electric vehicle (EV) marketplace is the Q4 e-Tron. The e-Tron is a capable and attractive crossover EV SUV and could be Audi’s SUV future. The Q4 e-Tron positions between the Q3 and Q5 Audi gas engine models.
2. Bentley Bentayga
The luxury crossover Bentley Bentayga has been built by Bentley since 2015. The Betayga name is taken from a prominent highland rock formation in the Canary Islands. The Bentayga is the first mass-produced SUV by Bentley and is still in production.
3 Bentley Flying Spur
Bentley not only builds excellent luxury cars, but they also do it with panache with such cool names. So what does “Flying Spur” mean for an upper-end luxury vehicle?
The mountain road Napoleone took to escape from Elba to Grenoble is known as the “flying spur.” Also became a name for Italian sports cars. And the Bentley Flying Spur can “fly” up the mountain “spur” with the best Italian supercars. And we were riding in style the entire route.
How many luxury cars can change a dash display from digital to analog gauges? Or rotate again to present a fine burled wood dash?
4. Bugatti Chiron
The exotic Bugatti Chiron was named after legendary Bugatti race-car driver Louis Chiron. The Chiron name denotes speed packaged in a sexy Italian sportscar. The Chiron is not only a beautiful uber-supercar but has a top speed of 261 MPH, which would make Louis Chiron smile.
5. Cadillac Lyriq EV
Okay, maybe you are like me and wonder what a Cadillac Lyriiq means. I immediately thought of a song verse but dismissed that thought as not appropriate. But I was wrong, and the new Cadillac Lyriq does have some musical connections.
There are more Cadillac vehicles mentioned in songs than any other brand. And the “Iq” does rhyme with the “ick” sound like the “ic” of Cadillac. Oh, and the message carries forward with the soon-to-be-released new Cadillac Celestiq.
6. Ferrari Roma
The Italian high-performance sports car manufacturer named their grand touring model the “Roma.” Why the Roma, for me, the image of a tomato comes to mind, and the Ferrari Roma is not a tomato. So why Roma?
The Italy-based manufacturer of super high-performance vehicles wanted to include Roman mythology. So they named their new F-169 model after the capital of Italy, Rome, or “Roma.”
7. Ford Lightning
Sounding like a song from Grease, the Ford Lightning is aptly named. The first Ford venture into an EV pickup is the Lightning. The Lightning name was first applied to the gas-engine Ford F-150 in 1992. But the current Ford Lightning is an electrified pickup truck.
With 0-60 times in 4.0 seconds, this is one pickup, which is “Greased Lightning.”
8. Hummer EV SUV
The iconic new Hummer EV SUV sounds like an exotic bird looking for nectar. But the Hummer gets 1,000 electric horsepower instead of sweet syrup in this case. The fast, muscular, and capable Hummer EV SUV is an impressive engineering feat.
It has many cutting-edge technologies incorporated into the SUV. These include Crab-Walking, surround video cameras, and a detachable moon roof. This Hummer is one to watch racing up a mountain road rather than searching for a bright red nectar feeder.
9. Honda Clarity
Honda assigned the name Clarity for its new electric car to ensure the public knew it was electric. The Clarity EV is an upgrade to the original fuel-cell Honda FCX Clarity made in 2008. The Clarity name is shared with several Honda models. These include the Honda Clarity Fuel-Cell, Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, and the Clarity EV.
Now, is the Honda Clarity name clarified?
10. Hyundai IONIQ EV
What is it with EVs having unusual names? This EV is another one, the Hyundai IONIQ EV. The Hyundai car manufacturer wanted to make a statement for their first vehicle that did not use gas.
So they combined the word “ion” with “unique” and introduced the electric IONIQ. The IONIQ family uses hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric battery sources.
11. Hyundai Kona
When I hear the word “Kona,” I immediately think of coffee or Hawaii. So did Hyundai when they named their new crossover SUV the “Kona.” It is named after the western district of the island of Hawaii. The intent was to convey the new Hyundai Kona‘s modern and progressive design. Coffee anyone?
12. Kia K5
The Kia Optima received a major facelift along with a new name. The Optima name was changed to K5 to reflect Kia’s global presence. In addition, K5 is one of the world’s tallest and most majestic Himalayan mountain peaks.
Kia wanted a more noticeable look and name, so why not name a car after one of the world’s most highest mountain peaks?
What would be cool is climbing to the top of K5 and seeing a new Kia!
13. Lamborghini Huracan
Lamborghini has a whole stable of creative car names, from the Huracan to the Urus and Aventador. However, the Lamborghini Huracan is one of my favorite models. It is an exhilarating luxury sports car because of its name. The Huracan is named after a Spanish bull called Huracán, Spanish for “hurricane.”
And the Lamborghini is a hurricane when unleashed on the roadway.
14. Range Rover Velar
The capable and luxurious Range Rover Velar SUV was so named because the word “velar” in Latin means “to veil.” Camouflaging is what Range Rover did by “veiling” their new prototypes. The classy-sounding name Velar was finally used for their new Range Rover. The Velar veils with retracting door handles and a black interior that “veils” controls.
A vehicle with the ability to hide, or “veil,” various features of their new SUV had to be named the Velar.
15. Lucid Air
To me, “lucid air” refers to breathing fresh air while being clear-headed. But in the case of Lucid Motors, the Lucid Air EV has a different meaning. The concept of being open, or airy, is courtesy of a large glass canopy that creates an open-air presence.
The Lucid Air is a new all-electric luxury sedan that can cut through the air. This is especially true when equipped with optional 1,111 horsepower electric motors.
16. Maserati Quattroporte
I am not sure why Italian luxury sports car manufacturers love to name their cars such strange names. The Maserati Quattroporte is one of the several unique Maserati names. These names include Grecale, Ghibli, and Levante.
The Quattroporte name comes from the Italian word “four doors.” And by design, the Quattroporte is a four-door luxury saloon. The unique name still sounds fresh after five generations of a Maserati Quattroporte. This is remarkable for a car’s name I can’t pronounce.
17. Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS SUV
You may have wondered, as I, what a Maybach is. The Maybach is an example of automobile perfection from the Mercedes luxury automobiles. But why is the ultra-luxurious Mercedes sedan called a Maybach?
As it turns out, it was so named for a good reason. Wilhelm Maybach was a co-founder and Technical Director of Daimler Motor Company Limited. Daimler merged with Benz & Cei in 1926 to become Mercedes-Benz.
So the Mercedes-Benz Maybach, introduced in 2002, was named in honor of Wilhelm Maybach. The Mercedes Maybach has been a successful luxury vehicle and is still in production.
Way to go, Wilhelm!
18. Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai is named after a semi-nomadic tribe in Iran. The Qashqai name was intended to reflect the brave warriors of the Iranian Qashqai tribe. The intent was for buyers to embrace an adventurous spirit found with a new Qashqai.
The unique naming convention had challenges, like “What did it mean?” Nissan created an entire advertising campaign to promote the Qashqai ( pronounced Cash-kai) name.
How successful the naming campaign was is still up for debate. I know I don’t mention Qashqai often in my car conversations.
19. Porsche Taycan
Porsche Taycan comes from a Eurasian word that translates into “lively young horse.” The lively young horse can also is on the Porsche badge that, since 1952, has had a single horse on it. However, the Porsche logo with a horse has more meaning for the Taycan.
Porsche’s first all-electric vehicle represents the freedom to range like a young horse. And to exhibit how much of a thoroughbred a Porsche vehicle could be.
20. Rolls Royce Phantom
Rolls Royce has always favored naming their cars with mystifying, ethereal names. These names include Phantom, Wraith, Ghost, and Black Badge. The Rolls Royce Phantom replaced the Silver Ghost name in 1925.
The new Phantom had a more powerful engine and is still the reigning land yacht of the highways today. Supreme luxury with a controlled ride for such a behemoth of a vehicle, the Phantom is Rolls Royce all the way!
21. Volkswagen Tiguan
The Volkswagen name Tiguan came from the combination of tiger and iguana. I am not sure why combining a tiger with an iguana would be a good representation for their SUV, but it worked.
The Tiguan is a popular Volkswagen model that can sprint down the highway like a tiger. But can stick to the road like an iguana.
22. Faraday Future FF 91
The automobile startup, Faraday Future, introduced Faraday Future FF 91 in 2022. They share their name with the inventor of the electric motor, Michael Faraday. In 1832, Faraday developed the ideas and theories which led to making the electric motor.
Smart move on Faraday Future to name their new Faraday Future FF 91 after Faraday. Also, it is one of the first electric cars to use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to learn driving habits.
Past Creative Car Names
These are some unique car names from the past 100 years. When naming a car often makes sense, but not always. Some names are resurrected today, but many are lost to the evolution of car manufacturing.
23. 1981 DeLorean DMC-12
Marty McFly loved his DeLorean DMC-12, and going “Back to the Future” had never been so good. Admittedly, the DeLorean was not a particularly impressive performance car. But as a Hollywood icon, it was hard to beat.
24. 1942 L’oeuf Electrique
In 1942, “the electric egg,” or the L’oeuf Electrique. was a successful electric urban car. With the unique egg design and electric powertrain, the L’oeuf Electrique was different. But it could navigate up to 60 miles of urban streets while cruising at 37 MPH on electrical power.
Move over Tesla, “the electric egg” was here first.
25. 1970 Lancia Bertone Stratos HF Zero
I am unsure if the Lancia Bertone Stratos HF Zero is a car’s name or a teleportation formula. The Stratos was only produced in a prototype version but with a radical new wedge shape. The unique wedge shape set the mold for future Ferrari and Lamborghini supercars.
26. 2005 Pea Car
Guess who made the Pea Car, built in the shape of a green pea and painted flamboyant pea green? Birds Eye frozen vegetables commissioned the Pea Car for a 2005 commercial. The Pea Car combines Volkswagen Beetle components with a Honda power plant. The tiny car was built on a tubular frame that looked like a go-cart and could hit 60 MPH.
Forget eating your peas. Ride your Pea instead!
27. Oscar-Mayer Weinermobile
There is no need to guess who made this car disguised as a hot dog. An advertising idea by Carl Mayer in 1936 to promote their wieners was an instant hit. The 27-foot Weinermobile travels on an Isuzu NPR truck platform. A Chevrolet 6.0-liter V8 engine powers the Weinermobile.
Don’t be surprised if you see the Weinermobile in your neighborhood. There may be as many as six traveling to their next promotional event at any given time.
28. 1973 Reliant Robin
A car named in honor of Dr. Seuss has to be fun and quirky. The Reliant Robin is both. A quirky, little three-wheel car that was a successful seller in Great Britain from 1973 to 2022. Dependable, affordable, and excellent gas mileage made the Reliant Robin popular.
As Dr. Suess would say, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
