Yesterday, Bricklin told Automotive News that he hasn't decided if he will use the Chery name in the U.S. as of yet.
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| South Korean GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co Ltd (GMDAT) is suing Chery over its new QQ subcompact, which the Detroit-based automaker says is too similar to its Chinese-made Chevrolet Spark. (Photo: GMDAT) |
Bricklin is most likely quite aware, however, that names that do well in Asia aren't always best suited to the North American market. Nissan purposely chose to rename its Fairlady the Z, a model that started out here in the early '70s as the 240Z and is now sold as the 350Z. Subaru, for instance, uses the name Charade for one of its cars, a word described by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as "an empty or deceptive act or pretense..." not exactly the type of image a carmaker wants to portray. And does the Isuzu Gemini have a split personality? It's obvious why Mazda doesn't offer a Bongo Brawny or Bongo Friendee in North America, or a car simply named Carol. The Mazda Scrum might be fitting, considering the melee that occurs during rush hours across the country every weekday morning and evening.
There are more, equally odd names offered in Asia that won't necessarily work in North America, and Chery may be one of them, unless of course Bricklin is able to bring the cars to market at a price 30 percent lower than its competition, which would be a real cherry of a deal.