Industry Report: GM Drops Old Nameplates in Order to Show Fresh New Face

Porsche too, the world's number one independent sports car manufacturer, has stuck with the 911 moniker for decades.

BMW's simple numerical system has stood the test of time and increased brand awareness. (Photo: BMW AG)

And what about BMW? Its simple numerical system has brought new meaning to the numbers 3, 5 and 7; with the number 6 so well revered it's making a comeback later this year. Ask any auto enthusiast what he or she thinks about the new 5 and you'll end up talking BMW.

Even Korean automaker Hyundai, after dusting off the early Pony, Excel and Stellar nameplates, have stuck to the Accent, Elantra and Sonata monikers for years, building up so much brand equity that it would be foolish to drop them. We can assume that the top selling Santa Fe, albeit relatively new, will soldier along without any dramatic name change either.

So what's in a name? In the end it's pretty well everything. If an automaker keeps building what customers want, it'll last forever. If they repeatedly don't, the name shuffling continues. It's an effective way to decide on your next car. Think about it? Would Toyota even consider dropping Corolla? Hey, maybe Cobalt will have such respect in 30 years.