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Cars Named after Places in USA - Part II

You can stick a lame name on a chic car or a chic name on a lame car. But a name certainly adds to the car's personality, doesn't it? Surprisingly, car manufacturers are often enthused by names of places when naming their new cars, especially places in the USA. We have a collection of cars below. We do not call these cars lame or chic; all we say is that these cars have been named after places in the U.S. Some are not on the roads anymore while some of these cars some may not have even tasted the Indian tar. But, how many of these car names do you recognize?

Hyundai Santa Fe

Santa Fe, is a city in New Mexico, U.S. Named after this city, the Santa Fe was introduced for the 2001 model year as Hyundai's first SUV. The Santa Fe was a milestone in the company's restructuring program of the late 1990s because, despite receiving criticism from journalists for its obscure looks, the SUV was a hit with the American buyers. The SUV was so popular that at times, Hyundai had trouble supplying the demand. The Santa Fe quickly became Hyundai's best seller and contributed to Hyundai's success in the U.S.

Hyundai Tucson

Tucson is a city in Arizona, U.S. The Hyundai Tucson series is also referred to as a 'Fluidic Sculpture'. Hyundai has banned boxy from its styling dictionary and is calling its design language of both the new Tucson and the Sonata "Fluidic Sculpture." The central idea is that the line flows around the vehicle and they demonstrate athleticism and sophistication.

Kia Sedona

Sedona is a town in Arizona. It is the Kia Carnival, a minivan manufactured by Kia Motors introduced in 1998 and is now in its second generation that is marketed globally under various nameplates, prominently as the Kia Sedona. In late 2009, Kia announced plans to cease production of the Carnival/Sedona in 2011.

Maserati Indy

Indy, short for Indianapolis, is home to the famous Indianapolis 500 race. In 1914, a famous manufacturer of Italian racing cars and sports cars, the Maserati was established in Bologna. It became a part of Ferrari for some years before it was owned directly by Fiat, an Italian car giant. They have developed a number of racing cars, and in March of 1969, Maserati launched the Maserati Indy at the Salone d' Automobile de Geneve. The Maserati Indy got its name from the Maserati's great victories at Indianapolis in 1939 and 1940.

Mercury Monterey

Monterey is a city in California. The Mercury Monterey minivan was the Mercury version of the Ford Freestar that arrived after Mercury stopped marketing the smaller Villager, itself a rebadged Nissan Quest, in 2002. Just like its Freestar twin, the Monterey offered seating for up to seven passengers. However, the Monterey offered more luxury options, and had the 4.2 L V6 engine as standard.

Plymouth Sundance

Sundance is a city in Utah famous for its film festival. The Plymouth Sundance appeared in the fall of 1986 as a 1987 model and looked similar to the H-bodied Chrysler LeBaron GTS. The body was, according to literature of the day, based on the popular Plymouth Acclaim, Chrysler LeBaron and the Dodge Spirit. It was shortened lengthwise using a modified Dodge Daytona suspension. The name Sundance, by the way, had also been used on the final, 1974 Plymouth Satellite, as a trim level.

Pontiac Bonneville

Bonneville is a dried lake bed in Utah, which is the home of the salt flats where many a land speed record has been set. The Pontiac Bonneville took its name from this vast, barren 100-square-mile section of salt flats in northeastern Utah. As uninviting as its lifeless terrain was, the site was by the 1950s long established as an ideal place for setting speed records. Pontiac had first applied the name to a 1954 show car, the two-seat Bonneville Special, which featured a fiberglass body and a Plexiglas "bubble-top."

Pontiac Catalina

Catalina is an island located off the southern California Peninsula. The Pontiac Catalina was part of Pontiac's full-sized automobile line. Initially, the name was used strictly to denote hardtop body styles, first appearing in the 1950 Chieftain Eight and DeLuxe Eight lines. In 1959, the Catalina became a separate model, as the 'entry-level' full-size Pontiac. For 1959, Pontiac dropped the name Chieftain for its entry level model and renamed it Catalina, while demoting the former top-line Star Chief to mid-line status and expanding the Bonneville nameplate to a full flagship series that included sedans, coupes, convertibles and Safari station wagons.

Pontiac Montana

This minivan was named after the U.S. state of Montana. The Pontiac Montana was a minivan from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Prior to the 1997 model year, it was known as Pontiac Trans Sport. In 1997, the Trans Sport added the Montana moniker as part of an available trim package. The package proved so popular the line was renamed Montana in 1999 for the US and 2000 for Canada. For 2005, the van was redesigned with a higher, less aerodynamic nose to resemble an SUV. The Montana name was also changed to Montana SV6.

Yugo Florida

The Yugo Florida has been named after the U.S. state of Florida. The Zastava Florida, also known as Yugo Sana, Yugo Miami or Yugo Florida, is a five door hatchback produced by the Serbian automaker Zastava introduced on 19 February 1987. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign. A new prototype for the Yugo Florida, known as Florida 2.0, was made, equipped with the same engine as in Fiat Bravo 2.0.