Dignity doesn't come cheap

Who says you can't buy Dignity? But it'll cost you more than $100,000.

Japan's carmakers have coined their share of odd car names. The Mazda Bongo, Nissan Fairlady and Daihatsu Naked are three that come to mind. Add two more to the list: The Mitsubishi Proudia and Dignity.

The two pricey luxury sedans, which went on sale in Japan last month, are rebadged versions of (speaking of odd names) the Nissan Fuga and the Nissan Cima, a hybrid stretch version of the Fuga aimed mainly at the chauffeured caste. They're Nissans under the badges because cash-strapped Mitsubishi doesn't have the dough to build its own top-shelf car.

So how did Mitsubishi come up with "Proudia"? Mitsubishi says it's an amalgam of "proud" and the "dia" from the "diamonds" in the company's logo. But it smacks of one of the "Japanglish" gags pulled in the movie Lost in Translation.

Then there's the Dignity. Talk about clubbing you over the head.

If you have $105,500 to spend on a car, there's something ironic about ponying up that kind of money for a rebadged Mitsubishi called Dignity. Is that really the best way to telegraph your station in life?