MGB. 500. 280SL. G8. XK120. 2002Tii. TR6. 318is.
Car names derived from letters and numbers have been with us since at least the 1950s.
So why the big fuss after Cadillac said it will name its big new sedan the CT6?
For example, Peter De Lorenzo of Autoextremist.com lambasted Cadillac and Johan de Nysschen, Cadillac's boss, over the CT6 name.
"Calling a design that will be heavily influenced by the Elmiraj concept the CT6 is a cop-out," De Lorenzo wrote in a blog.
"Even worse, it suggests to me that the powers that be at Cadillac have so much on their plates that they figured they could fall in lockstep with BMW's historic naming regimen and be done, so that they could move on to more pressing issues."
If a vehicle has the performance, style, quality, value and safety consumers are looking for, it will sell regardless of the name. But I agree with De Lorenzo and others that CT6 seems soulless and devoid of creativity.
I don't buy the argument that consumers can't get as passionate about cars with alphanumeric badges. Just talk to the owner of a Jaguar XKE.
With the exception of the classic Pontiac GTO muscle car, vehicle names composed of letters and numbers were almost always found on imports. And they usually meant high performance. But that mystique is long gone. And CT6 is unlikely to evoke much intrigue.
Cadillac could have used its new flagship to break from the luxury crowd and bestow the CT6 with a sexy name. That would have set it apart from dozens of alphanumeric competitors.
Escalade is a perfect example. It's a cool name, and hipsters refer to the big SUV as the 'Slade.
Bringing back some classic moniker from the brand's past, such as Eldorado or Seville, would not be the best strategy, though, as Cadillac goes for a younger audience.
Still, you think of the recent Elmiraj concept -- which will lend some of its sleek styling cues to the CT6 -- and you can't help but think de Nysschen and his team could have crafted a more evocative name than CT6.
You may email Richard Truett at [email protected]
