6 Cars That Carried Forward The Name Of Old Cars

India is a land of diversified cultures and languages. To attract this amount of diversity is a hefty task and requires a lot of research. Same goes with the automotive industry. From testing the vehicle on the Indian roads to pricing it according to the market, launching a new car is a huge responsibility. And in all this turmoil, there’s another task, naming the car. Most of the cars come with a new name and make a mark for themselves. But sometimes, carmakers skip the task and use a moniker that has already been well-known. So, today, we’ll be taking a look at the cars that carried forward the name of old cars, or should I say, the legacy.

1. Tata Safari 2021

   Yet to launch 7-seater version of Harrier, which was codenamed Gravitas will now be launching with the Safari badging. A name that has been the synonym for ‘Indian SUV’, will now be back in a new avatar. This seems to be a brilliant strategy of using a name that has been the icon. Safari will be boasting a whole new design and features along with a new engine that currently powers the Tata Harrier.

2. Maruti Alto 800

   

   Alto in itself is a name that every Indian is familiar with. Add ‘800’ to it and make it legendary! Alto has been at the top of the sales charts from a long time, taking over the legendary king on the roads, ‘800’. So, when Maruti launched a new iteration of Alto, Maruti named it Alto 800. So, the legacy was carried by a new car, a car that has been the favourite of a majority of Indian families.

3. Maruti Suzuki Baleno

   

   Nexa introduced the S-Cross back in 2015. But the premium brand gained the actual popularity with the launch of their premium hatchback, the Baleno. The ones who follow the Maruti Suzuki know that there was a sedan named…you guessed that right, Baleno. There was a station wagon too, named Baleno Altura. And yet, the moniker never gained traction back in the days. But now, it’s a whole different story. Baleno is one of the best selling hatchbacks in India, thanks to the value for money it offers.
   
   Download The GoMechanic App Now!
   

4. Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo 

   

   Zen is another hatchback from the carmaker that has a cult of its own. The Zero Engine Noise or ZEN is a well-known car. So, when Maruti Suzuki decided to launch a car based on Suzuki MR Wagon, it was named Zen Estilo, in order to cash-in on the Zen moniker. Though the strategy never picked up as people chose WagonR over the Estilo.

5. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

   

   By now, I think, I should’ve named the article about Maruti cars. Seems like Maruti likes to use the old nomenclature a lot. The same case goes for the sub-compact SUV, Vitara Brezza which used the name of fully-grown SUV, the Grand Vitara. And the naming turned out to be good, as Vitara Brezza has been on the top of the segment, right from the beginning.

6. Land Rover Defender

   

   The Defender on sale at present was codenamed DC100. Defender in its original glory was an SUV with body-on-frame chassis. And now, when the DC100 was to be named, it used the Defender legacy for the monocoque SUV. Be it safety or the off-roading capabilities, Defender has proven to be true to its roots.

So, these are few cars that used a moniker from an old car. Is this the right practice? What do you think? Do let us know in the comments section below.