The strategy of commercial names in Renault has changed radically with the advance of the new Austral, assigned to the generational replacement of the Kadjar. The French firm has a specific department for commercial nomenclatures, of which we tell you all its secrets.
Choosing the name for new cars is not an easy task, with experts dedicated to it expressly. Surely more than once you have considered where do certain names come from, some inspired by Greek and Latin mythology, in the winds or combinations of words that we cannot even remotely imagine having a specific meaning.
Renault has changed the commercial name of the new SUV that will replace the Kadjar next spring, assigning it to Renault austral. Completely unpublished and not expected in any way. And is that does not follow the line of the «K», a letter present in the Koleos, Arkana and the model itself replaced.
Renault model names are real
Renault’s Global Marketing department has a department of name researchers. Its manager explains that a name, such as the established “Dauphine”, “Espace”, “Twingo” and “Clio” shape the personality of the models, so they have to be real names that convey a connection in some way with clients.
For decades, the French brand’s model names were alphanumeric, combining one or two digits with the initial of the brand’s name, the «R». Far from going back to that strategy, the person in charge of looking for the appropriate names for each model explains some very interesting details that lie behind her work.
For example, real names are created, thus allowing to find the fitted playing with different number of syllables and also taking into account their sound. In this sense, Austral is easy to pronounce in many regions of the world. But others like those of the “Clio” and “ZOE” are more suitable for small models, with a sound that evokes youth and fun, while the Talisman sounds better for larger models. That of «Espace» was logically assigned to a very habitable model, compared to that of the «Twingo» suggesting dynamic and shocking sensations. A goal that was achieved in the first generation by conquering thousands of customers.
At Renault, the naming process is concentrated in three ways: retrieve an iconic name, choose a name from the hundreds available -including those of the concepts- and pull creativity. In any case, they have to be legal, and pass linguistic and cultural tests in all countries where the vehicle will be sold. Three are selected and it will be the head of the company, in this case Luca de Meo, who will choose the final one. The Austral one, which evokes nature, vitality and the warmth of the south, was registered in 2005.