Rafale, Scirocco, Mistral…these cars named after the wind
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Like the just-announced Renault Rafale, many cars have had names referring to the wind. From the Pagani Zonda to the Volkswagen Bora via the Citroën Eole and many Maseratis (Grecale, Levante…), here is an overview from the air.
By
MaxK
Published on
From Austral to Zonda via Cyclone or Eole, many car names refer to the wind.
DR
Renault has just revealed that its future “coupé” SUV will be called Rafale. This word, already used as a proper name for airplanes, initially designates a short-lived wind acceleration. In this, the Renault Rafale is part of a long line of cars whose names refer to the wind.
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Renault Rafale, named after the eponymous weather phenomenon.
Renault
The names of winds, always in tune with the times
Evocative of speed and power as well as escape, the wind has been inspiring automakers for decades, especially from the mid-20th century when aerodynamics came to prominence in car design. Some take direct wind names, sometimes simplifying the spelling. Maserati has even made it a trademark, more than any other. His Ghibli, Grecale, Khamsin, Shamal or Kharif, to name a few, are so named after winds.
Maserati Bora, named after the eponymous wind of northeast Europe.
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Maserati Ghibli, named after a hot North African wind.
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Maserati Grecale, named after a cold wind from the Mediterranean.
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Maserati Karif, named after East African sandstorms.
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Maserati Khamsin, named after a hot, dry wind from the Middle East.
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Maserati Levante, named after the levant, gentle Mediterranean wind.
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Maserati Mistral, named after the eponymous cold wind of southeastern France
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Other (very) sporty cars were baptized on this model such as the Pagani Zonda, the Lamborghini Diablo, the Rimac Nevera or the Bugatti W16 Mistral, without forgetting the ephemeral manufacturer of Chinook racing cars. Less extreme cars were also entitled to it, like the Hyundai Kona and the Volkswagen Scirocco.
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Pagani Zonda, named after a westerly wind from Argentina.
Pagani
More or less direct evocations
Builders sometimes refer to the wind indirectly. Some, like Renault with the Rafale, use the associated lexical field. This is the case of the Lamborghini Huracan, GMC Typhoon and Hennessey Venom F5 for example. Others derive the name of their cars from that of deities linked to the wind, such as the Renault Austral or the Citroën Eole concept car. But sometimes they go for the simplest, like Renault with the Wind or Volkswagen with the Vento.
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Citroën Eole (concept), named after the master of the winds in Greek mythology.
DR
The wind being a recurring inspiration in the automobile, it happens that two cars more or less share the same name. Volkswagen and Maserati both had their Bora for example. Will one dare to tell the other that he is not short of air?
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