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Posts Tagged “

aztek

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question of the day

What's The Worst Car Name?

Perhaps out of a fear of naming confusions or reinterpretations, a la the BMW Gina and Pontiac Aztek, many companies seem to be going towards alphanumericism (though that presents trouble in China, where the number "4" conjures up the sound of "death"). People fault the Chevy Nova for its Spanish translation, but we still like the name. The Japanese have all sorts of strange and awful naming conventions, aka the Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear and Daihatsu Naked. The Russians created the Lada brand because the original name, Zhiguli, sounded too much like "gigolo." More »

11:40 AM on Tue Aug 12 2008
By Matt Hardigree
4,437 views, 171 comments

Latest by Stitchopoulis: @staaave: say what you will about the name of the VW Kristallnacht, at least it has an ethos. more »

classic ad watch

Gale Harold Tries, Fails To Sell Pontiac Azteks

Everyone laughs at the Aztek. Poor Aztek! But at least The General was trying something interesting, either ignoring the focus groups or selecting incredibly unrepresentative focus group members when they made their prediction that their über-cladded crypto-minivan would sell like crazy. And, as part of their ad campaign, they got Queer As Folk actor Gale Harold to do an ad for this fine motor vehicle; watch as he scarfs some sushi, then swings to the beat! Can you hear the marketing wizards bandying about words like "hip" and "urban" and "edgy" in their meetings?

11:00 AM on Thu Apr 24 2008
By Murilee Martin
3,554 views, 51 comments

Latest by LandofMinos,Top Gear Australia getting better, only 1 out of 3 hosts MUST DIE: I seriously believe that one day the Aztek will be a cult car. It's just that ugly. People will like more »

found on ebay

Primate Aztek Brings Existential Terror To All!

Brachiate down to eBay, my fellow primates, and feast your eyes on this amazing 2003 Pontiac Aztek. It's got the Lambo Doors, it's got the thumping sound system, and of course it's got the Aztek-tastic babe posing for photos. But most of all, it has primate-themed murals, with everything from chimps to good ol' Homo Sapiens making an appearance on its flanks. The Buy It Now is just $18,500, and the seller has 35 grand in receipts to prove you're getting a steal! Thanks to TinaChow and Yuri for the tip. [eBay Motors]

4:00 PM on Thu Nov 29 2007
By Murilee Martin
3,942 views, 113 comments

Latest by rg: Couldn't the poor guy have found someone besides his mom to wear the Taxi Trollop outfit? Nice muffin-tops honey! more »

aztek-ugly

GM Maybe Should Have Listened To The Pontiac Aztek Market Research Back In The '90's

Here's something fun we found in today's "Business Insider" column from the Detroit News:
"Back in the late 1990s, market research folks at General Motors Corp. apparently warned the automaker not to build the notoriously ungainly Pontiac Aztec SUV, but their pleas went unheeded.
More »

11:00 AM on Mon Aug 13 2007
By Ray Wert
9,123 views, 54 comments

Latest by Ron-E-Bear: I have a cousin who is into politics bigtime, as in running to be elected, in the the Conservative Party more »

question of the day

Which Car Is Growing On You?

We all remember the Pontiac Aztek, our generation's Edsel. A car so bad, Pontiac even managed to spell the name wrong. Design-wise, the worst element (besides the gas-cap wound) was all that damn cladding. But then, after Pontiac only sold four cars in 18 months (or whatever), GM did the unthinkable – they restyled the duckling. And... they didn't do such a bad job. Granted, the Aztek was as doomed as the Titanic from the initial marketing focus group. But, at least it died in my mind with a modicum of dignity. When I first saw the new Lexus flagship I liked the headlights and the back seat, but thought the car itself pretty blobby and dull. But, sitting on the floor of an auto show is one thing. Seeing these hulking leviathans on the road is another. The top dog Lexi (Lexuses?) posses mad amounts of uberholprestige. That's German for, "Get out of my way or I'm driving up your tailpipe." I gotta admit, these have grown on me. You? – Jonny Lieberman More »

11:30 AM on Thu Jun 14 2007
By Jonny Lieberman
2,800 views, 97 comments

Latest by brandegee: The new Lexi are a marked improvement (but they all look too similar unless placed side-by-side; the ES will always more »