DRIVER'S SIDE DIATRIBE
By Al Vinikour     

The other day I saw a news item on one of the internet sites that listed car names that are the same as geographic locations. I didn’t read it but I thought it would be a great idea to steal and write a column of my own. So I’m going to divert from my usual hatred-filled diatribes and see how many of these past and present vehicles I can remember. 

If there are some I forget — and I suspect there will be — e-mail me and let me know. If I’m feeling philanthropic I may even mention your name in a subsequent column. For simplicity’s sake (and to make me look a little better) I’m going to limit my listings to post-WWII. Since I wasn’t born until 1944 — and drank heavily prior to that — I don’t remember cars and trucks post-Karl Benz. Let’s begin, shall we?

In alphabetical particular order and listing vehicles that were germane to the North American market, they are:

1968 Chrysler New Yorker                                                  1955 Packard Caribbean

Buick Lucerne

Buick Park Avenue

Buick Rainier

Buick Riviera

Cadillac El Dorado

Cadillac Seville

Chevrolet Bel Air

Chevrolet Colorado

Chevrolet Malibu

Chevrolet Monza

Chevrolet Silverado

Chevrolet Tahoe

Chrysler Aspen

Chrysler New Yorker

Chrysler Newport

Chrysler Pacifica

Chrysler Sebring

Chrysler Town & Country

Chrysler Windsor (think of Canada. We do…it’s about a mile from where I’m sitting)

Dodge Dakota

Dodge Daytona

Dodge Durango

Dodge Monaco

Ford Country Squire (see Galaxie)

Ford Fairlane (Fair Lane was the name of Henry and Eleanor Ford’s estate)

Ford Galaxie (alright, so this one is a stretch)

GMC Sierra

GMC Sonoma

GMC Yukon

Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai Tucson

Kia Rio

Kia Sedona

Lincoln Capri

Mercury Capri

Mercury Milan

Mercury Monterey

Mercury Mountaineer

Oldsmobile Aurora

Oldsmobile Delta 88 (kin to Area 51)

Packard Caribbean

Plymouth Belvidere

Plymouth Savoy (Savoy is an area in Western Europe)

Pontiac Bonneville

Pontiac Le Mans

Porsche Cayman

Range Rover County

Seat Toledo

Subaru Baja

Subaru Forester

Subaru Outback

Subaru Tribeca

Suzuki Reno

Toyota Avalon

Toyota Tundra

With my decreasing brain cells and limited amount of sleep due to a recent move this is the best I can come up with at this time. I’m sure there are big cells of names I’m forgetting but this will have to do. I realize it’s a cheap way of getting reader involvement but I’ve been entertaining you long enough…it’s my turn.

As for a possible prize for the most names submitted, the best I’ll probably be able to come up with is the sheet music to “Dixie” so that you can whistle it. We’re on a strict budget here. Best to all.

 
2008 Suzuki Reno                                                          1975 Chevrolet Monza