Vehicles named for exotic places are pretty common: racetracks, mountains, deserts, pretty much every place name has been mined for car and truck names. But one of the most popular geographic classifications is city names, and that is your Hoonatica assignment this week.
Today’s entry should be uncommonly clear-cut, so even though there are always caveats, today’s addition the our virtual big book of vehicular knowledge has but one: a city is a city is a city — no state, province, region, tribe, island, ocean, nation or star names, unless they also happen to be a city name…capeesh? If you have any doubts, wiki that sucker.
Difficulty: As difficult as making Ivory soap float.
How This Works: Read the comments first and don’t post duplicates. Bonus points for adding photos. Remember, you can simply paste in the raw image URL now, thanks to the magic of Disqus.
Image Source: hemmings.com & pressroom.toyota.com.
Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Cars Named After Cities
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167 responses to “Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Cars Named After Cities”
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The other Daytona- in Pacifica trim.
Don’t those guys own a friggin’ map??
http://www.allpar.com/model/daytona/88daytpacif.jpg
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Another double:
http://www.motoropoplis.com/images/cadillac-eldorado-v8-08.jpg -
Pontiac Parisienne. Incidentally, Wikipedia has this one listed as a 1960 Pontiac Parisienne convertible. Methinks something is amiss…
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Pontiac_Parisienne_Convertible.jpg-
Yeah, what’s missing is the roof. Someone did a decent job cutting the roof off, but it doesn’t look like anything you’d want to drive in the rain. In Venezuela, mostly surrounded by other evil Yanqui imperialist cars.
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Technically named for a resident of the city, rather than the city itself…but while we’re on that subject…
http://www.tarataiki.com/images/chrysler-new-yorker-black-9.jpg-
Of course, there is a technically correct Tuesday answer — the Moto Morini 501 New York.
http://www.caferacer.net/forum/attachments/general/5953d1394650780-suzuki-intruder-8158483275_00ef216fea.jpg-
I’ll contribute the Moto-Guzzi LeMans since it is a city as well as a circuit
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/MotoGuzzi850LeMans.jpg/300px-MotoGuzzi850LeMans.jpg -
Also offhand, the Triumph Daytona, the Harley-Davidson Sturgis, and tons of motorcycles named after racing circuits like the Laverda Montjuich.
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Montjuich is named for Barcelona’s Jewish Hill – it is a neighborhood, not a city name.
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Yes, I was citing the numerous motorcycles named after circuits, not cities, and given it’s name and history, Montjuich is more accurately a ghetto in the classic sense
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By the transitive property it applies. Cars are transit.
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Gotta love that moment when the joint pops…..bleh…!
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Yeah, joint be POPPIN’!
http://media4.giphy.com/media/blSTtZehjAZ8I/200.gif
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I can’t really approve of that until
Ferd Granada
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And its cousin, the Lincoln Versailles.
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And the Lincoln Versailles
http://barnfinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/1979-Lincoln-Versailles-Ad.jpg-
Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais, from the French port city of Cutlass:
Commons.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oldsmobile_Cutlass_Calais_–_08-28-2009.jpg#/media/File:Oldsmobile_Cutlass_Calais_–_08-28-2009.jpg“>Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais — 08-28-2009” by IFCAR – Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.-
A slightly prettier Calais… from our cousins down under http://assets.shannons.com.au/FA7FNWJ76422ZCF7/WAFM57C19LUC377B/tj3vcko54jzinf3m/jpg/550x430x1/vehicle/1987-holden-calais.jpg
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And the other Granada, (though this one is quite modified, it sort of looks stock).
http://images.thecarconnection.com/med/2015-kia-sedona_100463514_m.jpg
Sedona is still significantly prettier than the Sedona.
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Santa Fe, Tuscon, Sorento, Borrego… Hyundai/Kia like town names.
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I vote for ‘Kia Rio’ as the car least evocative of its namesake.
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Kia doesn’t even sell this model in Brazil.
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I always hear Kia Rio and Kiarehha. Sounds like something you would get after eating bad Korean food.
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Sorry man but the correct name of the city is “Sorrento” with two r’s.
BTW “Sorento” sounds quite stupid in italian…-
Come on, dude. We’re not that pedantic around here.
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http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Suzuki/Suzuki-Regina-Concept-Tokyo-Image-06.jpg
Yet, you cannot buy a new Suzuki in Regina anymore.
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This also works as a woman’s name in Central Europe. I see for my inner eye a curly haired public administrator not too occupied with interesting hobbies at all.
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So you’re suggesting it’s named after a typical Suzuki owner?
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Expert level marketing move, eh?
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Dude, I resent that.
Although I’d like to think I’m not “typical,” since I didn’t buy a narrow SUV or a rebadged Daewoo Lacetti (which, BTW, was renamed after the Italian town of Forenza — another score!)-
You’re not typical, no. The dark days of Daewoo definitely did damage, everyone I’ve met with a Reno or Swift+ had a statistically significant number of cats.
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Kaiser Manhattan
Sebring. I’ll save your eyes from the Chrysler Sebring and show a Maserati Sebring.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Maserati-3500gti.jpg
Monte Carlo
http://preview.netcarshow.com/Lancia-Beta_Montecarlo-1974-1600-02.jpg
Not 100% sure that Monte Carlo is a city in Monaco, since Monaco is a city-state
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Still, an excellent choice for Monte Carlo.
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Monte Carlo is just a part of the city and state, like Manhattan is of New York City. Just…smaller. Here’s me biking into Monte Carlo on a trip I made with my now-wife.
http://s4.postimg.org/ekc8q17fh/P1060204.jpg
It’s not a particularly interesting place, really, but the cars on display and driving in the streets are baffling. -
One way or another, you’re covered.
http://www.tocmp.com/brochures/Dodge/1975/Monaco/images/dodge75_05_jpg.jpg -
Wow, an angular Pininfarina. Beautiful.
Named for a town in the Texas Panhandle, on Route 66:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/1971_Chevrolet_Vega_Coupe.jpg
(Okay, probably not.)
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MiTo = Milan/Turin
http://www.dpccars.com/car-stats/2010-cars/2010-Alfa-Romeo-Mito.jpg-
Gran Torino?
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That’s only for America!
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I REALLY don’t think that was named after Bonneville, Oregon.
Truck names:
GMC Sonoma
Dodge Durango
Trim levels:
Chevy Cheyenne
Dodge Laramie
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Indeed — on the basis of Dodge City, Kansas — any Dodge will do.
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or any Bedford.
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Chevrolet Corsica: (oh damn, not a city… my bad)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Chevrolet_Corsica_1994.jpg
http://www.godsgeography.com/europe/corsica/corsard1.jpg
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Thank you!!!
(and now to feel dumb…. I have a relative who lives there too)
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Mercury Milan
(Milan, MI, or Milan, Italy… your choice)
http://static.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/images/Auto/izmo/308913/2010_mercury_milan_angularfront.jpg
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More like Milan, Indiana (pronounced My-Lan, of course)
Another GM product that shares a name with a town in Michigan: La Salle
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/La_Salle_Series_38-5027_Coupe_1938.jpg
biscayne
aspen
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…a.k.a. the Plymouth Volare, from the home city of the Pilgrim Fathers.
Monterey
Talledega
If we are open to mythical cities… I present the Cadillac Eldorado
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Or Eldorado, Arkansas.
(pronounced “el-duh-RAY-doe”)-
Also, El Dorado, Kansas (pronounced the same as the Arkansas city, but spelled as two words).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/El_Dorado_Kansas_Pine_Main_Intersection.jpg/640px-El_Dorado_Kansas_Pine_Main_Intersection.jpg
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And to redeem myself for my probably-unacceptable answer…here is a Ford Torino:
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Another Lane Motor car…
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Jay, it’s one of my favorite places, I’ve been there twice, so the photos I share here are ones my wife or I took.
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Have you taken the basement tour?
We after Christmas and we loved it. Too much to take in!-
Yes the last time I was there it was available and we took it. There was a Skoda I saw there that later I saw an ebay ad for!
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I’ve only been to the Lane once, and I could have spent twice as long as we did!
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William Shakespeare asked me to post this one. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Suzuki_Verona_.jpg
Austin Westminster
Commons.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Austin_Westminster_Mar_1961_2912cc.JPG#/media/File:Austin_Westminster_Mar_1961_2912cc.JPG“>Austin Westminster Mar 1961 2912cc” by Charles01 – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Austin_A40_Cambridge_rear.jpg/1280px-Austin_A40_Cambridge_rear.jpg
And the Austin Cambridge- this one is a 1954-56 A40, later versions were rebadged Morris Oxfords.
Morris Oxford
Bristol 404
http://www.carsaroundadelaide.com – Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bristol_404.JPG#/media/File:Bristol_404.JPG
(Hey! There isn’t a city called “404”! Oh yeah, wait…)
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But is the internet page error named after the Bristol?
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I was going to go with Elsinore; The California town is Lake Elsinore, bu there’s an Elsinore, Utah.
http://owencollection.com/wp-content/gallery/73elsinore/73ElsinoreRightSide.gif-
Which is after all the anglicised name for the Danish city of Helsingor.
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https://realartisbetter.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/beer-painting-of-strange-brew-elsinore-april-fools-art-year-of-beer.jpg?w=625&h=781
Someone at Honda is both a Strange Brew fan and a Time Lord?
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Related fun fact: Blaupunkt called their radios after German and Italian cities, and US states, plus Monterey. I expect to miss the points, but I wanted to share.
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I believe Grundig as well, or maybe only VW did that for those head units…
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The automotive OEM for german cars is often from Bosch (who owned Blaupunkt for like 80 years), so the habit of using locations is rooted very deep.
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Yikes, that’s … astoundingly ugly!
Oh sure, everyone thought they named it after maybe the French Riviera, which is more of a region. But it’s more likely named after La Riviera, California. Or maybe the asteroid 1426 Riviera.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/SEPT_16TH_BUICK_RIVIERA_HOLLYWOOD_PHOTO_PATRICE_RAUNET.jpg/1024px-SEPT_16TH_BUICK_RIVIERA_HOLLYWOOD_PHOTO_PATRICE_RAUNET.jpg
Named after Atlantic City, obviously*.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/RL_1938_Bugatti_57SC_Atlantic_34_2.jpg
*Dirty lies, but I wanted an excuse to post this picture.
I can’ believe I haven’t seen one of these on this thread yet – did I just miss it?
Not as high-brow as the California coastal town.
http://assets.hemmings.com/story_image/513791-1000-0.jpg?rev=2
Edit- it’s a double… Austin Marina. Good for me!
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While the power output does amaze people (as in: my vacuum cleaner has more horsepower than that), calling the performance “blazing” while referring to a Metropolitan that’s not actually on fire might not be considered truth in advertising…
Biggest compact car in the world?
http://images.classiccars.com/classifieds/221446_11770217_2005_Suzuki_Reno.jpg
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As a bonus, you also get a town in Alberta: http://www.communitiesinbloom.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Olds-AB-Explore.jpg
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Ha! I’ve been there!
In fact, I went to a 4-H summer camp at the agriculture college.
Yes, Olds is pretty rural for an urban place.
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Laredo
Oh I know one! Plymouth Sapporo. http://www.ioffer.com/img/1121670000/_i/7526465/1.jpg
Pontiac (Nova) Ventura
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Is it in the sunshine?
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Actually, here in Ventura it is cloudy right now.
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Monday answer, Chrysler Newport
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/1978_Chrysler_Newport_4-door_hardtop_f.jpg
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Tuesday answer, Puch Newport
http://www.myronsmopeds.com/wp-content/gallery/encyclopedia/info-puch-1978-newport.jpg
I used to joke it was named after yogurt, but in reality it’s a city.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Buick_Lucerne_CX.jpg
I also love how nobody took the super low hanging Ferrari fruit.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Ferrari_575M_Maranello.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/360_Modena.jpg
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Or the Sultan of Brunei’s 456 Venice.
As a bonus, leather from Corinth.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/75-Cordoba.jpg
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From back when 215″ was considered small… My Corvair is 180″ long, my PT Cruiser is shorter than that!
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/2011_Toyota_Sienna_XLE_–_05-18-2011.jpg/280px-2011_Toyota_Sienna_XLE_–_05-18-2011.jpg
Which is named after Sienna clay (2 n’s), which is named after the city of Siena (one n).
Malibu
The Canadian-domestic-market-one-year-only-Ford-Falcon-based Frontenac.
https://hobbydb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/processed_uploads/catalog_item_photo/catalog_item_photo/image/44591/The_Eventful_Frontenac_Print_Ads_6360b623-3469-4f45-a8c3-43bb6eaa6bfb.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontenac,_Kansas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontenac,_Missouri
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“EVENTFUL?” dublya…
Seat Toldeo
http://auto-nuove.motorionline.com/img_listino/seat/seat-toledo.jpg
Seat Alhambra
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…and the Seat Leon.
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Sunbeammadd beat me to it
R100 GS Paris Dakar – twofer for Tuesday
I was going to say Catalina. But i thought that’s not a city, the city on Catalina is named……A HA! http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81reHODsmkL._SX425_.jpg
Car parts? Windsor V8, although the only Windsor I know at the time of writing is a castle in England…
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/1969_Ford_Mustang_Mach_1_351_Windsor_engine.JPG
Then I find Windsor is a bunch of places, including a town I didn’t know existed in NZ!
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You don’t know Windsor, Ontario? But Windsor is the place to be!
http://www.va3xpr.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Welcome-to-Windsor.jpg
Also often where that engine was built.-
The favorite place for 18-20 year olds from south east Michigan to go drink.
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Don’t forget the 351 Cleveland! I mean, unless someone at Ford is a big Grover Cleveland fan.
VW Brasilia. Did I win?
http://bestsellingcarsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/vw-brasilia-19771.jpg
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Also Brazilian spec: Chevrolet Monza
http://mlb-s2-p.mlstatic.com/palheta-automotiva-silicone-chevrolet-monza-1983-ate-1996-16889-MLB20127237854_072014-F.jpg -
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I could use that same picture for the Volkswagen Santana, which is apparently named after many many cities: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana
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Very nearly so, since the Versailles is famous for being a lightly rebadged VW from the weird Autolatina times. I do think it looks suitably Fordly from the rear.
I heard the Santana was named after the Santa Ana winds in California, in the windy tradition of the Scirocco and Passat.
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Pontiac Torrent. Torrent is a city in Spain. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/145-450×300.jpg
The pride of Novi, Michigan.
Bedford – GMs UK commercial division named after the town of Bedford
http://www.bedfordrascal.com/img/homeimage_394.jpg
Chrysler/Lamborghini Portofino
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–EcHiYGJ1–/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/18qdvrvf9gqo1jpg.jpg
Lombardy
A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, English: Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2a/Alfa_Romeo_logo.png/180px-Alfa_Romeo_logo.png
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See also UAZ, GAZ, etc….
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And of course there is Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino ( Italian Automobile Manufacturers of Turin)
FIAT
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I have been patient so as to give you all a chance but 142 posts into the discussion, no one has given the correct answer. The challenge is to list cars named after Cities , is it not so? Pedantically speaking (and I LOVE being pedantic) the car below is the only correct answer.
BONUS: It’s the “Bulldog Turbo” edition. When I lived in Tokyo, I wanted one of these badly.
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Clever. The name lives on, but in a less interesting Fit/Jazz-based small sedan form.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Honda_City_%28sixth_generation%29_front.JPG/800px-Honda_City_%28sixth_generation%29_front.JPG
One more has been forgotten:
1969 Beaumont:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Beaumont_Acadian_Coupe_(Orange_Julep).JPG
Beaumont, Alberta:
http://www.snapfitness.com/uploads/WelcomeMessage/2014/apr/02/untitled.png
(Okay fine, it’s a town, but lots of other places are named Beaumont. I’m just to lazy to find one that is a city)
Also, somebody in Beaumont has a Beaumont. That somebody is one of my personal heroes.
A truck named after a city and a castle:
http://www.gnazone.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/2014-Dodge-Durango-Citadel-Back-View.jpg
A car brand named after a castle that sounds like a city:
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Wartburg-353-W-02.jpg
Toyota MR2 Bathurst Edition.
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pic:
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