Over the years, automobiles have been given names intended to conjure up impressions of forcefulness, danger, precision, maneuverability, speed, beauty, independence or self-confidence. And nearly any feline species epitomizes nearly all those characteristics simultaneously. So, it’s no surprise that cat names are a popular naming choice.
Your task today is to list all the cat-related vehicular nomenclature you can. Since there are only so many feline species out there, feel free to go long: model names, brand names, motorcycles, trucks, military vehicles — if it has an engine and moves on a roadway, it’s fair game.
Difficulty: “They’re not as easy as I thought they’d be, Master.”
Don’t make the cat angry: Read the comments first and don’t post duplicates. Adding photos with standard HTML is good, but shrink the big ones with width="500".
Image Source: mclellansautomotive.com, howstuffworks.com.
By Peter Tanshanomi
Tanshanomi is Japanese [単車のみ] for "motorcycle(s) only." Though primarily tasked with creating two-wheel oriented content for Hooniverse, Pete is a lover of all sorts of motorized vehicles.
Robert Crespo 
Jeff Glucker 
Kamil Kaluski
Dibs on the easy one.
<img src="http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/De_Tomaso_Pantera_GT4.jpg" width="600">
And because I had to stumble across it, so too must you see this:
<img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3114/2316296317_dfcf95b569.jpg" width="500">
I hope it was a lasagna delivery vehicle.
Not available on Mondays.
<img src="http://assets.blog.hemmings.com/wp-content/uploads//2014/02/OldRed_01_2000.jpg" width="720">
Meyers Manx.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_cat” target=”_blank”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_cat
Only appropriate for the heppest of hep cats…
<img src="http://www.fahrzeugbilder.de/1024/vw-iltis-ehemals-bundeswehr-42452.jpg" width="600">
VW Iltis, or Polecat, which isn't actually a type of cat.
Because I'm not here to give the obvious choice: All of Steiger's models.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/STEIGER_PANTHER.jpg" width="600">
Besides the flagship Panther, there was the Lion, Cougar, Puma, Tiger, Wildcat, and Bearcat.
Must be something about manufacturers in NW Minnesota towns with 3 word names – Red Lake Falls for Steiger, and Thief River Falls for Arctic Cat's Wildcat/Bearcat/Jag/Cheeta/Puma/etc.
<img src="http://www.snowmobile.com/gallery/gallery.php/d/13843-4/MT_CAT_199901.jpg?g2_GALLERYSID=TMP_SESSION_ID_DI_NOISSES_PMT">
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Red River, Melroe Manufacturing Company went from producing a machine called Bobcat (which originated in a blacksmith shop in Rothsay, MN) to renaming themselves Bobcat.
<img src="http://bobcatmanualpdf.com/img/Bobcat-All-Wheel-Steer-Loader-Manual-PDF.jpg" width="500">
So Bobcat is what city slickers call these as a genericized trademark, right? I've only ever called them "skid loaders" on the farm, even if they are Bobcat brand.
It might be more regional than rural/city divide. I know they were called Bobcats by most of the farmers I grew up around, though they tended to be called skid loaders when someone had close ties to a dealership selling a competing brand.
I think Bobcat Company is still holding their own at controlling the name, but they have had some close calls in some countries. I worked in their skid-steer loader engineering department from '04-'08 and my recollection from the older employees' stories is that they came very close to losing control of the Bobcat name in Australia in the '80's.
<img src="http://carphotos.cardomain.com/images/0015/99/66/15369966_large.jpg" width="600">
Mercury Lynx
Lynx was also used by a Ford Canada for an armored car.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Ford-Lynx-MkI-latrun-2.jpg/571px-Ford-Lynx-MkI-latrun-2.jpg">
Not a car:
The Ocelot:
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/Ocelot_LPPV.jpg" width=300>
Ford Puma:
<img src="http://static.classistatic.de/imagegallery/ford/puma/ford-puma-for_97_pu_1.jpg" width=300>
Also, Puma GTS
<img src="http://fusioncarz.com/data_images/gallery/03/puma-gts/puma-gts-04.jpg">
Maybe I can help…
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Puma_GTS_1979.jpg/640px-Puma_GTS_1979.jpg" width="500">
HINT: Stuff from Wikipedia is never hot-blocked.
imgur.com also does not block hotlinking and is good for drive-by (no pun intended) image hosting.
YEah, I grabbed the same image as him, and it posted, but I think it posted only for me. Screw 'em. Thanks for the embed.
As a bonus, the steel-blue car behind it in the Wikipedia shot is the Karmann Cheetah!
<img src="http://www.italdesign.it/media/thumbnails/projectgalleryimage/2014/06/25/6c3df_coverimage.jpg.0x497_q85_detail.jpg" width="500">
http://www.italdesign.it/en/projects/bmw-karmann-…
<img src="http://1v7mh43xejam2hi9m11cptux.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Archer-ocelot.jpg" width=500 /img>
Good, an Archer fan.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/6MnPp.gif">
GTA V has a jaguar like brand named Ocelot!
<img src="http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140331131459/gtawiki/images/d/d1/OcelotF620-Front-GTAV.png" width="600">
Legitimate answer, Sunbeam Tiger!
<img src="https://autogaragem.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/sunbeam-tiger-v8.jpg" width=600>
Also an answer of sorts, Siamese Car Racing!
<img src="http://albums.photoonweb.com/3/3trp/2012-05-26_SIAMESE_CAR/images/LOPIK120526-siamese-4023.jpg" width=600>
The Panther WaterCar.
<img src="http://www.autotrainingcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Panther-WaterCar.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://a.imageshack.us/img691/9179/panthersix1.jpg" width="500">
Panther shows up a lot…
True dat.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Panther_Kallista_1.jpg/640px-Panther_Kallista_1.jpg" width="500">
Do platform names count?
<img src="http://image.motortrend.com/f/features/consumer/1109_an_american_icon_ford_panther_platform/33768539%2Bw524%2Bh339%2Bcr1%2Bar0/ford-crown-victoria.jpg">
Tigra, too.
<img width="700" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Opel_Tigra_front_20071212.jpg">
Rawr.
No mention of Jaguar yet? Really thought that they would have been the first to be named.
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/ynxfPaA.png">
No, I fully expected this to be the first comment.
I was hoping this:
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/SS_Jaguar_1.5Litre_%281937%29_%2814268238138%29.jpg/800px-SS_Jaguar_1.5Litre_%281937%29_%2814268238138%29.jpg" width=500>
Would be the first Jaguar posted. It's the SS Jaguar made by SS Cars Ltd. of the UK. Now, that car is from the mid-30s. There was a bit of a fluff over there and the letters 'SS' gained some, uh, less than desirable associations, so the company renamed itself after one of its car models. So the company is named after the car which is named after the cat.
And nobody is forced to swallow sidecars anymore!
The Peugeot 607 Féline:
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/2Lbc4wt.png" width=500>
Lion-Peugeot.
<img src="http://www.pixauto.net/2014/vente-encheres-bonhams/sigle-lion-peugeot.jpg" width=640>
Stutz Bearcat.
{Too lazy to find picture}
The bearcat is a civet rather than a cat, so really the car was named after something that was itself named after a cat.
And a bear.
"Bearcat" was also
authentic frontier gibberishan Old West colloquialism for mountain lions and sometimes wolverines.<img src="http://www.nwmissouri.edu/Admissions/pride/athletics/Bearcat/480×320.jpg">
Bonus for the Blazing Saddles reference.
And so named by a rather grum man (assuming glum + grim = grum).
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/F8F_Bearcat_%28flying%29.jpg" width=500>
The coooolest cat – Cheetah!
<img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/bill-thomas-cheetah-continuation-large_12.jpg"width="400">
Slightly different Cheetah
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/67k5Vrt.jpg">
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/MatraSimcaBagheera.jpg/280px-MatraSimcaBagheera.jpg" width="500">
The Matra Bagheera is named after a specific cat.
Are you talking about me?
<img src="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120608013752/disney/images/b/b6/Bagheera_Close_Up.gif"width="400">
That's the one.
Did anybody ever name a concept car Baloo?
No? Well, they should have.
It would be a good entry-level trim line, since Baloo only needs the bear necessities.
<img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2496/3741192563_07626ec739.jpg" width="500">
Reliant Kitten. The car built to be not a Reliant Robin.
"….intended to conjure up impressions of forcefulness, danger, precision, manoeuvrability, speed, beauty, independence or self-confidence."
I think you just proved Mr. Tanshanomi wrong.
Plasan Sand Cat
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Bulgarian_sandcat.jpg" width="600">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ_Tigr
<img src="http://www.armyrecognition.com/images/stories/east_europe/russia/wheeled_armoured/tigr-m/Tigr-M_GAZ-233114_multipurpose_4x4_armoured_vehicle_VPK_Russia_Russian_army_defence_industry_military_technology_640_001.jpg">
The Lynx Eventer, itself a modified Jaguar XJS. Yo dawg…
<img src="http://files.lynxeventer.webnode.com/200000404-d8350da289/The%20Lynx%20Eventer%20Page%202+3.jpg" width="600">
Nissan Leopard
<img src="http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/img/modelDetail/uploader/data/en/Web/1317090268139072611.jpg" width="600" />
I am going to name my next cat "M30"
<img src="http://media.ed.edmunds-media.com/infiniti/m30/1991/oem/1991_infiniti_m30_coupe_base_fq_oem_1_500.jpg">
His main competitor the toyota soarer had for emblem a mythical cat.
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VhM2u3PH5uk/UbWzHwNAjyI/AAAAAAAACRk/uVLecrnvTwo/s1600/b0079_soarerz20_15_.jpg" width="600">
Lynx Jaguars
<img src="http://auta5p.eu/katalog/jaguar/jaguar_xjs_04.jpg" width="666">
<img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5175/5492583898_1b11f09a46.jpg">
Puma GTV kit car, powered by either a Beetle engine or an Alfa Romeo boxer.
<img src="http://www.busbusnet.com/Public/data/silvio90/2009127214239_Puma-GTV.jpg" width="600">
<img src="http://www.lanciaflavia.it/public_old_foto/img-1234303848.jpg" width="600">
So, in other words, it's a kit cat?
<img src="http://giveitlove.com/wp-content/uploads/Lion-Cat-Halloween-Costume.jpg">
<img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2564/4075054761_95ccc0d5fa.jpg" width="500">
The FMR Tg500, which is neither a Messerschmitt nor a Tiger, so of course is widely known as the Messerschmitt Tiger.
"Clouded Leopard" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CM-32_Armoured_Vehic…
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Firecar2.jpg">
They made it out of Legos?
I'm pretty sure that's from Call of Duty: Tetris
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_security_veh…
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Rhodesia-Leopard_Security_Vehicle-001.jpg/800px-Rhodesia-Leopard_Security_Vehicle-001.jpg" width="666">
New meaning to the old term "roll bar".
Leopard tank
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Leopard_2_A7,_Eurosatory_2010.jpg" width="666">
<img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5181/5853890106_91f72b96cc.jpg" width="500">
The Lectric Leopard. There's one not far from my house.
This renault 5 looks like it was bagged, And it's electric! Pretty awesome!
Awesome until you reach the limits of that extension cord hanging out the rear. 😀
The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard ("anti-aircraft cannon tank Cheetah", better known as the Flakpanzer Gepard)
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Gepard_1a2_sideview.jpg/1024px-Gepard_1a2_sideview.jpg" width="666"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flakpanzer_Gepard
Did not know that mechanized anti-aircraft guns existed. Is there anything that the German Army hasn't hooned?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Self-propel…
DCD-Dorbyl Mountain Lion.
<img src="http://www.armyrecognition.com/images/stories/middle_east/united_arab_emirates/defence_exhibition/idex_2011/pictures/dcd_mountain_lion.JPG">
Well, isn't that just a Dorbyl.
Caracal CR (doesn't move on a roadway but does move on pavement)
<img src="http://www.fvsilverbullet.com/images/browsky2Cr.jpg" />
Mercury Cougar ?
"Panther" has been mentioned three times so far, but none in reference to this:
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/ZGrptIH.jpg" width=500>
Actually, you're about two hours late.
DOH! Scrolled down before all the pictures loaded.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/McGgowL.jpg" width=200>
<img src="http://www.carnewschina.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/geely-meirenbao-commercial-1-458×315.jpg?109b36">
The Geely Beauty Leopard.
Beauty, eh?
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Bob_and_Doug_McKenzie.jpg" width="400">
Leyland was rather fond of cat names for their buses
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Halton_Lynx_01.jpg/280px-Halton_Lynx_01.jpg">
Lynx<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Midland_Red_West_coach_733_%28WOC_733T%29%2C_31_March_1989_%282%29.jpg/1280px-Midland_Red_West_coach_733_%28WOC_733T%29%2C_31_March_1989_%282%29.jpg" width="500">
Leopard
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Winchester_Broadway_-_King_Alfred_UOU419H.JPG/280px-Winchester_Broadway_-_King_Alfred_UOU419H.JPG:>
Panther
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/DupleDominant.jpg/280px-DupleDominant.jpg">
Tiger
Panhard Tigre
<img src="http://www.motorstown.com/images/panhard-pl17-tigre-07.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://www.motorstown.com/images/panhard-pl17-tigre-07.jpg" width="600">
As the other picture doesn't seams to work, there is an another Panhard tiger
<img src="http://p9.storage.canalblog.com/95/70/570736/75364862.jpg" width="600">
Hillman Tiger
<img src="http://www.simoncars.co.uk/hillman/slides//Hillman%20Avenger%20Tiger%20MkI%20front.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://blogs.cars.com/.a/6a00d83451b3c669e201a73de22a1a970d-pi">
Here's a Tiger…and a pussy!
But the Tiger Adventure Vehicle is a good answer too no?
I see that individual Mercuries have been mentioned, but not the brand's advertising tagline, "at the sign of the cat".
[youtube GzbfJpIrKuw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzbfJpIrKuw youtube]
Many decades ago, when I was just a wee Wildcat myself, I recall going to either the Detroit Auto Show, or Autorama, and Mercury would have one of their signs up on a platform, along with a real, live cougar, just like in the commercials.
How about a special edition car named after a sports team named after a cat?
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/XxLhh38.jpg">
The 1968 Bengal Charger
Too obvious? Anybody is remenbering the Cougar?!
<img src="http://trivillagepennysaver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/WGIPCar_Collector12.jpg" width="600">
<imgsrc="http://oldcarbrochures.org/var/albums/NA/Mercury/1977_Mercury/1977_Mercury_Cougar_Brochure/1977%20Mercury%20Cougar-04.jpg?m=1305538201" width="600">
<img src="http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Mercury/1985%20Mercury/1985_Mercury_Cougar_Brochure/1985%20Mercury%20Cougar-02.jpg" width="600">
<img src="http://allabouttt.com/wp-content/uploads/imgs/mercury-cougar-6.jpg" width="600">
Sunbeam Cheetah
<img src="http://img.pathfinder.gr/clubs/images/2/124002/29.jpg" width=500>
The Sunbeam Cheetah was succeeded by the Peugeot 205 Cheetah and Peugeot 309 Cheetah but I haven't managed to dig up photos of those.
What was that an south america special? I have never heard about SunBeam Peugeot Chettah.
The Cheetahs were built by a Rootes/Talbot/Peugeot dealer in the UK called Stag Hill Motors. Stag Hill Motors was factory owned so these are semi-works models. The Sunbeam Cheetah offered performance comparable to a Sunbeam Lotus but sold for less.
En español: SEAT León
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Seat_Leon_1.4_TSI_Start%26Stop_Style_(III)_–_Frontansicht,_10._August_2013,_Ratingen.jpg" width="600">
That's just named after a guy named Leon <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Trotsky_Portrait.jpg" width=500>
Held off on posting this one to see if anyone else came up with it; honestly somewhat surprised that it hasn't been named yet.
The Ford Pinto's Mercury equivalent, the Bobcat:
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/aAhvmJY.jpg" width="500/">
There was a picture of a red one in the original article at the top of the page right next to a Buick Wildcat.
Weird, now I'm seeing it. I don't know if I just glossed over it initially or if something else happened, but I am curious about the following:
Am I the only one who has issues with the site loading properly? A lot of the time I'll be served a partially-complete page, noticeable because it'll stop loading mid-sentence in a reply or the article body and random images will be missing.
Loves me some Buick Wildcats…as my user ID would indicate. We had a '65 4-door sedan, in white–it was probably one of our favorite cars we ever had while I was growing up. "Wildcat 445" was the engine–basically 445 ft lbs. of torque (not displacement, as many assumed). I have a preference for that '65 (the coupe version at the top of this page), or the '67. The engine debuted I think in 1959 or 1960, and Wildcat became a custom trim level for the Invicta in the early 60s before it became its own model. The name reappeared on a concept vehicle, and sadly, was later appropriated for some lame Buick Century Custom as a badge-and-trim package in 1999. The Wildcat 445 engine was 401 cubic inches of nailhead goodness. 1966 saw a 425 cu.in. version, including one special package that featured two 4-bbl carbs. (Those 'cats are very rare.)
I'd give my left nostril to have a restored '65 or '67 convertible…and the money to buy one.
1967:
<img width="500" src="http://barrettjackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/21785/21785_Front_3-4_Web.jpg">
1965 from the front:
<img width="500" src="http://barrettjackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/133203/133203_Front_3-4_Web.jpg">
The idea behind the Wildcat was the larger Electra 225 engine in the slightly smaller LeSabre chassis. "The Banker's Hot Rod" was one nickname for it.
Would the Cat-Bus from My Neighbor Totoro count?