I don't like to start writing from a negative side but I have to start this time. I have always supported that a car should have a proper, pronounceable name! Car companies especially McLaren which is perfectionist is able produce the most sophisticated car on earth and name it like MP3 player!After the McLaren F1, we did not see a road going version of a McLaren until the disaster of SLR McLaren. Technically SLR McLaren was a piece of engineering and it became very popular in second hand market what a coincident. Engineers and consumers are thinking totally different. We can see by the words which are reflecting those people! Engineer, it hinders the word engine! That's the most important part of the car and made from steel. So it is very solid. Consumer, hinder the word consume. And that means buy and throw it away. When these two words intersect on business environment which is called car dealer, things may not go that good all the time! Consumers are looking more than engineering in a car. They want passion, uniqueness, excitement and also a good name. Not something a like a chassis number or MP3 player as a name.
Unfortunately, McLaren's success in car engineering cannot be seen while naming the cars :( May be Ron Dennis doesn't like branding, marketing and these kinds of intangible things. I really don't know. But they should also focus on this. Nowadays; if you are going to reveal a car and including Financial Times is making it cover news, please focus on branding a little bit more. Why? Because, people should remember it easily, when they desire it or to emerge a desire! People will remember this car's name by MP3 or MP4 players. Come on, even the king of MP3 player iPod does not have a MP something name. It is just iPod! So why uncle Ron decided on this ridiculous name?Why I do write these thing on a Saturday night? Because, ideas were so strong in my mind and I could not stop writing it! This car is one of the most smart car on earth and it is not produced in Germany! That's the important point, if a car is not produced in Germany and offering very sophisticated technology you must keep an eye on it :) I will mention only one feature of this car. On board diagnostics, it may sound senseless for some of you but it is totally a revolution in car business. This car detects a problem, identify it and communicates with workshop for preparing necessary part (it will communicate by mobile infrastructure not a magical way). This kind of technology can be seen in some trucks or in air planes. Mainly, in many cars there will be a orange light will show off or a stupid "please visit workshop" message and that's all. It won't give you an exact detail like this and communicate with workshop.
McLaren is offering a new era in automotive industry and ignoring the second most important thing after engineering in automotive industry, branding! Remember the Bugatti Atalante! My suggestion; name this car as McLaren Aether. Aether is the first-born elemental gods. He is the personification of the upper sky, space, and heaven in Greek Mythology. How long did it take to find this name? Only half an hour of reading a book about mythology :)By the way, SLR McLaren’s problem was not the branding, it was totally something different. Lack of passion, more serious problem.
