What's in a Name?

Sir, D.S.J. sparked off an entertaining train of thought in suggesting British names for British cars.

Striving to suit the name to the car while avoiding those names already hallowed by association with “those we have loved”, like Brooklands and Silverstone, how about:

The Austin Ashby de la Zouche, the Bentley Birkin the Bristol Beaulieu, the Clan Campbell, the Daimler Donington (they’d have to resurrect the sporty Dart for this one), the Ford Fawkham, the Gilbern Glamorgan, the Healey Hawkstone, the Lotus Lydden, the Morgan Malvern, the Reliant Ripon (well, they do!), the Rover Royal Berkshire, the Rolls-Royce Rest ‘n’ be Thankful, the Sunbeam Seagrave, the TVR Thruxton, and why not the Marcos Motor Sport?

If the trend spread to the Continent we might surely expect an Alfa Romeo Ascari, a Ferrari Fangio, perhaps even a Mercedes Metzgesfeld. The VW Wolfsburg would be a natural, and what concessionaire could resist naming his import the BMW Boddy ?

Staines.

R. A. Herbert