2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE400 4MATIC
From the January 2016 issue
Last year was the end of the line for the Mercedes-Benz M-class. There?s no more GLK, either. Soon, the GL and the SLK will likewise disappear. Oh, the vehicles will still be around, but the badges are changing as Mercedes overhauls its naming convention. G-wagen aside, its SUVs are now GLs, keyed by size to the core C-, E-, and S-classes: The GLK is the GLC, the M is the GLE, and the GL will soon be the GLS. The SLK will become the SLC. Cadillac is about to make a similar change, and many in our office still use Infiniti?s old names. ?QX70" That?s the FX, right"?
But automakers risk forfeiting individual models? brand equity in such scorched-earth renaming schemes. We tallied the age of every model on the market today to see who?s clinging to the oldest names. Also to determine if value correlates to dotage and the recognizability that comes with it. In many cases, it seems, there?s a premium associated with an old-money moniker. Our Own Arbitrary Rules
Car names are often in use overseas prior to their arrival in the U.S. Nissan?s GT-R is one such example. But while a select group of nerds?usually including us?might be aware of a car?s existence abroad, we dated names to their debut on our shores and, to keep things simple, ignored any gaps in availability. In cases where a name first appeared as a trim level or option?such as Renegade, originally an option package on the Jeep CJ?we counted from the ye...