How Chrysler Killed The Hemi Brand

Jalopnik.com ^ | Jul 7, 2010 | Ray Wert

[meyer]

Hemi as a brand? I thought it stood for “hemispherical combustion chamber”. If the engine utilizes that design, then it is a hemi.

[Daffynition]

Detroit seems to do everything backasswards. When they have something good going for it, they change it just for the sake of change.

[Daffynition]

Things can and do get lost in translation.

General Motors’ Chevy Nova failed in Latin America. The thing was that “Nova” means “It doesn’t go” in Spanish.

Or when Ford flopped in Brazil when they introduced Pinto to the market. The problem was that in Brazilian Portuguese slang “pinto” is “small penis”.

Branding nightmares. ;)

[Charles Martel]

They aren’t really hemispherical anymore anyway. The current Hemi line introduced in 2003 does not have hemispherical chambers.

Hemi has been nothing but a marketing term since it’s reintroduction.

True, it's not *really* a hemispherical chamber, but it is pretty close. A true "Hemi" would make lots of power, but would be impossible to get emissions-certified. Chrysler had to put dual sparkplugs in each cylinder to get a better fuel burn, so that accounts for part of the not-quite-hemispherical combustion chamber.

[perfect stranger]

I was thinking about that machine a few weeks ago but couldn't remember it's name. Thanks!

Here's an old FR post about it from 2005.

[Big_Harry]

I think that pre-race testing proved the superiority of the SOHC Ford. It sure dominated the drag strip for awhile.

[mkjessup]

Yes indeed, Connie Kalitta comes to mind (among many others), he and the 'Bounty
Hunter' won both AHRA and NHRA Winternationals in '67. Those were great days!

[ROCKLOBSTER]

How can a 350 and a 360 both be a “5.7”?

[mkjessup]

Things can and do get lost in translation.
General Motors’ Chevy Nova failed in Latin America. The thing was that “Nova” means “It doesn’t go” in Spanish.

LOL, love it!

Or when Ford flopped in Brazil when they introduced Pinto to the market. The problem was that in Brazilian Portuguese slang “pinto” is “small penis”.

I never had a Pinto. [snicker]

Branding nightmares. ;)

Here's my contribution: I heard a semi-urban legend sort of story about how the name 'Exxon' came about because Standard Oil (Esso) wanted a brand name that had no phonetic equivalent anywhere in the world, which was prompted by the revelation that 'ESSO' in Japan loosely translated to "DEAD CAR".

Say AiT? You wouldn't have heard anything about this would you? (hope all is well with you!)

[mkjessup]

That’s a good question Lobster.

I think it was folly to ever get into the whole metric convention when it comes to cubic inches anyhow.

To determine cubic inchs:

Bore x Bore x Stroke x [number of cylinders] x .7854

That will give you the correct cubic inches every time.

Screw metric. LOL

[ROCKLOBSTER]

the UAW is given the same treatment its tools in the Whitehouse gave to the legitimate owners and creditors of those two once-American companies

Why aren't there thousands of lawsuits from the bondholders?

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Well I don’t know about that, the automotive world standard is metric. But if a liter is too big of a measure, go to CCs. Like the GM 3800.

That’s real damn specific.

What gets me is people who refer to a “Five point O”

WTF? Is that like five point O dollars?

If that’s an accurate measure, it’s a Five liter.

[Oceander]

They tried, and they got stepped on - threatened with extortionate measures by the Whitehouse - the MSM, of course, refused to cover it in any depth, although the complaints of some of the bondholders of Chrysler were loud enough that they at least got some minor mention by the MSM.

[Fresh Wind]

In the sixties, “Hemi” meant something.

Now, it’s just marketing BS.

[Daffynition]

You are correct. It was wrapped in a neat little scandal.

At first, consideration was given to simply rebranding all stations as Enco, but that was shelved when it was learned that "Enco" is a Japanese term for "stalled car."