Community Question: What is the coolest car named after an animal?

[Kyle]

Manufacturers select cars names in a variety of way, sometimes out of thin air (looking at you Camaro), but some of the best derive from the animal kingdom. Whether Ford Mustang or Dodge Colt, or maybe you are more of a Road Runner type of person, let us know in the comments below which is your favorite. 

[TeutonicScot]

Well, if you consider fish as animals, I've always though that Barracuda was one of the best. Triumph Stag was pretty cool too when sorted.

As for big cats, there have been Tigers, Lions, Jaguars, Cheetahs, Cougars, Panthers & Leopards. Some were more cool than others in that group.

[sir_keith]

Of course fishes are animals! And yes, Barracuda is right up there. Love the song, too.

[DublD]

I've always thought Mustang and Barracuda sounded strong and fast. Add a couple extra 's' to Mustang and think of the song Barracuda by Heart to add a twist to the pronunciation. (drives my wife crazy when I do that, not in a good way)

[Mar65]

Yes ,a fish is part of the Animal Kingdom- Zoology 101

[Sajeev]

Definitely the Mercury Lynx XR3

[TeutonicScot]

Ah yes....the Lynx..

And lest we forget, the Bobcat and the Puma. The early GTB was a pretty decent car and looked pretty cool and decent power, lightweight and a 4.0 straight six.

[CarlJensen]

Bearcat

[maggie]

Personally I think it has to be the AMC Gremlin.

[cestor01]

I am not sure Gremlin would classify as an animal.

[hb]

Hands down it's Jaguar. The entire Coventry company was called Jaguar Cars Ltd.

[sir_keith]

Duh!  COBRA!!!

[Rick57]

Plymouth Barracuda!

[Markdonc]

63-67 Stingray 

[oldnasty1937]

Definitely the Barracuda.

[pmb]

All the 'real car people' should remember that the Mustang was named after an airplane.... 😉

[TonyT]

If it was named after the airplane, why does it have a horse emblem?

[Jay_Emm]

And the Mustang emblem was a horse because? 😉

[jspboss1]

No contest ............................... COBRA  !!!!

[Puma]

I preferred my '67 Cougar.  With a little upgrading it devoured most of the Mustangs it encountered.

[JG]

Are you kidding? Why it's Bill Thomas' 1964-1966 Cheetah (sorry Carroll)!!! Ah! If it only had brakes Jerry Grant would have easily won the Rose Cup.

JG

[RedRyder_SFZ]

I’m a Ford guy. Bronco and Mustang are great and successful name plates. But I will say that Mako Shark vette was a cool car. That blue paint and slick body work was  unforgettable...and the name is unique. 

[bpar73]

Sunbeam Tiger

[JC]

Impala - Since 1958

[Craig]

I have two of them, so clearly I like the name Stingray.

Also, as a scuba diver, they are really neat ocean critters whose influence on designers is very clear.

[Bunka]

De Tomaso Pantera Translates to Mongoose, an animal that can kill a Cobra ( a little jab there) and Panther.  

[TeutonicScot]

@Bunka, Pantera translates to Panther, you're thinking of the Mangusta...

[Trashboat]

It has to be Ford Falcon! Coolest of all birds 🐦 Or maybe The Ford Bronco! The greatest type of horse 🐴!

[cerg82]

AC Cobra 

[MustangSmitty]

Road Runner.

[pallettman]

I think it is the VW Beetle. I realize it is not a true name, but if you ask people what a VW Type 1 is you will get a blank stare. But ask them about a VW Beetle, everybody knows.

[NewHawkGuy]

Being a Studebaker "Hawk" owner...  Chevy Impala is also worthy.

[Olivier]

De Tomaso Mangusta and Pantera
Lamborghini Islero, Miura, Urraco, Jalpa, Murciélago, Reventón, Gallardo, Aventador, Veneno, Huracán (all bulls, many of them individual animals)
Dodge Viper

More of a stretch
VW Phaeton (a horse in Greek mythology)
Alfa Romeo Spider
Any roadster: This was originally a 19th century word for a horse used for traveling (as opposed to working in fields)

A bit less cool (although...)
VW Beetle
VW Fox
VW Lupo
Mitsubishi Colt
Opel Tigra
Fiat Panda

[M2Pilot]

Humber Super Snipe

[Alotamiata]

Hyundai Tiburon. Spanish for shark. 

[Jay_Emm]

No doubt about it! The coolest car, period, is the Shelby AC Cobra

[Pitt2500]

Steyr Pinzgauer (Cattle - It was in the past a triple-purpose breed, raised for meat, milk and draught use.) 710/712

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinzgauer_High-Mobility_All-Terrain_Vehicle

Pinz 710 & 712 measurements 

[Cstacey]

Lamborghini Miura - the bull!

[TimK]

Though it didn't go into production, the 1963 Cougar prototype is my choice. I saw this car around 1997 while it was on loan to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. I hope when returned to Ford it wasn't damaged while displayed like Craig Breedlove's Spirit of America was.

[roger]

Chevy Impala. Always Top of the Line. Looks, styling, power options.

[AutomoDesignCo]

Funny enough, I designed an art print for Automo that showed the taxonomy of car names and nearly half of it was take up by names from animals! 

I have to say my personal favorite is probably the TVR Chimaera

Poster is here https://automodesign.co/collections/art-prints/products/taxonomy-of-car-model-names-infographic-art-...

[TEKBullitt]

Mustang

[sorrktm]

No contest ...  Cobra!

[Dadmog]

The Flying Wombat. (Really. You can look it up) from the movie "Young at Heart" in 1938. Much cooler than the car's real name, the Phantom Corsair.

[CalBehr]

Sunbeam Tiger with Shelby’s Cobra Ford engine. A real “tiger” in sheep’s clothing!

[Numberscruncher]

First Generation Mustang, of course.

[Lightning]

I vote for the Chevy-powered Cheetah.  Very rare and very unusual appearance.

[Cougar67]

Cougar.  '67 to '69.

[fotogmike]

Even though I own a Road Runner, I think Bill Thomas's Cheetah was the coolest.

[Craige]

The Mercury Cougar, the early years.