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SEE | Bora, Scirocco, Zonda - Five cars named after winds around the world

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Tornadoes, cyclones, and curricanes are some of the most destructive natural forces in the world, capable of decimating everything that stands before it.

Automakers have drawn inspiration from this and named certain models after different types of winds across the world - albeit not all destructive ones.

Drawing inspiration

Naming cars after winds and traditional folklore has become a thing for Volkswagen in particular. The Touareg coins its name from 'Tuareg' people, inhabitants of the Saharan interior in Northern Africa, while the now-locally discontinued Eos is named after the Greek goddess of the dawn.

READ | New engines, wind, for VW Scirocco

There are other models though, that can be interpreted as something totally different in other countries.

1. Volkswagen Bora

Volkswagen-Bora

                                                                            Image: Net Car Show

It first made its debut in the late 70's and its name is derived from a Jet Stream type of wind. In climactic terms, the Bora is a very strong cold wind that blows from the northeast onto the Adriatic region of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.

We received the Jetta locally and it came in a variety of engines, all ranging from a 1.4-litre to the punchier V5 and R-Line trim variants. It wasn't the best looking sedan but made up for it in terms of performance and variety.

2. Pagani Zonda

Pagani Zonda

                                                                           Image: Net Car Show

Yet another introduction to the wind 'hall of fame' is the super elegant Zonda. It is available in C12, S, S 7.3, and Roadster trim, with its mid-mounted engine producing power figures ranging from 331kW to as much as 588kW.

As far as winds go, Zonda refers to a warm, dry wind that blows from the west across the Andes Mountains. 

3. Maserati Ghibli

                                                                          Image: Wheels24

Upon first glance, the Ghibli looks a like a proper mean machine. Its numbers certainly indicate that with a range of 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engines with outputs of 202-, 243-, and 302kW.

The name 'Ghibli' is a hot and dusty wind that blows in spring and early summer, descending from the interior highlands of Libya toward the Mediterranean Sea.

4. Chevrolet Tornado

                                                                           Image: Quickpic

We all know this two-door Chevrolet bakkie as the Utility or Ute here in South Africa. We received it in 1.4- and 1.8-litre displacement, and is in fact named after a very violent type of wind that struck Durban.

In Mexico it is known as the Tornado, for no particular reason other than that it conflicted with another model in the General Motors stable.

5. Volkswagen Scirocco

                                                                                Image: Wheels24

The correct spelling is actually Sirocco and it is a hot and humid wind that blows over the northern Mediterranean Sea and southern Europe.

Volkswagen no longer produces the Scirocco, but its power and performance is definitely worthy of the name. Locally, we only received it from the third-generation with power figures in the region of 90- to 195kW - unfortunately, it could never match the popularity of the Golf.

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