Through almost the entire history of cars, manufacturers have enjoyed launching cars with animal names. Different types and breeds of horses have proven to be a particularly popular choice for names.
Why do horse and car names seem to have such a close connection even today? It’s likely to do with the early history of the automobile.
Indeed, during the days before the first motor car came about, the word ‘car’ was used in some parts of the world to refer to any wheeled horse-drawn vehicle.
Even when motor cars were introduced to the public, such vehicles in their early days would be referred to as a “horseless carriage” by some. Then of course there’s the unit of measurement horsepower (hp) or brake horsepower (bhp), which to this day remains the most popular methods of calculating a car’s power output.
Engineers, including the same one who originally coined the term horsepower, have pointed out how both cars and horses share similar qualities in their ability to transport people and goods over a long distance.
Four classic cars named after horses
So, in recognition of certain car manufacturers' fascination with horses, and with the Grand National horse race taking place soon for 2018, we thought we’d take a look at some of the most intriguing cars ever launched to use a horse name.
Ford Mustang
Such is Ford’s evident affinity for naming their cars after horses, you could dedicate a whole feature just to Ford cars named after horses.
Within their illustrious history, Ford has launched both the Bronco and Pinto. Then there are the Fords with names related to ranching such as the Maverick, Sierra, Ranchero and Ranch Wagon.
If we were to pick just one horse-named Ford above all others though, then we would have to go for the iconic Mustang muscle car.
Quite simply one of the most famous car names in the world, the Ford Mustang’s simple but effective combination of a sleek two-door fastback (or convertible) body and a big V8 under the bonnet has delighted many. The latest-generation of the Mustang became the first to be sold officially in the UK and in right-hand drive when it launched in early 2016.
Mitsubishi Colt
Mitsubishi has been using the name Colt for certain cars since the 1960s. The name was first used for a line of small economy cars sold predominantly in Japan and while the word Colt could be associated with guns or even a malt liquor, Mitsubishi are actually referring to the fact Colt is used as a term for young male horses.
There are rumours that another Mitsubishi car, called the Starion, was originally meant to be called the Stallion (like the Stallion horse), but Japanese engineers working for Mitsubishi were having trouble pronouncing the ‘L’s in the name so they changed it. This has never been confirmed though.
Hyundai Pony
Hyundai are another manufacturer which has gotten into the whole naming-your-car-after-a-horse craze before, as the company produced the Pony between 1975 and 1990.
This horse-named car is a very significant one in fact, as it was the first car from South Korea to be mass-produced. While Hyundai has improved massively in terms of quality since making the Pony, the impact this car had on the brand and the South Korean car industry in general was undeniably huge.
Pegaso
What’s better than a car named after a horse? How about naming your manufacturer after a horse?
That’s exactly what the Spanish vehicle manufacturer ENASA did when they decided to launch a sub-brand named Pegaso - the Spanish word for Pegasus, a winged stallion from Greek mythology.
The Pegaso brand produced all sorts from trucks, tractors, armoured vehicles and even sports cars for a while. The Pegaso Z-102 sports car (seen above) was made while a former Alfa Romeo designer was working as Pegaso’s chief technical manager. Pegaso stopped producing vehicles in the mid-1990s, leaving the brand as dead as a horse turned into glue.
