Renault gets green light
to call its car ‘Zoe’
Renault Zoe
Paris (AP) - It could be the French version of “A
Boy Named Sue” - a car named Zoe.
A judge ruled Wednesday that the automaker Renault can
call its new electric car Zoe, much to the chagrin of some French women and
girls with that first name.
Parents of two children named Zoe Renault (pronounced ZOH-eh
ruh-NO) had argued in court that their children could end up enduring a
lifetime of teasing and annoyance - just like the fictional youth named Sue
in the famous Johnny Cash song.
The families, who are not related to the car company,
wanted Renault to choose another name for the model.
“There’s a line between living things and inanimate
objects, and that line is defined by the first name,” lawyer David Koubbi
told The Associated Press in an interview. “We’re telling Renault one
very simple thing: First names are for humans.”
But a judge found against Koubbi’s clients in a
fast-track proceeding, ruling that the parents would only have a case it
they could prove that naming the car ‘Zoe’ would cause the children
“certain, direct and current harm.”
Koubbi said he would appeal the decision. He insisted
that while it’s clear the Zoe Renaults of the world would be most affected
by the release of the car - slated for 2012 - all of France’s estimated
35,000 Zoes would feel the sting.
“Can you imagine what little Zoes would have to endure on
the playground, and even worse, when they get a little bit older and someone
comes up to them in a bar and says, ‘Can I see your airbags?’ or ‘Can I
shine your bumper?’” Koubbi said.
The lawyer said Renault named it the Zoe ZE because of
the electric-powered auto’s zero emissions.
Renault, one of France’s two main carmakers, has already
given several of its cars female first names - including its compact
hatchback Megane and its mini Clio. Both are popular girls’ names in France,
but there was no organized opposition to either name.
The fight over Zoe, which means ‘life’ in Greek, has
received considerable media attention in France, where a petition on a
Facebook page called ‘Zoe’s not a car name’ has garnered more than 6,000
signatures.
First names are a serious matter in France, which
formerly restricted parents’ choices to a specific list of traditional
names. The rules have since been loosened, but even today officials can
oppose parents’ choices on the grounds that ridiculous names can hurt their
future.
In June, Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn said he was aware of
the issue and wanted to avoid any controversy that could potentially hurt
the car’s sales.
“We don’t want our car to come on the market with a name
which is a handicap,” he told Europe-1 radio.
Still, a Renault official emphasized that there is no
plan to change the car’s name.
“We ordered several studies that showed that it is not a
handicap for the car, so there’s no reason to make any changes,” said the
official, who declined to give his name in accordance with company policy.
“We’re very happy with the judge’s decision.”
Attorney Koubbi said the two Zoes at the heart of the
case are 2 and 8 years old and their parents were not seeking any damages.
Koubbi, who has represented French celebrity clients,
took the case on a pro bono basis. Why? Because his stepdaughter’s name is
Zoe.
No wonder France is in so much bother, if this is what
they waste the court’s time over. Britain used to have a car called “Austin”
- they should have sued Austin Powers!
Williams fires the Incredible
Hulk
As predicted in this column a few weeks ago, Sir Frank
Williams has not renewed Nico Hulkenberg’s contract for 2011, despite Hulkenberg
giving Williams its first pole position in five years.
Tossed out
on his rear
Sir Frank has shown over the seasons that he considers
drivers to be expendable items, and has previously refused to renew the
contracts of a couple of world champions. He’s all heart our Frank.
This is a shame, as Hulkenberg has excelled in all categories
on the way up, and although having taken a little while to settle down in F1, he
does have talent. But that talent doesn’t come with a sack of money, so that’s
why he has lost his seat at Williams. So much for the ‘best drivers in the
world’. Expect to read about their new South American driver with 15 million
dollars in his race suit pocket.
Rubens Barichello’s contract has been renewed, so the
Brazilian pensioner has been reprieved again, but to be fair to Rubens, he has
done well all year, in a basically underperforming car compared to the others.
Some people need to be locked up
Is this
the ultimate idiocy? According to the Garmin company, makers of the Garmin Sat-Nav,
“Tired of hearing the same old sat nav voice? You’ve now arrived at your
“tìkan” (destination). In celebration of the release of AVATAR Extended
Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray and DVD you can now customize your Garmin nüvi
with Na’vi voice directions. Due to growing demand from the public, Garmin has
released customized directions in the native language of Avatar’s Na’vis, which
are downloadable on the Garmin website. http://www.garmin.com/uk/extras/avatar
The ultimate Avatar fan
can now get full driving instructions - mìn ftär (turn left), mìn skien (turn
right) and txìng musìna tsengit (exit roundabout) for example, making getting to
your destination all that much more exciting for Avatar fans.
‘Taronyu’ aka Richard
Littauer, the U.K.’s number 1 Avatar fan, who also created a Na’Vi dictionary
has been working with Garmin to record the vocal cues and directions in Na’Vi
for customers to download.
Example of well know sat
nav directions in Na’Vi;
* Ftexy ’awve tihum, min
ftar ro musina tsengit mi zam ayvenu pate ro tikan
o Take 1st exit, turn left
at roundabout. In 100 feet arrive at destination
* fpxäkìm musìna tsengit
tsar ftxey muve tìhum. Seralew tìkan mi hìma fya’o.
o Enter roundabout then
take second exit. Continue on route and arrive at destination in ¾ of a mile
* fongueo. mìn lahea fya’o
o Traffic ahead. Make a
u-turn
* Mi apxa ‘it fya’oä mìn
skien
o In half a mile turn
right
Anthony Chmarny, Garmin’s
Head of Communications said, “The Na’Vi voice is a bit of fun to help celebrate
the release of the Extended Collector’s Edition of AVATAR. It’s great and I’m
sure it will bring a smile to your face when trying to get from A to B whilst
using your Garmin nüvi sat nav.”
Thanks for the warning,
Khun Anthony!
Turn left at
the next tree, darling
‘Scousers’ join Ferrari (thank
you Les Edmonds)
For those unsure of the term ‘Scouser’, the following
explanation was given to me by a genuine ‘Scouser’. A Scouser is indigenous to
Liverpool, England generally of mixed Irish / English heritage and renowned for
their sharp wit and repartee! Also known to be thieving, almost likeable rogues.
Anything that can be stolen, they will steal, even if it is nailed down, and
jokes are made of this.
Ferrari pit
crew in action
So here is Les Edmonds’ example. (I have seen this before,
but it still is amusing):
“The Ferrari F1 team fired their entire pit crew yesterday.
This announcement followed Ferrari’s decision to take
advantage of the British government’s ‘Work for your Dole’ scheme and employ
some Liverpudlian youngsters.
The decision to hire them was brought about by a recent
documentary on how unemployed youths from Toxteth were able to remove a set of
wheels in less than 4 seconds without proper equipment, whereas Ferrari’s
existing crew could only do it in 5 seconds with millions of pounds worth of
high tech gear.
It was thought to be an excellent, bold move by the Ferrari
management team as most races are won and lost in the pits, giving Ferrari an
advantage over every other team. However, Ferrari got more than they bargained
for!
At the crew’s first practice session, not only was the Scouse
pit crew able to change all four wheels in under 4 seconds but, within 12
seconds, they had re-sprayed, re-badged and sold the car to the McLaren team for
8 cases of Stella, a bag of weed and some photos of Lewis Hamilton’s bird in the
shower.”
