10 Cars Named After Birds
Many automakers have named their cars after animals, such as the Ford Bronco and the Volkswagen Beetle. There’s even a whole brand modeled after the quick and beautiful jaguar! Additionally, many cars are named after wild birds, likely because of their colorful plumages and rugged natures. Here are 10 of the most notable cars in automotive history that share names with our feathered friends.
1. Stutz Blackhawk
Zero to 60 Times highlights the Stutz Blackhawk for sharing its name with the common black hawk you can find in North America. The Blackhawk is a luxury sedan that debuted for the 1971 model year and would stay on the market for 16 years. Several famous musical artists owned one of these cars, including Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.
2. Datsun/Nissan Bluebird
According to Car&Bike and GetJerry, the Datsun/Nissan Bluebird was the first Japanese car built on Britain’s shores. HotCars says that the 510 series was the most popular, powered by a 96-hp carbureted engine that earned up to 30 mpg. It was primarily offered in sedan body styles, though you could also get it as a station wagon.
Despite its efficient powertrain options and promising reliability, it never gained much traction in its respective markets. In America, it would be replaced with the Nissan Altima.
3. AMC Eagle
This compact sedan (or station wagon) was offered for just eight model years in the 1980s. All AMC Eagles have an independent front suspension and permanent four-wheel drive, two very uncommon features for the segment. You can find used models with either an inline-4 or inline-6 engine.
4. Studebaker Lark
The Studebaker Lark was another short-lived compact car of the 1960s, notable for being one of the first with an available V8 engine. Like many rivals, it could be optioned with a sedan body style. The Lark Wagonaire models were even more desirable thanks to their sliding rear roofs.
5. Ford Raptor
Named after the bird of prey (as well as the dinosaur), you can get a Raptor version of either the Ford F-150 or the Ranger pickup truck, according to Way. Both come with extra off-roading equipment, mechanical enhancements, and a turbo-charged 450-hp engine.
Inside the Bronco Raptor, this engine generates 415 hp. The Ford F-150 Raptor R, new for the 2023 model year, shares the Mustang GT500’s supercharged 700-hp powertrain.
6. Plymouth Road Runner
The Plymouth Road Runner was named after the Looney Tunes bird, which shares its name with a real-life animal. You could even option the car to have the character’s iconic “meep-meep” taunt. Besides that unique feature, the Road Runner is also famous for its comfy interior and optional Hemi V8.
7. Reliant Robin
The Reliant Robin is still considered one of the U.K.’s most famous three-wheeled vehicles, offered for sale until the 2002 model year. The MKIII models were the most efficient, earning up to 100 mpg. Despite its small size, its squared-off shape gave the newer models up to 40 cubic feet of cargo capacity.
8. Buick Skylark
The Buick Skylark is known as one of the first modern American muscle cars, initially equipped with several V8s of various sizes. Unfortunately, the Skylark was released at a time when vehicle safety requirements became more strict. Its engine power was subsequently limited, and its carbureted variants were removed.
9. Pontiac Sunbird
The second-gen Sunbird appealed to drivers in its day because it had front-wheel drive instead of its rivals’ commonplace rear-wheel drive setup. The Sunbird GT, equipped with a 165-hp turbo engine, is still highly valued amongst car collectors.
10. Kissel White Eagle
The White Eagle speedster variant was the largest one offered by Kissel, powered by a 95-hp eight-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission. It was also offered in a four-seater variant known as the Tourster. Both are incredibly rare: RM Sotheby’s estimates that only 150 White Eagles survive today.
