Home General Chat
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨
Options

parisian women complain

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
French carmaker Renault is facing a backlash over plans to christen a new model Zoe.

Parisian Zoe Renault, 23, has hired lawyers to insist that Renault scrap its branding.

"I could not bear to hear: 'Zoe's broken down' or 'We need to get Zoe overhauled'," she told Le Parisien newspaper.

Renault is facing other petitions from women called Zoe. A Renault spokesman said Zoe was not a "definitive choice".

The all-electric Renault Zoe ZE (zero emission) is set for launch in 2012. Zoe - which means "life" in Greek - was apparently chosen to underline the car's environmental credentials.

Zoe Renault - who has no apparent family link to the company - said in an interview with Le Parisien that she could not bear to be associated with a car for the rest of her life, and all the inevitable sarcastic gibes.

Her lawyer David Koubbi, who specialises in the protection of first names and is representing other Zoes, said he had sent a letter to Renault's chief executive arguing that the plans were an attack on the rights of his clients.

If the company does not change its plans, Mr Koubbi said he would take the case to court.

A spokeman for Renault told the newspaper said that naming cars after women was nothing new, but said that Zoe was the name of a concept car and was not a definitive choice.

Zoe is an increasingly fashionable name in France, and was ranked the sixth most popular girls name in 2009, according to a list compiled by prenom.com.

Oh my god, so precious :o

Comments

  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think you're already associated with a car for your whole life if your last name is Renault. Haha that would be so funny if it actually happened
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Simply solved by her marrying someone... ha ha
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    v. precious
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    How the hell can you protect first names? Ridiculous!
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    We've had the Renault Clio, pronounced the same as Cleo as in Carry on Cleo (Cleopatra). Every university digs had a vacuum cleaner called Henry. We've had an 80s electronic game called Simon. My washing machine was called Margerita. No really, no model number, just 'Margerita'. Therefore, for Zoe ZE, the Renault-haters need to chill :-)
  • Options
    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Can I complain about the many things that are called 'Grace' then?! (The song by U2 springs to mind)
Sign In or Register to comment.