There are a select few, especially in South Africa, strange names that has stood the test of time.
Name by name
Everything from the Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla and BMW 3 Series all have local nicknames, and many people use this to identify a specific year model or generation.
Are there any other strange car nicknames you can think of? Or, do you own one you'd like to tell us about? Please Email us.
BMW's 'Gusheshe' E30 and Volkswagen's 'CaraCara' Microbus are some of the most famous local names and even has hip-hop songs named after it.
There's a Corolla model known as the 'Strykyster' (an iron) and another known as a 'Kentucky Rounder'. And while we're talking about Toyota, the Hi-Ace minibus or taxi was fondly referred to as 'Zola Budd'.
While some cars have localised nicknames, others simply name their cars after something they like; a movie they watched or even a comic character.
BMW has a whole host of nicknames for its models here in SA; the 1 Series is known as the 'Simunye', BMW's E46 shape 320i is even referred to as a Shabir Shaik, while an E38 BMW 7 Series is known as the 'Anaconda'.
The E46 3 Series though, is known as the 'G-String', only in SA, thanks to its boot lid and tail light design.
QUIZ | Test your knowledge of car brands with these emojis
See the cars and the nicknames they're known by locally:
Tarzan, better known as the Mazda 323
Image: Photobucket
Jumbo, better known as the VW Golf Mk2
Image: Net Car Show
Virus, a name known for the VW Jetta or Golf VR6 models
Image: Peter Mammekwa
Dolphin or BMW M3 (E36) from the 1990s
Image: Net Car Show
'Kokerot' (Cockroach) was known as the Toyota Cressida
Image: Shafig Mortan / Achives
Hakosuka, the original Godfather of the Nissan Skyline GT-R. A model name highly respected by all petrolheads.
Image: Wheels24 /Janine Van der Post