Attentive readers of TTAC have known it since the Beijing Auto Show last year that Toyota will launch a separate brand for its “new energy” (read plug-in hybrid and EV) that are produced in China. A not quite officially announced, but de facto policy wants it that way. Now we have the brand. It’s called Ranz.
The name most likely comes from the same German-loving folks at Toyota that brought us Vitz, Netz, Voltz, Platz and Raum. According to Carnewschina, “the Chinese name for Ranz is Lang Shi, which means ‘Bright Life’, as in dancing on green grass.”
The Rantz logo is designed to resemble a handshake, which again must be a European thing. The Chinese aren’t big on shaking hands, Carnewschina remarks, and neither are the Japanese. “When meeting Chinese,” explains Carnewschina, “a simple ‘ni hao’ is all it takes.”
The Ranz cars are made by the FAW-Toyota joint venture, a first prototype is expected at the Shanghai Auto Show. Maybe we’ll see the second new brand there also, the one by the GAC-Toyota joint venture.
The second part of the headline in Chinese says “joint investment but self determination”. The why it’s there so prominently, I am sure a joint-venture with a Japanese company (Toyota) is not exactly a patriotic selling point these days.
I’m surprised they put the Toyota brand names on the bottom so prominently. Don’t they want to distance themselves from Toyota as muc as possible in this climate?
Ranz when parked?
The Ranz logo might be more Chinese than people are giving it credit for. Its rationale is a carbon copy of Hyundai’s logo (Source: https://www.hyundaiusa.com/about-hyundai/). Nothing more Chinese than ripping off someone else’s idea.
Also, German-loving Japanese? Where do you come up with such crazy ideas, Herr Schmitt….? ;O)
Whatever you’re smoking must be really good stuff.
It look nothing like Hyundai’s logo, which is a slanted Honda logo itself.
The RATIONALE for the logo. Shaking hands. Hence, the source link to Hyundai US’s website which explains it.
Ranz are nicking their idea.
“It’s called Ranz.”
-So, doctor, what do I have?
-I’m sorry, son. You have a disfiguring social disease. It’s called Ranz.
Oh dear, I hope they come to the German market with this name, then we will have something to laugh.
“Ranz” is actually a German word. The mating season of the wolves is called “Ranz” in Germany. *lol*
Sometimes you just have to call a Ranz a Ranz…