At the recent 2009 Guangzhou Auto Show, Shanghai Volkswagen unveiled a modestly face-lifted Volkswagen Tiguan. The Chinese name was also officially released as “途观” (tú guān). 途 means a road, route, or journey, and is also used in 前途 (qiántú) meaning future, career, and prospects. 观 as a noun means “view”, and when used as a verb means to look at, watch, or observe. Overall, the name”途观” (tú guān) implies that by driving Tiguan you can reach destinations that others cannot achieve, and appreciate unprecedented landscapes.

Sources indicate that the favorite Chinese name was actually “途冠” rather than the current “途观”. The two similar sounding names have the same Chinese pronunciation (tú guān) but different meanings. So why did Volkswagen finally choose “途观”? Let’s take a look at the story behind the name.
Since September, 2007, when SUV Tiguan was first introduced at the Frankfort Motor Show, Chinese car enthusiasts have paid attention to the stylish and unique vehicle. This year Tiguan will be sold in China, making the Chinese name an important consideration for VW.
The English name “Tiguan” is a combination of the words Tiger and Iguana, giving a feeling of power, wildness, quality and excellence. During the Chinese naming process, Chinese character “途” (tú) was a preferred choice and it lead to several naming options such as “途观” (tú guān), ”途欢” (tú huān) and even “帝冠” (dì guān). “途冠” (tú guān) was accepted and recognized by a lot of people. The character “途” (tú), discussed above, gives an expression of the mindset and feeling of drivers. “冠” (guān) literally means “hat”, which implies excellence and status. The Chinese character “欢” (huān) used in the second option means happiness and delight.
Among all potential names “途冠” (tú guān), was Volkswagen’s favorite, but unfortunately the name had already been registered by a Zhejiang clothing company. Shanghai Volkswagen carried out negotiations to try and gain rights to the name, but finally Volkswagen gave up, perhaps because the Zhejiang company asking for 6 million RMB as the trademark transfer fee.
Another name option, “途欢” (tú huān), also proved to be popular but was finally not chosen by VW. The company said the name was not dignified and did not communicate the car’s quality and attributes. However, this name had also been previously registered by a beverage corporation.
In the end Volkswagen finally chose “途观” (tú guān) as the Chinese name for Tiguan, giving a sense of a prestigious lifestyle and an enjoyable journey. The story of Tiguan’s Chinese naming challenges again highlights the urgency of early trademark registration and the importance of a legal check for potential Chinese names.