Re: [FWDLK] Belvedere's name

[Dave Casey <dcasey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It had always been my understanding that "belvedere" was Italian for
"beautiful view". Perhaps its a different spelling.

----- Original Message -----
From: Vincent Van Humbeeck <vincent.vanhumbeeck@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 11:25 AM
Subject: [FWDLK] Belvedere's name


> > Does anyone know how/why the Belvedere got it's name??!!!
>
> Well, here's the story according to Collectible Automobile (February 1987
> issue on '51-'58 Belvedere) :
>
> "Though no one seems to remember why Belvedere was chosen, we'll hazard a
> guess. Chevy's first hardtop bowed for 1950 under the name of a ritzy Los
> Angeles enclave still renowned for its Hollywood luminaries and exclusives
> shops : Bel Air (which, as one author has pointed out, means 'beautiful
> line' in french). Now, it just so happens that there's a counterpart
> community in Marin county, near San Francisco, called - you guessed it -
> Belvedere.
>
> We'd be hard pressed to prove rationale, but the name was a good one in
any
> case. Aside from a certain élan, it was certainly in the right
neighborhood
> for an upmarket model. And, as noted, it served Plymouth well for 18
years."
> (end of quote)
>
> Of course, the New York hotel story (see Dave's message) is far more solid
> and is very anchored in the Plymouth's name origin : pilgrims, Mayflower
and
> New England (Concord, Cambridge, being other examples). But I'm willing to
> believe that this little side story still might have had it's importance
> when they made the choice.
>
> Furthermore, as I am a native french speaking person, I can shed a little
> more light on those names. First of all, 'Bel Air' translation is more
close
> to "nice looking" then "beautiful line", as stated in the article.
Actually,
> 'Belvedere' is also a french name, and it means "overlooking point of
view",
> which might explain why it was used as an hotel name as well as in San
> Francisco.
>
> Vincent Van Humbeeck (France, 120 miles north of Paris)
> '58 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe
>
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