So did the Plymouth Valiant name come from a french cartoon character?

[Badart]

I recently stumbled across this while watching some World Touring Car Racing. Check out the name and logo and on a Chevy Cruize even. Look familiar?

I did a little more digging and came up with this.

Michel Vaillant is the title of a French comics series created in 1957 by French cartoonist Jean Graton and published originally by Le Lombard. Later, Graton published the albums by himself when he founded Graton éditeur in 1982. Michel Vaillant is the main character of the eponymous series, a French racing car driver who competes mainly in Formula One.

On February 7, 1957 Jean Graton created the character Michel Vaillant, with five short stories published in the Belgian magazine Tintin. Given their positive reception, a full-length adventure was written and drawn by Graton, published in Tintin in 1959.

Pics from the cartoon.

I am just curious and wondering if anyone has anymore insight?

 

[Abodybomber]

Badart,that is way cool! Sorry ,don't have an answer though.

 

[95teetee]

the name always reminded me of a cartoon character...Prince Valiant


although he definitely looks more like he'd rather drive a corvette than a mopar.

 

[Gib Warnick]

I say no to french word
I like this definition:

Adjective
Possessing or showing courage or determination: "a valiant warrior".
Synonyms
brave - gallant - courageous - valorous -

 

[pishta]

the name always reminded me of a cartoon character...Prince Valiant


although he definitely looks more like he'd rather drive a corvette than a mopar.

Hell no that guy is all Mopar, Er Dodge...La Femme!

 

[grumpuscreature]

When the Valiant was introduced in 1960 it was sold as a stand alone brand. Back then compact cars were the kiss of death and I suppose Chrysler didn't want the other divisions to get a black mark in the public eye if it wasn't a success, especially after the Edsel debacle in '58. Fortunately the Valiant didn't flop and in '61 it officially became a Plymouth and Dodge got a version called the Lancer. Since it was competing against the Corvair and the Falcon this shouldn't have been a surprise. I doubt the French connection to naming the car since anything connected to France at the time was beneath contempt. Something to do with their perceived cowardice during the recent European unpleasantness (WWII). I always heard they were called Valiants because they were a valiant attempt at a car.....

 

[451Cuda]

val·iant

[val-yuh

nt] Show IPA
adjective 1. boldly courageous; brave; stout-hearted: a valiant soldier.

2. marked by or showing bravery or valor; heroic: to make a valiant effort.

3. worthy; excellent.



Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English valia ( u ) nt < Anglo-French; Middle French vaillant, present participle of valoir to be of worth < Latin val&#275;re; see -ant

 

[Valleyant]

I heard/read that there was a contest held for naming the new compact and a woman chose the name Valiant. Chrysler liked it and she won the contest....the rest is history!

 

[WhyteRoots]

I also doubt that Chrysler had its eye on French comics when they named the Toad de la rue. However, I bet some of their people in the Simca division Over There, were avid readers of this very cool publication.

 

[Badart]

I know what the adjective Valiant means, smart asses. :banghead: I am referring to the similarities in the name and badge. Same colors on the badge and same basic shape. That is what I am referring too.

 

[396 Signet]

I always heard they were called Valiants because they were a valiant attempt at a car.....

LOL, good one Grumpus!

 

[GaryS]

My bet is the name came out of a group exercise to choose a name from a dozen or more in a bucket. FWIW, the Prince Valiant comic strip was very popular about that time, so I'd be inclined to go that route. However....Exner tapped European styling cues for many of his designs, so perhaps he did borrow from the French cartoon.

More puzzling is where they came up with Signet. Today it's common to pick any letter jumble that rhymes, or sounds catchy, as names for cars and kids. In the late 50s, it was unheard of.

 

[mvh]

I know what the adjective Valiant means, smart asses. :banghead: I am referring to the similarities in the name and badge. Same colors on the badge and same basic shape. That is what I am referring too.

The badges shown are obviously much more recent than 1960 -- unless the original 1957 comic used the same badge, I suspect the Frenchies copied Mopar on this one.

For the record, "Signet" is not a made-up word.

signet |&#712;signit|
noun historical
a small seal, esp. one set in a ring, used instead of or with a signature to give authentication to an official document.

The name was probably intended to add some "class" and upper-crust appeal to the top-of-the-line model.

 

[1972DusterPaul]

He looks like a Mopar Man to me!

Paul

 

[pacuda59]

When the Valiant was introduced in 1960 it was sold as a stand alone brand. Back then compact cars were the kiss of death and I suppose Chrysler didn't want the other divisions to get a black mark in the public eye if it wasn't a success, especially after the Edsel debacle in '58. Fortunately the Valiant didn't flop and in '61 it officially became a Plymouth and Dodge got a version called the Lancer. Since it was competing against the Corvair and the Falcon this shouldn't have been a surprise. I doubt the French connection to naming the car since anything connected to France at the time was beneath contempt. Something to do with their perceived cowardice during the recent European unpleasantness (WWII). I always heard they were called Valiants because they were a valiant attempt at a car.....

At that point in history, Lancer was the name the Secret Service assigned to JFK.

 

[pishta]

For the record, "Signet" is not a made-up word.

signet |&#712;signit|
noun historical
a small seal, esp. one set in a ring, used instead of or with a signature to give authentication to an official document.

The name was probably intended to add some "class" and upper-crust appeal to the top-of-the-line model.

Boy was I wrong, I thought it was a baby Swan!!! (Cygnet) Doh!

 

[memike]

To be a valiant of the system at hand, a valiant man or lady getting the job dun...
They was Valiant at what they did.... some what like leanna, she is a Valiant :glasses7:

 

[V-100]

I recently stumbled across this while watching some World Touring Car Racing. Check out the name and logo and on a Chevy Cruize even. Look familiar?

I did a little more digging and came up with this.

Michel Vaillant is the title of a French comics series created in 1957 by French cartoonist Jean Graton and published originally by Le Lombard. Later, Graton published the albums by himself when he founded Graton éditeur in 1982. Michel Vaillant is the main character of the eponymous series, a French racing car driver who competes mainly in Formula One.

On February 7, 1957 Jean Graton created the character Michel Vaillant, with five short stories published in the Belgian magazine Tintin. Given their positive reception, a full-length adventure was written and drawn by Graton, published in Tintin in 1959.

Pics from the cartoon.

I am just curious and wondering if anyone has anymore insight?

This cartoon is from the '70's...the F1 car has aerodynamic wings and skirts

 

[hemitheus]

Oh god I hope not... Ugh. The French.

 

[jos51700]

Jesus tap-dancing Christ.

Vaillant is FRENCH for "Valiant".



Chrysler's Valiant was named for the dictionary definition: Bold, Courageous, etc.

Just like the Phord rally car above.
And the comic above.
And the Belgian short-story joker.
And every other application of the word "Valiant" or "Vaillant".

Talk about missing the forest for the trees...

 

[valiantpatrol]

I had the pleasure of working with an ex chrylser engineer who was on the Valiant development program several years ago. According to him, during development the car was intended to be called the Falcon but Ford put out press releases with that name first and it was scuttled. He said, as Valleyant referenced, there was then a nameing contest at the Chrysler engineering/tech center and a secretaries submission was chosen and Valiant was born. All heresay of course but a second development engineer on the team that he put me in contact with in 2010 who had retired to Florida backed up his story. RIP Russ Shreve (192?-2012), you designed one hell of a car!!!

 

[2 Darts]

This cartoon is from the '70's...the F1 car has aerodynamic wings and skirts

I feel better about the cartoons. I thought this guy was quite prescient about the cars. The blue car is the Ligier JS9 from 1978. F1 cars are sort of a moving target in terms of appearances as they are always trying stuff out. The front end of the car looks like the Lotus 77 also from 1978. Could Ligier have reverse engineered a Lotus nose for its car? Yup.

That does not explain the silver car which debuted as the Audi R10 in 2006. It was the first diesel car to win LeMans in that year. Won Sebring, too.