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The Name

The Name

Why the name Apache?  According to Ryno Verster's conversation with Ralph Clarke, Engineering Manager at Blackheath, I quote from the email:

"I also checked with him (Ralph Clarke) where the name Apache came from (just like the Mini Panda, not a very South African name!) In the official BMC/Leykor production figures since 1955 that I got from Ralph a while ago, in the financial year July 1970 to June 1971 the Apache was first mentioned but not as the Apache but as Leykor I manual and Leykor 1 Auto. Ralph explained to me that Leykor actually wanted to do away with all the marques and just number their models. Thankfully this didn't happen and Ralph cannot even recall that a Leykor II saw the light. Once this decision was recalled, Apache was chosen after a brand survey was done by an outside agency which came up with three preferred names from their survey. Of the three suggested, the name Apache sounded the "strongest" and was chosen.  By the way, according to the Leykor records 38 Leykor I manual and 3 Leykor I automatic units were produced in that financial year, probably in June 1971. (as Murphy's Law would have it, that is where my copy of the factory production figures stop!!)"

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