Why is the A380 called the A380?!

[Wobbles]

Why is the A380 called the A380- what happened to the A350/60/70?

And why is it the A380-800? What happened to 1/2/3/4/5/6/700?

And what happened to the A340-400?

I know they're French, but surely they can count?!

[Fresca]

I read somewhere that they used the 380, because the 8 could be seen as two hulls ontop each other. Why - 800?? Haven't got a clue

[126.9]

The 800 comes from the fact that Airbus are showing potential buysers that they have built the top of the range model first. In other words there shouldn't be a new and improved model on the market in a few years time; this is it! (Fact)

I also read that the 400 model Airbus 340 was avoided since this number was too well associated with Boeing. (Unconfirmed rumour)

[BlueEagle]

Just seen an article in 'Flight International' that mentions the stretched A380 which will become the A380-900 but no indication of an entry to service date.

[Volume]

Just heard this explanation on the radio on the day Airbus officially launched the project and went from A3XX to A380 :
They asked marketing experts, and they found

A350 would be the normal Name, but that is a too small step in numbers for the step in Aviation, this Plane shall represent.

360 would mean a full circle, so no progress, very bad

370 is bad because the 7 is an unlucky number for our asian carriers, who should buy the plane (don't know why JAL owns Boeing 777, but never mind Boeing might have no marketing experts )

380 makes sense, two 340 above each other (2*4=8) and looking like the cross section.

That's the outcome if others than engineers decide something

[canberra]

a good question

that is a good question and like alot of things in aviation i havent got a scooby as to why! but why was the first airbus the a300? and why was the tornado the panavia 200?

[Lodestar]

A300 because the design of the plane was done to become a high density plane with 280-310 seats.....that is why it became the Airbus300....