Chinese automaker GAC Motor has hinted that it could change the name of its Trumpchi flagship brand when it launches in the United States.

Speaking to Reuters, executives from GAC Motor said that the Trumpchi brand received some ridicule at January’s Detroit Auto Show for having ‘Trump’ in its brand name.

The company originally created the Trumpchi name in the hope it would sound similar to the firm’s Chinese name Chuanqi with ‘trump’ representing the best and ‘chi’ for China.

At the Shanghai Auto Show, GAC Group President Fend Xingya said “This is a complete coincidence, we didn’t even have the slightest idea he would be president.

“At first I’d never thought of it, why change the name? It’s the president Americans selected, it’s similar to the president’s name, this has to be good right? But in the United States the level of opposition (to Trump) is high,” Xingya said, indicating that potential customers could be turned away because of the name.

GAC Motor hopes to bring the Trumpchi brand, or whatever it will be called, to the United States in 2019.

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