Can Obama sell cars in Mexico?

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This car dealership in central Mexico City has a name that almost everyone will recognize.

But don’t accuse the owners of trying to cash in on the popularity of soon-to-be-President Barack Obama. According to showroom staff, the dealership has been called Fiat Obama since 2006, long before Obama’s historic triumph. Why the name? ‘Obama’ is from the name of the shop’s owner, Oñate Baron Mario. Combine the first syllables and you get Obama.

A lucky coincidence, it appears. But could it help move cars off the lot in Mexico, where auto sales are dropping?

See more photos here on Flickr.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City