If the marketing guys thought the 402 was something special then they would not have called the car the SS 396. People back then thought the 402 was a dog even though it was basically the same as the 396. Just got a bad rap, same as the 400.
The marketing guys didn’t call it a 402 because: 1. The 396 was an already established engine. 2. SS 396 sounds better than SS 402.
Maybe, but why did they also call it a 400 rather than a 402? It seems pretty clear that they didn't like the 402 name since they didn't use it. I don't know why they didn't like it but it is obvious that they didn't want to advertise it. Kind of reminds me of when GM put the Olds 403 in the Trans Am. They didn't call it by its name either at first. GM ending up paying something like $40M to settle a lawsuit over that.
