A region in northwestern Mexico (Baja California), or a type of lightweight buggy vehicle used for off-road racing.
From Spanish 'baja' meaning 'low' or 'lower,' from Latin 'bassus.' The place name refers to the geographical location of the Baja California peninsula being 'lower' California. The vehicle type took the name from where these buggies were famously raced.
Baja buggies became famous because the Baja 1000 off-road race in Mexico created such an iconic tough vehicle that the name stuck—now kids around the world call any similar stripped-down buggy a 'Baja' without knowing it's a place name that became a product category!
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