Do You Agree? Badge Engineering Is One Of The Major Downfalls For A Cash-Strapped Automaker

"Cash-Strapped Automaker"

What? non-cash stripped automaker are doing it: Toyota, Ford, VW,etc.... it's an industry issue. If the public keeps buying them as they have been since the 1930 I don't see a problem.

If you're talking about real rebadging--a car from another market entering a new market as a different brand with only styling changes--then it partly depends on whether the original vehicle sells in the new market or not. The Matrix-to-Vibe rebadge didn't make sense because you could buy the Matrix just as readily, whereas the Commodore-to-G8 rebadge did.

The Audi-as-Volkswagen or Lexus-as-Toyota type of rebadging to which you're alluding is only troublesome if the distinctions between the products aren't significant enough--and note that your perception itself does not define "significant." If the rebadged cars are selling profitably then somebody thinks there's a difference between the two cars. I will acknowledge that, long-term, it could tarnish a brand's reputation, but really, they have to have one worthy of protecting before it's a problem.

ok for one the Matrix and Vibe isnt an example of a rebadge they dont look the same, they simply share mechanicals. The G8 and commodore are identical cars with different badges thats a rebadge. Or the Audi A4 and Seat Exeo thats nothing more than a rebadge, the list goes on.....

The Matrix and the Vibe don't look alike? Are you kidding me? The interiors are identical--the grill, lamps, and wheels are the only thing that are different. The Exeo, at least only exists as a rebadge (again, grill, lamps, and wheels different) of a previous generation A4.

@ AlleVier: Umm... no. You are blind. Take a look @ the vehicles again. Even the first generations of those two vehicles didnt look alike. Interior and mechanicals? Yes. Exterior? No.

What's the bloody problem with selling Lancia Delta as Chrysler???

It's a very good, stylish Italian car which also happens to offer some of the most modern technology. But Americans don't know the word LANCIA. And people don't buy expensive stuff (like cars) they don't know at all.

But they do know the word CHRYSLER.

It's just so simple...

But do you think THAT many Americans would appreciate the Delta's Italian styling?

Sure, a few would. But what about mass market appeal?

OOR--

they may or may not. more depends on STYLING and VALUE.

chrysler's Crossfire rebadge of a prior MB model apparently didn't work. hard to say if the cause was basic ugliness, or people felt it was still overpriced.

contrast that with the example of the camry and lexus ES.

at least with the Crossfire, they based the rebadged car on a high end model, rather then the other way around as is found with the ES.

Everyone knows that the Lexus ES comes straight from the Toyota Camry parts bins. Plastic is plastic, even if its fake wood grain plastic.

haha!

you guys love to dwell on the ILLUSION that the camry and lexus es are "low end" cars.

discounting the avalon, the camry is the TOP MODEL sedan of the u.s. toyota line. a full boat XLE camry is fully the equivalent of any other car in its SIZE class.

and in reliability, it SURPASSES THEM ALL, including all the euro iron. [the ONLY weak point now is the u.s. CTS supplied gas pedal linkage, soon to be fixed.]
ergo, the ES also surpasses all competitors.