In today’s car market, some models within the same range are just so similar to one another that the average buyer will always come confused at some point or another. While some cars just look like others, be the design intentional or not, some are literally the same car underneath despite having different logos emblazoned into the middle of the car’s front fascia. This is due to the exercise of badge engineering or quite simply rebadging for short and those who are not familiar with car companies practicing this are those most prone to the kind of confusion faced when identifying or choosing a car.
Rebadging is a great way for car companies not willing to invest too much into the research and development field to launch a new car under their brand. While this does of course involve purchasing rights to do so as well as certain strict agreements, it is a widely practiced form of car manufacturing as the mutualism is positive for both ends, with the one giving the rights of manufacturing the result of their design and engineering getting large monetary gain as well as affirming their reputation as a reputable car maker. An example of a rebadged car is Isuzu Oasis, a rebadged Honda Odyssey, done so as Isuzu were looking for an MPV to complete their lacking line up.
Nowadays, most rebadging practices are done under brands of the same owner to increase and adjust marketability for different markets all over the world. General Motors provides a fine example for this scenario. With brands like Pontiac, Chevrolet and Daewoo under a very long list, it will astound some to know that half of the Chevrolet models marketed globally are basically built by or in collaboration with Korean partners Daewoo like the Aveo which is essentially a Daewoo Kalos right from the beginning. The highly acclaimed Pontiac G8 is also not really a true American muscle car as people might think as it was GM’s Australian division Holden which designed and engineered this monster of a sports car which is also marketed as the Vauxhall VXR8 in Europe. Apart from GM, Toyota and Volkswagen are among companies which practice badge engineering extensively due to their wide range of sub companies at their disposal.
While not leaving a carbon copy effect as strong as rebadging, platform sharing is also widely practiced in the automotive industry which gives about the same mutualism effects with a better sense of approval from the ‘purer’ car makers around the world. Ford’s latest generation of the European sensation Ka for example is built upon the platform of Fiat’s famous 500. The electrical wonder known as the Tesla Roadster has Lotus to thank for the body frame and chassis as it is taken directly from the Lotus Elise.
While not exactly platform-sharing, even super car makers like Pagani looked elsewhere for an engine to power its magnificently built Zonda, which explains why the words Mercedes Benz is engraved on the top if its 7.3 liter power plant. These are just examples of the car industry practicing a more mutual development scene and even if it means that some brands might lose out on originality which used to make them what they were, great cars are still being built and sold in the process.
» Read more: Rebadging and Platform-sharing
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