The appearance of Chinese cars under local brands in Russia has long ceased to be a rarity. For some, it's a topic for discussion, for others – a common practice in the global automotive industry. Nevertheless, there are always those who perceive the replacement of an emblem on the hood as the creation of a completely new model or even a new brand.
In fact, this approach has existed for decades. Moreover, a separate term has long been coined for it – badge engineering. This refers to a situation where the same car is sold under different brands with minimal or no changes.
Today, Chinese manufacturers actively use this scheme, but it all started long before the emergence of modern automotive concerns from China.
When Bentley turned into Rolls-Royce
Many researchers consider the events of the early 1930s to be one of the earliest examples of badge engineering. According to Autocar, the starting point was the 1931 deal in which Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley Motors.
After the acquisition, a model appeared that was essentially sold under two brands simultaneously. The Bentley T-Series car got a twin called the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.
The differences between the cars were minimal:
- a different radiator grille;
- other brand emblems;
- minor exterior design details.
However, buyers perceived Rolls-Royce as a more prestigious brand, so the Silver Shadow was in significantly higher demand.
It is curious that even today, many manufacturers, when creating such cars, limit themselves to simply replacing the radiator grille and badges.
Cadillac vs. BMW, but not quite
In the early 1980s, General Motors resorted to a similar trick.
The American concern decided to strengthen Cadillac's position in the fight against European premium brands. For this, the Cadillac Cimarron model was launched.
The problem was that a well-known Chevrolet Cavalier was hidden behind the new name.
Despite attempts to give the car a more prestigious status, buyers quickly realized that they were essentially looking at a mass-produced model with an expensive badge. Even a more powerful engine did not help to rectify the situation.
As a result, the project did not meet expectations, and the Cimarron is still often cited as an example of unsuccessful badge engineering.
Ford's failed luxury
A similar story happened with Ford.
In 2002, the company decided to capitalize on the success of its bestseller, the F-150, and create a more prestigious version of the pickup truck. This is how the Ford Blackwood appeared.
The car received a number of exterior changes:
- front end from a Lincoln Navigator;
- interior from the same SUV;
- more expensive interior trim.
However, technically, the novelty remained close to the regular F-150 and was even produced at the same plant.
The market met the model coolly. Total sales amounted to just over three thousand units, after which production was discontinued.
Honda with a V8 engine
Sometimes badge engineering was used not to elevate the status of a model, but to quickly enter a new segment.
This is exactly what Honda did in the early 1990s when it decided to add a full-fledged SUV to its lineup.
Instead of developing its own model, the company licensed the first-generation Land Rover Discovery and began selling it under the name Honda Crossroad.
The model appeared in 1993 and became unique for the Japanese manufacturer.
The reason is simple: the Crossroad turned out to be the only production Honda car ever equipped with a V8 engine.
Later, in 2007, the company introduced a new Crossroad, already developed in-house.
How Fiat and Chrysler swapped places
After the merger of Fiat and Chrysler, the story of renaming cars took on a new development.
The following models appeared on the European market:
- Chrysler 200 became Lancia Flavia;
- Chrysler 300 became Lancia Thema.
But the most unusual was the British market.
Due to problems with the Lancia brand's reputation, related to the corrosion resistance of previous models, the opposite decision was made. Here, Italian cars were sold under the American brand.
As a result:
- Fiat Panda became Chrysler Ypsilon;
- Fiat Bravo was named Chrysler Delta.
American Cadillac with German roots
Another characteristic example is the Cadillac Catera.
In reality, this car was an almost unchanged Opel Omega.
At that time, the American market showed growing interest in compact European premium sedans, primarily the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Instead of developing a new model, General Motors chose the fastest route – took a ready-made European car and launched it on the market under the Cadillac brand.
Saab, which turned out to be a Subaru
General Motors has repeatedly used a similar strategy.
In 2005, the Saab 9-2X appeared. Despite the unusual name and the Swedish brand's emblem, the car was closely related to the Subaru Impreza.
This scheme became possible due to the concern's ownership structure. GM controlled Saab and simultaneously owned a stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, which owned Subaru.
About 10 thousand of these station wagons were produced over several years. Today, this model is well known mainly to enthusiasts and collectors.
There are many more examples than it seems
The list of cars that appeared thanks to badge engineering includes dozens of models.
Among the most famous examples:
- Volkswagen Up, which was also sold as Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo;
- Opel GT, produced under the names Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice;
- Ford Escape, which became the basis for the Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner;
- Mitsubishi Starion, which was sold in different countries as Colt Starion, Chrysler, and Dodge.
For the global automotive industry, this approach has long become common practice.
Therefore, the current situation, where Geely cars appear under the Volga brand, JAC models are sold as "Moskvich", and other Chinese cars receive new local names, looks not like an exception to the rules, but another turn of a long-standing tradition. The automotive industry has been doing this for almost a century, it's just that today such examples have become more noticeable to the Russian buyer.