Best Badge Engineered Cars
 

Thinking back there are a few cars that were badge-engineered that are meh like the Geo Prizm but some of them were actually cool.

A car that comes to mind is the 9-2x, I'm sure we all know it's a WRX but it has STI steering box, revised suspension and more sound insulation.

https://i.imgur.com/DuJHvho.jpg

Here's one that you may not have noticed.

Saab 9-7x Aero
While yes it's a trailblazer the Aero shares the SS's 6L LS2 V8 and gains an AWD system. 390 hp and 395 lb-ft of American-Swedish muscle.

https://cdn.drivingline.com/media/23...ata=true&w=890

https://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jp...opel-gt-16.jpg
https://tiresize.com/rides/04_XPHIRE...pe-lgthumb.jpg

I don’t get these.. so like the BRZ etc.

Companies jointly built a car but market and sell under their own brand?

Mitsubishi Starion was a very cool car. I haven't seen one in years

Honda Passport/Isuzu Rodeo
https://i.ibb.co/bKhhGPn/1024px-1998...03-30-2012.jpg

On a side note Saturn used Honda's J series engines in their Saturn Vue V6 models
https://i.ibb.co/z4p61wJ/STOCK-INTAKE.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/jhQdWjz/unnamed.jpg

Not quite... these are cars that a brand is missing in their segment and instead of developing their own car, grabbed one in other markets or other brands and sell as their own.

Chrysler didn't have any small fun cars in their lineup, decided to reskin an old SLK and sell it as their own. At the time, Daimler and Chrysler were one company.

Pontiac wanted to sell a big RWD sedan with a lot of power, decided to bring back the GTO name... Parent company GM already has a car under the Holden name that has what Pontiac is looking for so they just rebadged it for the American market.

So no, they're not really collaborations between two competing companies.

Strangest one I've seen is the Toyota Cavalier... I dunno what happened there, Toyota already had the Corolla and Celica...

https://s3-prod.autonews.com/GLOBAL0...TEYXJLRSGS.jpg

Weird..

large part of japan has a hard-on for western stuff
hence cali plates in the brochure

Funny that a company so synonymous with quality and reliability would even touch one of the biggest shit boxes in the last 30 years lol

Even crazier was the Toyota Voltz. Toyota made the Matrix, which Pontiac badge-engineered into the Vibe. Both were only sold in North America. Toyota then re-badge-engineered the Vibe into the Voltz and sold it in Japan.

https://www.autotrader.com/wp-conten...861.jpg?w=1024

^
:fulloffuck:

Starion is when a Japanese cannot pronounce "Stallion"

Dodge Stealth is probably one of the better ones (the twin-turbo, obviously).

I believe recent Yarises are rebadged Mazda2s.

The Kia Elan is probably one of the more bizarre ones. Literally a rebadged Lotus Elan, which was esoteric in its own right, at a time when no one knew what the hell Kia even was.

That's Lotus... they license their platforms out... so many cars were built on the Elise platform... Hennessy Venom GT, Open Speedster, Vauxhaul VX220, Tesla roadster to name a few... The Elan was a little different, Kia bought the production rights for the car.

Chevy SS is a Holden VF Commodore. Too bad the SS sold so poorly. Finding a 6mt one in the states is next to impossible. Made in Australia.

:troll:

https://www.dupontregistry.com/autos...ac=lVkphSMUhm8

https://media.chevrolet.com/content/...2912947279.jpg

When Honda announced the new Passport and it being based on the Pilot I got excited for a minute. I thought they would do the Subaru Outback treatment and give it some smaller rims and ground clearance. But nope :/ 20 inch wheels.

but it has a 1" lift and 6" chopped from the back lol

I love that pic "A country that knows all about driving pleasure" Chevy Cavalier

A lot of people remember the Passport but does anyone remember the Acura SLX?
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20160609132201

For this generation, the Vibe GT had the same 2ZZ-GE that the Toyota XRS cars had. Available with the same 6-speed as well. That Pontiac badge meant that they were being sold used for less when I saw them pop up on CL.

How could you guys forget this thing!? Hands-down the best badge-engineered car we've ever had the utmost fortune to be graced with in our peasant selves.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bf/c2...cca532432b.jpg

That, and essentially every single Lexus pre-2005 and Acura up till this day where the cars were/are badged as Toyotas (Harrier, Soarer, Celsior, Altezza, Aristo) or Hondas (RL = Legend - TSX = Accord) etc.

^ I guess the mc12 is second best

https://wearecurated.com/wp-content/...92-970x647.jpg

https://www.carscoops.com/wp-content...-For-Sale-.jpg

I forgot about all the early 90's chaos with things like the Asuna Sunfire/Isuzu Impulse

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Piazza_01.jpg

Geo Metro/Chevrolet Metro/Pontiac Firefly/Suzuki Swift

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...back_front.jpg

and the legendary Suzuki Escudo/Suzuki Sidekick/Mazda Proceed Levante/Santana 300/350/Chevrolet Tracker/Geo Tracker/GMC Tracker/Pontiac Sunrunner/Asüna Sunrunner

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ick_2-door.jpg

They're a great source for 2ZZ swaps. When we were looking for a Matrix I debated Vibes too since they're the same mechanically, but we just couldn't get over how ugly they are compared to the Matrix.

The Pontiac Vibe always gives off this weird Pontiak Aztek design vibe haha

Can't forget about these either.

https://photos7.motorcar.com/used-20...737-1-1024.jpg
https://editorial.pxcrush.net/carsal...725&width=1087