I was looking at a picture of the Lincoln LS (yes I know...very masochistic of me) and I couldn't help feeling that it looks familiar somehow - it looks a bit like the ghastly old Rover 600 to me? ...not sure though.



Anyway, it started me thinking about all of the re-badged cars we have - cars that are sold as one brand in one market and a different brand in other markets - or even cars that are based of other manufacturers older models (like the Lada Riva based on a Fiat 124).

So I wonder if we could compile a list of vehicles that have been re-badged - there are a lot of them around.

Here's one, the U.S. market Merkur XR4Ti, which was a rebadged Sierra from Ford's European lineup:

The other car from Merkur was the Scorpio, also from Europe:


And something a bit more contemporary:

Suzuki Verona

Daewoo Evanda

Chevrolet Evanda

And a couple of absolute disasters:

Saab-Lancia 600 (Lancia Delta)

Alfa Romeo Arna (Nissan Cherry)

First person to mention the new Lexus IS or GS gets it from me!

That said, I suppose that the SC (was - not now - according to Lexus.jp) sold as a Toyota Soarer, the overseas RX is still sold there as a Toyota Harrier, and the just-superseded ES330 was sold there as a Windom. The also-recently superseded LS was sold there as a Celsior. Apparently you guys in the states have the Lexus GX is sold in Japan as a Landcruiser Prado, which it also is here in Australia. The LX is sold in Japan as a Landcruiser Cygnus. Hopefully they get their act together and move all Lexus models to Lexus-only, soon (next gen?), with the debut of Lexus in Japan.

As for Honda, the Acura RL is the Honda Legend elsewhere. The TSX is the Accord Euro. The RSX is the Integra. Trend: they take the best Hondas and make them Acuras. I won't count the NSX and MDX because (from my perspective) at least they only just change the "Honda" to "Acura", no model name change.

I won't even begin with Nissan/Infiniti, since I have very little experience there, and it's not that early here anymore..

In Australia, Holden used to straight-rebadge the Opel Astra, Zafira and Vectra. We also took the Corsa as a Barina. Now the Barina is a rebadged Daewoo Kalos, sedan and hatch version available. The ex-Daewoo Lacetti (also a Suzuki/Chevy Lacetti/Nubira for some of you) is now the Holden Viva. Conversely, the Monaro is modified and exported as the Pontiac GTO, and the Statesman/Caprice is exported to China as a Buick . Plus the Daewoo Lacetti is a Buick Estelle in China.. wait, forget it. I'm sick of these GM rebadging shenanigans.

I hereby pronounce GM as the world's worst rebadging offender, or if you're an economic rationalist, as the best at utilising global economies of scale..

Wow - some models there I have never seen before .

God, who was the person (more likely a committee) who thought it would be a great idea to re-badge a butt-ugly Nissan as an Alfa - was their brain on vacation!!!

Ah, the Arna. Japanese design and Italian build quality. A marriage made in heaven.

LOL - yeah, but look at this Mike - this is an Italian-designed Nissan - sold only in Japan as far as I am aware, the Zagato Gavia. Could it be more depressingly dull and dreary?

Well, Zagato's efforts have not always met universal approval. Alfa Romeo SZ/RZ and Aston Martin Vantage Zagato are the first that come to mind.

I wonder how many of you know the SsangYong Chairman is based on the Mercedes-Benz E class.

Ssangyong does one of the most blatant copies. Even the engines are derived from Mercedes.