What Car Was Better Once Rebadged ?

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 12/21/2015 at 14:46 • Filed to: QUESTION OF THE DAY

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Here at this website, we don’t like rebadged cars. It is perceived as laziness and fraudulence. However, some rebadged cars were actually better once rebadged.

The Saab 9-2x Aero is a good example. Beside the interior, the car was a lot more Saab than Subaru and fitted perfectly in the Saab lineup as a replacement for the 900.

Show us the best rebadged cars ever.

BringBackTheCommodore > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 14:54

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In my mind, I know it’s the same as an Eclipse, but I’ve always preferred the Talon to the Eclipse.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 14:54

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BRZ

Margin Of Error > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 12/21/2015 at 14:55

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That’s edgy

Margin Of Error > BringBackTheCommodore 12/21/2015 at 14:55

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I love the Eagle brand

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 14:56

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May not have been better in the sense that you are thinking (since they are mechanically identical afaik), but last-gen Pontiac GTO, Pontiac G8 or Chevrolet SS.

Better than the Holden from my point of view because it had to ditch the badge as a prerequisite for existence on this side of the pond.

Sneaky Pete > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 14:56

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Maserati TC? It was arguably better even though it was way more expensive than the LeBaron.

RallyWrench > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 14:57

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Austin Seven

BMW Dixi

The Ultimate Derivative Machine.

Margin Of Error > Sneaky Pete 12/21/2015 at 14:58

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Not sure about this one

Margin Of Error > RallyWrench 12/21/2015 at 14:59

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You Sir an into vintage rebadges !

Interesting

AMC/Renauledge > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:01

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1975-80 Buick Skyhawk.

Standard 3.8L V6 where its platform mates all came with I4s. Better trim, optional 5MT, and Astroroof made it even better.

A pogo-stick, obviously. > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 12/21/2015 at 15:01

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I was posting the exact same thing until I saw yours. Better, because badging it as a Pontiac made it available.

A pogo-stick, obviously. > Sneaky Pete 12/21/2015 at 15:02

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Rebadged crap, no matter how much more expensive, is still crap.

dogisbadob > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:02

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The AE92 Corolla. Rebadged as the Geo Prizm GSI, which was the only 4-door Corolla available with the 4A-GE in the US. You could get it in both sedan and hatchback form.

The Vibe is also a good one. The base Vibe was the most fuel-efficient car available at a GM dealership at the time, and the GT is awesome as fuck. The Vibe also included a roof rack unavailable on any Matrix. While the Vibe was exported to Japan as the Toyota Voltz, the Toyota-branded Matrix wasn’t sold overseas.

Margin Of Error > AMC/Renauledge 12/21/2015 at 15:03

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That was a very sleek design.

A pogo-stick, obviously. > BringBackTheCommodore 12/21/2015 at 15:03

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They were cooler than the Mitsu badged models. Also, much cooler than the “Laser”.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:08

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Was actually upscale for Geo.

Milky > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:09

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What about re-bodied? Less bland (imo), less weight, tighter suspension, wider tires, and a lot less money.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:09

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A pogo-stick, obviously. > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:09

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I’ll try this again since my other attempt vanished.

The 124 Spider takes everything I love about the Miata, and gives it an even better looking wrapper.

Margin Of Error > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 12/21/2015 at 15:13

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I see what you did there

Tekamul > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 12/21/2015 at 15:13

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I was going to go the other way, FR-S.

Shitty brand, sure, but it doesn’t have a dental damn standard. Besides, Subaru is the one putting them together, so technically the BRZ can’t be a rebadge.

Margin Of Error > Milky 12/21/2015 at 15:14

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But the Crossfire became ridiculous with all the bad press.. Would prefer to drive the SLK

Margin Of Error > A pogo-stick, obviously. 12/21/2015 at 15:15

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This, verily

A pogo-stick, obviously. > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 12/21/2015 at 15:16

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Much better than the original. Great choice.

dogisbadob > RallyWrench 12/21/2015 at 15:20

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They’ve made BMW’s in South carolina that long? :p

gawdzillla > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:22

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I had one of those and loved it.

gawdzillla > A pogo-stick, obviously. 12/21/2015 at 15:23

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no

RallyWrench > dogisbadob 12/21/2015 at 15:24

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Foreshadowing! Actually, there was a licensed version of the Seven built Stateside by American Bantam.

ciscokidinsf > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:33

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Dude, I know your work hard on these posts and from time to time, you come up with true gems but its really tiresome that most of your posts start with the tired “here at jalopnik we....” Try more varied intros, mmmkay?

Margin Of Error > ciscokidinsf 12/21/2015 at 15:35

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I said “here at this website”

Milky > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:37

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“Bad press” for the same thing but tuned better, unless you really want a folding hardtop. To each their own I guess.

ciscokidinsf > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:38

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Yeah, that doesn’t count. ‘Here at jalopnik’ ‘here at this website’ , ‘here at this blog’ are all the same intros. I’m rooting for you. You can do it!

Margin Of Error > ciscokidinsf 12/21/2015 at 15:39

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I do it only for the lists and questions, not all articles.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:42

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I think the Buick Rendezvous counts as a rebadge of the Aztek, and is obviously far more tasteful. Trim was better, option set and standard equipment were better, it was simply better across the board.

Margin Of Error > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 12/21/2015 at 15:43

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You probably win. The Buick version outlived the Aztek for like 10 years

Justin Hughes > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 15:48

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Saturn Sky.

A mechanical clone of the Pontiac Solstice, I think the Saturn version looks much, much better.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 16:08

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Wolseley 1300.

Better than the original Austin because light-up badge!

AkursedX > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 16:23

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I always like the Dodge Conquest over the Mitsubishi Starion:

Conquest:

Starion:

benchslap > Sneaky Pete 12/21/2015 at 16:37

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Not a rebadge. A totally different vehicle that actually predates the Lebaron.

CALUSA > Margin Of Error 12/21/2015 at 17:01

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Definitely not Lancia/ Chrysler.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Margin Of Error 12/22/2015 at 01:09

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So do I - so creamy

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > A pogo-stick, obviously. 12/22/2015 at 01:11

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I think I’d rather have the Mazda engine with the FIAT body.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 12/22/2015 at 01:14

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If I can have this one, especially in this color, I’ll take the Aztek.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Margin Of Error 12/22/2015 at 02:30

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any Opel badged as a Holden.

;)

BringBackTheCommodore > A pogo-stick, obviously. 12/22/2015 at 12:29

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Absolutely. The Talon was more stylized than either the Laser or the Eclipse. The Talon had presence in 1G and 2G form, the Laser was merely...there. The Eclipse was nice as well, I’m not slamming it by any means, but the Talon had a styling panache that the Eclipse seemed to be lacking.

BringBackTheCommodore > Margin Of Error 12/22/2015 at 12:31

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They certainly knew how to take existing products and polish them up, even if it was only minor tweaking (i.e. the Vision) or a more substantive restyling (like the Talon).

A pogo-stick, obviously. > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 12/22/2015 at 14:55

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True, but until that is an option I’ll take what i can get.