"Amoore100" (amoore100)
09/14/2015 at 21:27 • Filed to: Ridiculous Rebadges, Isuzu Aska, GM J-Body, Subaru Legacy, Honda Accord
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"Amoore100" (amoore100)
09/14/2015 at 21:27 • Filed to: Ridiculous Rebadges, Isuzu Aska, GM J-Body, Subaru Legacy, Honda Accord | 12
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Welcome to Ridiculous Rebadges, a series of articles in which I go through and examine the details and circumstances surrounding some of the more infamous and some of the more esoteric vehicular rebadges throughout automotive history.
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Today’s Ridiculous Rebadge carries quite a story...it’s the saga of a nameplate with four generations, three of which carry different manufactures of origin. The car in question is the Isuzu Aska, which throughout its nineteen year lifespan had its roots in Chevrolet, Subaru, and Honda. It all began in 1983, when Isuzu found it needed a replacement for the ancient Florian, first sold in 1967. After GM and Isuzu began hooking up in 1972, Isuzu found that GM’s J-Body platform provided the perfect basis for them to replace the Florian, and thus the first generation Isuzu Aska was born. Looking similar to most other J-Bodies (especially Asian market ones), the Aska provided what the others did not: a special edition package from famed German tuner Irmscher, which improved the engine a bit but improved the looks a lot. Therefore, the only images that seem to exist for the first generation Aska are of this edition. This generation of Aska was actually the most original, as most of the styling engines were Isuzu’s own, so it’s not too much of a rebadge...
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Chevrolet Cavalier (First Generation)
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
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Isuzu Aska (First Generation)
[Image courtesy of Banovsky’s Car of the Day]
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After the J-Body Aska, Isuzu found itself floundering for a replacement once again in 1990, this time without GM to help them (not sure why, as Isuzu was still with GM at the time...) Subaru, however, was looking for an SUV source, and Isuzu found that they could lend them their venerable Trooper (which was turned into the Subaru Bighorn, another rebadge for another day...) In return, Isuzu got the first generation Legacy to make their own...
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Subaru Legacy (First Generation)
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
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Isuzu Aska CX (Second Generation)
[Image courtesy of gtplanet]
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Finally, after that deal with Subaru fell through in 1993, Isuzu made its well known pact with Honda in 1994, allowing them to rebadge both the fifth and sixth generation Accords up until 2002, when Isuzu stopped passenger car production. What an ending to a lesser known automaker that still was respected for most of its days.
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Honda Accord (Fifth Generation)
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
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Isuzu Aska (Third Generation)
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
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Honda Accord (Sixth Generation)
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
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Isuzu Aska (Fourth Generation)
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
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Sources:
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Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 21:30 |
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Keep these coming! I enjoy them quite a bit.
deprecated account
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 21:34 |
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Amoore100
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/14/2015 at 21:35 |
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Thanks! I love getting feedback so that I know whether to keep things going or just let them trail off...criticism is also welcomed, so if you have any ideas for improvement, feel free to express them :)
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Amoore100
> deprecated account
09/14/2015 at 21:36 |
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As in not a bad looking car? Or not a bad rebadge? I for one would rock a Legacy rebadged as an Aska...
Birddog
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 21:39 |
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WOWEE! I have never been so interested in a first gen J body in my life!
That nose and wheel covers on a Hatchback Z24 would be awesome.
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deprecated account
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 21:40 |
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Both! That’s a super clean example though. Love me some first-gen Legacy!
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Amoore100
> Birddog
09/14/2015 at 21:42 |
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That’s a definite yes. Proof that even Isuzu can do GM better than GM can...
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Amoore100
> deprecated account
09/14/2015 at 21:44 |
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Agreed! Personally I love me some Legacy wagon myself...
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deprecated account
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 21:45 |
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Mmmmm.... one day.
Boxer_4
> Birddog
09/14/2015 at 21:49 |
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There are a a fair number of weird, unknown J-Body versions out there. My personal favorite is the Daewoo Espero , which was the only J-Body to be styled by Bertone.
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Boxer_4
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 22:06 |
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These are always interesting. I have a feeling that you will have plenty of material to work with for a while.
A lot of the Japanese manufacturers seemed to be involved with eachother and US manufacturers in this capacity to a large degree in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I bet you could write a book just on the second generation Suzuki Cultus alone.
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Amoore100
> Boxer_4
09/14/2015 at 22:09 |
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Definitely. Everyone thinks GM is the worst offender, but the Japanese manufactures are definitely top dog when it comes to rebadging...the best though are when the Japanese and Americans join forces in, as you say, the Cultus...
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Amoore100
> Boxer_4
09/14/2015 at 22:11 |
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Defnitely. I always see pictures of Euro-market Esperos and say, “Damn, that looks great for a 20 year old GM-platform car...” Then you realize what absolute shitboxes they are...
carcrasher88
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 22:20 |
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Yeah, Isuzu in their come country in the 80’s-90’s were even more interesting than they were in the US.
Another multi-marque matchup they had was between themselves, Honda, and Rover in the UK.
Honda Domani -> Rover 400 (2nd and that became the 45) the 3rd gen and Isuzu Gemini (4th and 5th generations)
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Amoore100
> carcrasher88
09/14/2015 at 22:22 |
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Yep, I might cover that sometime, although the Honda Crossroads is personally my favorite thing to come out of the Rover-Honda alliance...
Jonee
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 22:24 |
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Very cool. There are so many rebadges I’ve never heard of and they never fail to thrill and amuse. I came across one last year that really blew my mind:
http://oppositelock.kinja.com/the-mazda-that…
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Boxer_4
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 22:25 |
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I think the Cultus was sold under 13 or 14 different nameplates/versions. There was even an AWD only version of the Cultus sold in Europe as the Subaru Justy.
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Boxer_4
> Amoore100
09/14/2015 at 22:30 |
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It could be fun to import (1990 is now eligible), since you would almost be guaranteed that there would only be one in the country. It may also be the cheapest way into a Bertone styled vehicle.
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Amoore100
> Boxer_4
09/14/2015 at 22:46 |
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Yeah, saw that...didn’t know they’d actually taken the effort to make it 4wd though, I thought maybe the Cultus/Justy was to Subaru what the 9-2x was to Saab...
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Amoore100
> Jonee
09/14/2015 at 22:47 |
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That’s pretty impressive. Even I hadn’t heard about that one and I love searching up obscure rebadges :)
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Amoore100
> Boxer_4
09/14/2015 at 22:48 |
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I prefer this myself in terms of Bertones, and they’re pretty cheap when they go for sale in my area...
Nauraushaun
> Amoore100
09/15/2015 at 05:37 |
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That’s a New South Wales plate. That’s an Australian Subaru Legacy - that means it’s actually a Liberty! Same car, different name. I think the Veterens charity we have here complained.
Did I point out an Australianism last time you did a Ridiculous Rebadge? Sorry.
pip bip - choose Corrour
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/15/2015 at 05:46 |
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+1
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Amoore100
> Nauraushaun
09/15/2015 at 06:29 |
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Not a problem. The automotive world is so full of convoluted naming strategies that I can’t cover them all, so it’s good when others add to my (mis)information...I wonder why it’s called a Liberty?
Autofixation
> Amoore100
09/15/2015 at 08:33 |
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I didn’t know Subaru was whoring themselves out long before the BRZ.
twochevrons
> Amoore100
09/15/2015 at 08:35 |
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Alternatively, you could get a Citroën Xantia, also a Bertone design, which pretty much looks like a better-executed Espero (especially the early-production one in the foreground), and is a genuinely good car to boot. I used to own one, and still would if I hadn’t moved to the US. Since people are scared of the hydropneumatic wizardry, they’re dirt cheap, too.
Plus, while it looks like a sedan, that back end is actually hiding a truly cavernous hatchback.
And to continue with the cheap cars by big-name Italian design houses theme, consider the Xantia’s predecessor, the BX. Its oddball folded-paper shape was penned by Marcello Gandini, who is best known for the Lamborghini Countach and Bugatti EB110. And, in 16v GTI form, it’s a hilariously quick car.
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Amoore100
> twochevrons
09/15/2015 at 10:10 |
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Yes. Make mine a wagon please.
Although if I were importing, I might look for one of these:
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Nauraushaun
> Amoore100
09/15/2015 at 23:07 |
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Yeah it really is impossible. And there are some really weird ones. Back around 2000 Mitsubishi Australia sold the Lancer sedan and coupe, and the Mirage hatch. It seems that in America these were both sold as Mirage ...but surely the Evo was a Lancer? Dunno.
In this case, like I said there’s a Veterans charity. They’re called Legacy and they must have complained. Wikipedia says it :)
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Amoore100
> Nauraushaun
09/15/2015 at 23:12 |
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How odd...I presume the name Liberty would probably cause some unrest in the states...
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Nauraushaun
> Amoore100
09/15/2015 at 23:23 |
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Yeah, maybe. I guess everything could cause some unrest somewhere in the world. Just look at that Top Gear Fauklands thing.
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Amoore100
> Nauraushaun
09/15/2015 at 23:24 |
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That was some of the stupidest shit I have ever seen on Top Gear...some people need to learn how to calm down...
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Nauraushaun
> Amoore100
09/16/2015 at 06:44 |
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True. I saw the Aussie special recently where they try and force meaning onto their random numberplates, taking the piss. Shows how silly it really was.
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twochevrons
> Amoore100
09/16/2015 at 08:01 |
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Heh, back when I lived with my parents, our driveway was a Citroën-fest. I had a Xantia hatch (in the same colour as that XM actually), my mother had a Xantia wagon, and my father had (and still has) a BX 16v. It all started when he bought the BX, and then within a couple of months, we all had Citroëns!
I’m actually seriously considering importing one. I had the chance to drive a DS a while ago, and it brought back memories as to how good the Citroën driving experience is. I’d definitely pick an XM over the Xantia, but what I’d really like is one of their ‘80s performance models – the BX 16v or CX Turbo – which turn up the crazy just that little bit more. A nice DS would do, too, but I fear that they’re out of my price range.
The Xantia wagon is definitely a handsome adaptation, but I really like the tail-end treatment of the hatch. That curved rear glass makes it look really quite distinctive.
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Amoore100
> twochevrons
09/16/2015 at 10:21 |
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Interesting...I take it your parents live in Europe, that or they are just really big Citroen fans (or both). I’ve always had dreams of importing a hydropneumatic Citroen but I feel like maintenance will be a bit difficult as well as trying to explain it to other people. I can see the appeal of one of the 80s performance models but since I have always wanted a big, plush Citroen flagship, I have a feeling perhaps even a C6 might be in my books 20 years in the future...
The thing about Citroens is that they were a bit like Volvo back before PSA...they were weird, backwards, and some sold slowly, but they didn’t care, and kept at it...sad that the hydropneumatic suspension has finally been killed by PSA...
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twochevrons
> Amoore100
09/22/2015 at 07:51 |
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New Zealand, actually. Citroëns are still pretty thin on the ground there, but they do have an official presence: the garage that we took them to to has been a Citroën specialist since the 1930s.
My feeling about maintenance is that, especially for an older car, there isn’t much that a dedicated DIYer can’t do, and the internet is a wonderful resource for both parts and expertise. Sure, you can’t go down to your local AutoZone to pick up a replacement suspension sphere, but ordering one online isn’t that much of a problem. Explaining it would definitely be another matter entirely! The owner of the DS that I drove says that people ask him about it all the time.
They definitely lost a bit of their weirdness after the PSA merger; everything from the BX onwards shares its platform with Peugeot models, and the styling definitely got toned down a bit. Still, they hung onto the hydropneumatic suspension for a very long time. It’s a shame that it’s gone now, but given the fact that aside from Rolls-Royce, nobody else did anything like it, it’s remarkable that they stuck at it for so long in this age of cost-cutting and decontenting.
It’s funny that you mention a similarity to Volvo. I’d always thought them more as French Saabs, with the oddball ugly-but-futuristic styling and bizarre ways of doing things. They both had weird ideas about FWD drivetrains, too – while old Saabs had the engine on top of the gearbox, older Citroëns took an Audi-style longitudinal FWD drivetrain and turned it backwards, with the engine sitting behind the gearbox. They were pretty keen on the safety thing, too: the DS had breakaway engine mounts that were designed to prevent the engine from being pushed into the passenger compartment, and that gorgeous single-spoke steering wheel was designed to deflect the driver away from the steering column in a crash.
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Amoore100
> twochevrons
09/22/2015 at 10:18 |
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That’s pretty accurate as well...perhaps Peugeot is more of a French Volvo, from back when their cars were indestructible and roamed the world...
New Zealand is awesome! I’ve always wanted to go...I live in California, and I hear the climate is similar so it’s pretty comfy down there...
Alex B
> Amoore100
09/23/2015 at 12:34 |
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it only has two cars though...
Or you could just look around and see if you find anything interesting!
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Amoore100
> Alex B
09/23/2015 at 19:18 |
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Is it the one with the Ram or the TSX?
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Alex B
> Amoore100
09/23/2015 at 19:27 |
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Hm the one I had had an Infiniti QX70 and an Jetta.
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Amoore100
> Alex B
09/23/2015 at 19:31 |
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That’s an interesting combo...maybe if you post a link it would be more accurate?
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Alex B
> Amoore100
09/23/2015 at 20:58 |
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https://www.google.com/maps/@40.27498…
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.27623…
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.26630…
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.26590…
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.26449…
I have quite a few to choose from now!
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Amoore100
> Alex B
09/24/2015 at 00:49 |
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Awesome, thanks! I might have, say, ten articles with three cars and then start introducing these after two weeks in the eleventh or twelfth edition...