QOTD: What’s The Worst Case of “Badge Engineering?”

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– Posted on January 11, 2025

It seems all vehicle manufacturers were (and are) guilty of it – “badge engineering” or doing as little as possible to distinguish one brand or model of car from another, in an effort to save costs.

Mitsubishi                                                             Suzuki

North American manufacturers were especially egregious – with the pinnacle perhaps being reached in the decades of the 70’s and 80’s.  But British Leyland also was known to “swap out grilles” on its many Mini clones.  Even today, in Japan’s kei-car class, there’s no difference between a Suzuki Every Wagon and a Mitsubishi Town Box other than the badge on the same grille.  

One of my favorite commercials is the mid-’80’s Lincoln ad with the high rollers coming out to pick up their cars…and stumble over which is the Caddy, Olds or Buick.  You know that had to cause a lot of gnashing of teeth at GM headquarters.

But even with this example of GM’s look-alike C-Bodies of the mid/late-’80’s, I think there’s another that’s even better (worse?).

Cordoba

 

Charger

 

Since there are so many to choose from, let’s confine ourselves to the ’70’s and ’80’s – and my pick is the 1975 Chrysler Cordoba and Dodge Charger.  

What makes it my pick is the stark contrast of the 75 Charger with its previous three-generations of predecessors.  While the 66-67 Charger wasn’t a huge sales hit, it was definitely unique.  Then we were blessed with the beautiful ’68-’70 models.  Finally there were the  ’71-’74 fuselage years.

Then we get to the 1975, which even a two-year old could tell was a Cordoba with a slightly different grille and hood medallion, and some louvres over the opera windows.  But I guess we can’t heap too much scorn on Chrysler – they were in terrible financial shape at the time, and would require a federal bailout to stave off bankruptcy just four years later.

I guess it’s not surprising that in the ’90’s, Chrysler would give up on the pretense altogether and sell the same Neon with Dodge and Plymouth badges.

Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx?  Chevy Monza/Buick Skyhawk/Olds Starfire/ Pontiac Sunbird?  Chevy Cavalier and Cadillac Cimarron?  Chevette and T1000?  Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant?

There are so many – what’s your pick?