Badge Engineering

[sirwiggum]

Tata Loadbeta used it too. Mostly based on a Merc

[plod]

Suzuki Jimny

[FarmerPug]

what merc is the tata based on?
the suzuki jimny is essentially a SJ with a new body and coil springs.

[FarmerPug]

about the tata:
3-litre(2956cc)[58 BHP @ 3200 RPM 16.55 kgm @ 1500 RPM]
thats very little power from a big engine

[sirwiggum]

T Series I think

[lozz]

Tata Loadbeta used it too. Mostly based on a Merc

if i squint a bit ican see abit of 190e in that or is it my eye sight ?

[FarmerPug]

T series, but that merc is a w124

[STALLED]

Aussie Omega....

[FarmerPug]

its actually quite a bit nicer than our omega.

[sirwiggum]

It looks like an Omega, quacks like an Omega, but isn't an Omega.

It is in fact a larger vehicle but based on the Omega platform and with Omega styling.

They had investigated rebadging the Omega, but it wasn't big enough

So they slightly enlarged the car on the platform.

A bit like the Ford Falcon:



Looks like a Granada, but is a larger, different car.

What *was* an Omega was this



Cadillac Catera.

But it wasn't a success, because it too was too small for local tastes.

[FarmerPug]

the americans like their big cars, is it still the case?

[sirwiggum]

the americans like their big cars, is it still the case?

I know one American who I worked with in Belfast. Rented one of those new Fiestas for a while. Said it was like a bubble car. His car back in Texas was a Ford F150 V8 pickup

Historically European imports haven't done well in America because they like size for their money. Hence the Merkurs (XR4 and mk3 Granada / Scorpio), Rover 800 Sterling, Mondeo mk1 / Contour were not a great success.

Though they are starting to come round to the idea of small cars given the energy crisis and the popularity of the Pious, so Ford are selling the new Fiesta and Focus there as economy cars.


The Accord Coupe is actually a RHD version of the US market Accord. Work colleagues have commented that it is quite a big car for a Honda Coupe.

[FarmerPug]

i suppose in america the 406 would be small.
how can they justify the price of ruuning them cars, v10 rams with 8 litres for example, or v8s that develop less power than a food blender.

[sirwiggum]

i suppose in america the 406 would be small.

Last car sold in the states was the 405. Cars of that size are usually classed as "Compact" but the exchange rate of EU currencies of the 80s/90s didn't give a favourable price point in USD, hence EU imports now are luxury cars eg. BMW, Merc, Saab, Volvo, Range Rover etc.

how can they justify the price of ruuning them cars, v10 rams with 8 litres for example, or v8s that develop less power than a food blender.

Petrol is about 45p a litre over there, and they think that's expensive.

Huge engines giving out low power is due to strict emissions controls strangling the output.

[FarmerPug]

why dont they downsize, and use a turbo.