Badge Engineering

[Oldtony]

The trade papers are hinting that GM might start bringing in Opels without re badging them.
The aim apparently is to try and pick up a bit of the market share that VW has gained selling "German technology" as part of the image Of course the Cruse, Astra, and in fact the original Commodore were all Opel designs with a bit of Australianisation.
I guess if the Bogans are fitting utes with Chev badges and SSs with Pontiac badges they must reckon the "Australia's own" image is not important any more.
Over the years of course GM have done a lot of badge engineering, both inward and outward. Commodores have been sold overseas with all sorts of Chev, Pontiac and even Vauxhall badges.
The last time an effort was made to bring in a badge to try and move GM upmarket it was the ill fated Cadillac launch.  Big noise about bringing in a US luxury car but it was embarassingly scrubbed at the last minute when showing of sample vehicles and opinions in focus groups tol GM that Australians thought American built cars were rubbish.

[bpratt]

The last time an effort was made to bring in a badge to try and move GM upmarket it was the ill fated Cadillac launch.  Big noise about bringing in a US luxury car but it was embarassingly scrubbed at the last minute when showing of sample vehicles and opinions in focus groups tol GM that Australians thought American built cars were rubbish.

They were right, the yank tanks at the time were rubbish.

If they were any good, we'll see the Chrysler 300C leading the market.