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122-748: The Fiesta was developed under the project name "Bobcat" (not to be confused with the subsequent rebadged Mercury variant of the Ford Pinto ) and approved by Henry Ford II in September 1972. Development targets indicated a production cost US$ 100 less than the Escort . The car was to have a wheelbase longer than the Fiat 127 (although shorter than some other rivals, like the Peugeot 104 , Renault 5 and Volkswagen Polo ), but with an overall length shorter than

244-492: A beam axle , trailing links and a Panhard rod , whilst an anti-roll bar was included in the sports package. All Mk1 Fiestas featured 12-inch wheels as standard, with disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. Ford paid particular attention ease of service, and published the times required to replace various common parts. Although not the first Ford vehicle to feature front-wheel drive (the 1960s Taunus 12M produced by Ford of Germany laid claim to that title),

366-611: A van . The U.S. Mark I Fiesta was built in Saarlouis and Cologne, Germany but to slightly different specifications; U.S. models were Base, Decor, Sport, and Ghia, the Ghia having the highest level of trim. These trim levels changed very little in the Fiesta's three-year run in the US, from 1977 to 1980. All U.S. models featured the more powerful 1,596 cc (97.4 cu in) engine, which

488-461: A "family look" alongside the larger Vauxhall Cavalier version of the Opel Ascona B. Mechanical changes included the introduction of Bosch distributors, revised heater ducting, and a simplified throttle linkage. It also received new wheel designs, revised C-pillar vent covers, and revamped interior trim with redesigned front seats to increase rear knee room marginally. However, it was effectively

610-777: A "premium" marque, Volkswagen often introduces new technologies in Audi-branded cars before fitting them to mainstream products (such as the Direct-Shift Gearbox ). In production, platform sharing is used extensively, with the modular MQB platform underpinning a range of vehicles from the Audi A1 to the Volkswagen Atlas . The previous D platform of the 2000s was used for the Volkswagen Phaeton and Bentley Continental GT (built in steel) and

732-593: A 7.3 to 1 compression ratio. As part of making the Chevanne as car-like as possible, it was also available with a three-speed automatic transmission. The automatic also included a heavy-duty battery and front suspension, better carpeting, and a higher compression engine (8.7 to 1) with 42 kW (57.1 PS; 56.3 hp). A similar T-Car variant existed in Australia, the Holden Gemini van, which utilized

854-632: A Chrysler interior. For the 1989 model year, Toyota and Nissan introduced the Lexus and Infiniti luxury brands in the United States (following the Acura luxury brand of Honda) with the all-new Lexus LS400 and Infiniti Q45 full-size sedans. Both brands expanded their model line for 1990, sourcing an existing model line from the Japanese market to rebrand as an entry-level offering. The Lexus ES250

976-470: A Chrysler powertrain, the Routan received its own styling and content features as well as a standard "sportier suspension and steering". In Japan, automobile manufacturers differed in the marketing of their product ranges. In contrast to marketing a single vehicle under multiple brand names (with minor changes to exterior bodywork), Japanese manufacturers marketed vehicles through multiple sales networks, with

1098-678: A Japanese-market Toyota (Toyota Vista/Windom) and its chassis and engine with the Camry, the ES300 shared no resemblance to the American-market Camry. Infiniti moved away from a two-door coupe entirely, replacing the M30 with the four-door J30 ( Nissan Leopard J Ferie in Japan). Vauxhall Chevette The Vauxhall Chevette is a supermini car that was manufactured by Vauxhall in

1220-542: A bid to maintain showroom appeal ahead of the forthcoming second generation. It was well-received on most European markets, particularly the United Kingdom, where it was the ninth best selling car in its first year, and by 1981 it was the third best seller. However, in 1982 it was outsold by BL's new Austin Metro , and with a host of new superminis being launched across Europe between September 1982 and June 1983, Ford

1342-548: A car through each brand; for example, the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade each share a common body. In another example, the same model is rebadged when it is sold in different regions and markets. In Australia, during the 1980s and 1990s, the Button car plan required imported Nissans and Toyotas to adopt Ford and Holden (GM) nameplates. In the United Kingdom, Opel-produced vehicles are marketed under

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1464-707: A common platform to produce the American version of the Odyssey minivan, also underpinning the Honda Pilot and Honda Passport SUVs, the Acura MDX CUV, and the Honda Ridgeline mid-size pickup truck. Although intended to save development costs by spreading design and research costs over several vehicles, rebadging can also become problematic if not implemented properly. Using multiple car brands under

1586-739: A distinct vehicle being sold under various model nameplates (from a single manufacturer). Toyota marketed the Corolla in Japan exclusively at Toyota Corolla Store locations; at Toyota Auto Store locations, it was named the Toyota Sprinter . Nissan sold the Nissan Cedric through its Nissan Bluebird Store network, with the identical Nissan Gloria through the Nissan Prince Store network. Honda previously marketed

1708-559: A far more powerful Chevette variant by fitting the 2.3 litre slant-four engine, using a 16-valve cylinder head which Vauxhall was developing - though the rally cars used the Lotus 16-valve head until a rule change by the FIA banned them in 1978. Fitted with two Stromberg carburettors the engine developed 135 bhp. Suspension and rear axle were from the Opel Kadett C GT/E and the gearbox

1830-561: A five-passenger interior. Coinciding with the 1998 Daimler-Chrysler merger, the Eagle brand was discontinued; the singular Jeep brand was integrated as part of Chrysler or Dodge dealership networks. The Chrysler 300M was originally developed as a second generation of the Eagle Vision; following the discontinuation of Eagle, the vehicle continued into production as a Chrysler model, adopting a slightly restyled grille, Chrysler badging, and

1952-541: A joint venture with a local manufacturer to manufacture automobiles in the country. Prior to 2022, the Chinese government dictates that no more than two joint ventures are allowed for each foreign investor. Larger foreign manufacturers often set up two joint ventures to maximize the market reach, including Toyota ( FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota ), Ford (JMC-Ford and Changan Ford ), Volkswagen ( SAIC-VW and FAW-VW ) and Honda ( Dongfeng Honda and Guangqi Honda ). To distribute

2074-501: A model to carry over to its rebadged model counterparts. Through the 2000s, the American Big Three automakers reduced their brand footprint by closing or selling underperforming brands. After 2001, Chrysler discontinued its Plymouth brand (following the closure of Eagle in 1998). In response to the late 2000s recession, Ford ended its ownership of Jaguar , Land Rover , Aston Martin , and Volvo Cars ; in 2010, Mercury

2196-573: A rally version of the Chevette in conjunction with Blydenstein Racing, which ran Dealer Team Vauxhall , the nearest equivalent to a 'works' (manufacturer run) competition team that GM policy would allow. In order to compete in international rallying, the car had to be homologated ; for Group 4 , the class the HS was to compete in, this meant building 400 production vehicles for public sale. Vauxhall created

2318-587: A revised version of their product through an OEM deal, as with Volkswagen marketing a modified version of the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans as the Volkswagen Routan (2009–2014). Another example was the joint venture of Mitsubishi and Chrysler that resulted in vehicles produced by Diamond-Star Motors that were marketed under various nameplates from 1985 until 1993. In China, foreign manufacturers were required to form

2440-768: A sedan, hatchback, or SUV/CUV body designs. Automotive industry rebadging can be compared with white-label products in other consumer goods industries, such as consumer electronics and power tools . The first case of badge engineering appeared in 1917 with the Texan automobile assembled in Fort Worth, Texas, that made use of Elcar bodies made in Elkhart, Indiana. "Probably the industry's first example of one car becoming another" occurred in 1926 when Nash Motors ' newly introduced smaller-sized Ajax models were discontinued in 1926 after over 22,000 Ajax cars were sold during

2562-571: A shared appearance; Cadillac Eldorado Seville , Buick Limited Riviera , Oldsmobile Starfire 98 , Pontiac Bonneville Catalina , and the Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala . A later example was Wolseley Motors after it was bought out by William Morris . After World War I , "Wolseley started to lose its identity and eventually succumbed to badge engineering." This was repeated with the consolidation of Austin Motor Company and

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2684-461: A similar product until the following year (their similar-sized offerings all having conventional rear boots). Sales began on 1 May 1975, from a price of £1,593. The Chevette was sold in direct competition with its Opel sister until the latter was superseded in 1979 by which time moves were already being made to merge both the Vauxhall and Opel ranges and marketing operations. From 1975 until 1978

2806-409: A single-parent manufacturer can significantly increase selling costs, as each model line must be marketed separately, requiring a distinct dealership network. Inappropriate use of rebadging can also hurt overall sales by resulting in "cannibalism" between two or more brands owned by the same company by failing to develop a distinct image for each brand or by allowing the market failure of one version of

2928-596: A singular GM brand. As an exception, Cadillac offers division-exclusive engines (the Northstar and Blackwing V8 engine families). In 1981, GM lost a 1977 lawsuit related to consumers (who purchased 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88s equipped with a 350 cu in (5.7 L) Chevrolet small-block engine instead of the 350 cu in (5.7 L) Oldsmobile V8 engine ). At the time of production, GM had downsized its full-size model lines in preparation for another oil crisis and had increased production of V6 engines as

3050-638: Is "to spread the huge development costs of a new vehicle over as many cars as possible". An example is General Motors' rebadging of the Camaro as the Firebird , a successful model from the 1960s through to the 2000s. In most cases, consumers are interested in each brand's focus "on the unique elements of styling and driving characteristics". Some cars would not be marketed without the cost savings that are obtained from this practice, and carmakers can develop many "different models – all wearing different badges – off

3172-612: Is a four-door sedan derived from the V20 Toyota Camry. Though visibly similar to the Camry introduced for 1987, the ES250 was a rebranded Toyota Camry Prominent/Vista ; a model developed for Japan, the Prominent/Vista (dependent on sales network) is a four-door pillared hardtop sedan with a slightly lower roofline and restyled body panels. Along with the change to left-hand drive, the ES250 adopted an interior similar to

3294-588: Is also known as rebranding and badge engineering ; the latter is an intentionally ironic misnomer in that little or no actual engineering takes place. The term originated with the practice of replacing an automobile's emblems to create an ostensibly new model sold by a different maker. Changes may be confined to swapping badges and emblems, or may encompass minor styling differences, as with cosmetic changes to headlights , taillights, front and rear fascias , and even outer body skins. More extreme examples involve differing engines and drivetrains . The objective

3416-477: Is amortized tooling costs, which means the vehicle can be produced at a higher margin of profit (or a lower price, or both). Badge engineering occurs in the luxury -type market segments. An automobile manufacturer will use a model from its mainstream brand as a basis for a model under a premium marque by upgrading its features, technology, and/or styling. Along with visible cosmetic differences, premium models may also receive upgraded drivetrains. An example of this

3538-925: Is believed that F. English built around 200 Fiesta Flys, with 83 known to survive. Crayford also reportedly built two Fiesta Flys based on the Mk2 Fiesta. It was also possible to purchase any production Fiesta model in Fiesta Fly form, not just the 1300 and XR2 models as often reported. Only models sold in Continental Europe and the British Isles are shown, overseas territories often have different offerings.       Developed in collaboration with other manufacturers       Manufactured in Ford factories in other continents Badge engineering In

3660-778: Is that Ford Motor Company marketed its mainstream Ford Fusion mid-size sedan as the Lincoln MKZ ; the Ford Expedition SUV is sold as the Lincoln Navigator . A more controversial example was the Aston Martin Cygnet , a rebadged version of the Toyota iQ city car (intended to comply with EU emissions regulations). While fitted with model-specific trim and a luggage set, the Cygnet nearly tripled

3782-650: Is when two separate manufacturers trade products, filling gaps in their respective product lineups. During the 1990s, Honda and Isuzu entered into such an agreement, with Isuzu marketing the first-generation Honda Odyssey as the Isuzu Oasis as its first minivan. In return, Honda received the Isuzu Rodeo and Isuzu Trooper SUVs, which became the Honda Passport and Acura SLX ; the agreement allowed both Honda and Isuzu to enter new vehicle segments without

Ford Fiesta (first generation) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3904-613: The 1973 oil crisis , General Motors expanded fuel-efficient offerings beyond its Chevrolet division, reintroducing compact cars to its Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac brands. Derived from the X-platform Chevrolet Nova , the Pontiac Ventura was introduced for the 1971 model year, with the Buick Apollo and Oldsmobile Omega introduced for 1973. These four X-platform vehicles (also known as N-O-V-A from

4026-711: The Audi A8 (built in aluminum). In the Japanese automotive industry, platform sharing has expanded model offerings in North America. While the initial Lexus LS was developed specifically for the American market, the later Lexus ES has shared a platform (but not a body) with the Toyota Camry (since 2013, the Toyota Avalon , itself also based on the Camry). Exclusive primarily to North America, Honda uses

4148-539: The Austin Maxi and Chrysler Alpine . The Chevette's 1.3-litre engine and relatively small bodyshell allowed for good performance. The Chevette had light steering , clutch , and gear change, as well as good visibility, and was spacious inside. The Chevette's success was probably due to its versatility, which compared well with larger cars such as the Ford Escort . It was available in three-door hatchback for

4270-682: The Ford Fusion ; as part of its 2013 redesign, no other exterior panels); Cadillac rebranded the Opel Omega B as the Cadillac Catera as its first mid-size car, but replaced it, eventually moving towards platform sharing with other divisions. From 1982 until 1986, the front-wheel drive A platform underpinned the Chevrolet Celebrity , Cutlass Ciera , Pontiac 6000 , and Buick Century . As part of their legacy,

4392-758: The GM T platform Vauxhall Chevette estate . Unlike the Chevette it had a flat rear floor, no rear seats and panels in place of the side windows. It was introduced in September 1976. Intended as a replacement for the Bedford HA , the Chevanne was replaced by the Bedford Astravan before the HA was cancelled. It was fitted with the same 1,256 cc inline-four as the Chevette (and the Bedford HA), although here it produced 39.3 kW (53.4 PS; 52.7 hp) with

4514-793: The Honda Accord through multiple sales networks, marketing the Accord through the Honda Clio network and renaming it as the Honda Vigor for Honda Verno locations (conversely, the Vigor was renamed the Honda Inspire for the Clio network). The practice of producing multiple versions of the same vehicle would eventually lead to distinct vehicles produced for export. In North America,

4636-427: The Nuffield Organization (parent company of Morris Motors ) to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The rationalization of production to gain efficiencies "did not extend to marketing", and each "model was adapted, by variation in trim and accessories, to appeal to customer loyalties for whom the badge denoting the company of origin was an important selling advantage ... 'Badge Engineering', as it became known,

4758-466: The Toyota Sprinter / Chevrolet Prizm , and later the Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe . In another agreement, Ford and Nissan developed and produced the Mercury Villager and Nissan Quest minivans from 1993 through 2002. Another example was the cooperative work between Volkswagen and Ford to develop the VW Sharan , Ford Galaxy , and SEAT Alhambra . Badge engineering may occur when one company allows another, otherwise unaffiliated, company to market

4880-436: The Yusheng S330 developed by Jiangling Motors (JMC) . Badge engineering could be used as a strategy to lengthen the life cycle of a vehicle. After a product has reached the end of its life cycle, it may be transferred to another brand, mostly from the same holding company or joint venture. Examples include the SEAT Exeo , a rebadged Audi A4 B7 with reworked styling, which was built in Spain from used production tooling from

5002-422: The automotive industry , rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a manufacturer creates a distinct automobile by applying a new "badge" or trademark (brand, logo, or manufacturer's name/make/marque) to an existing product line. Rebadging

Ford Fiesta (first generation) - Misplaced Pages Continue

5124-413: The 1,256-cc overhead valve (OHV) engine from the Viva HC instead of the Kadett's 1,196-cc engines, which were produced by Opel. The Kadett's double wishbone front suspension, rear-wheel drive, and rear suspension with panhard rod , torque tube , and coil-sprung live axle , were carried over unaltered. Inside, the two cars differed only in terms of their dashboard and switchgear; the Chevette stuck to

5246-413: The 1973 oil crisis and to regain lost market share, both Cadillac and Lincoln introduced smaller vehicles for their brand. In one of the most controversial uses of rebranding in automotive history, both vehicles were derived from smaller GM and Ford divisional model ranges. For the 1977 model year, Lincoln released the Lincoln Versailles to match the debut of the Cadillac Seville . In contrast with

5368-415: The 1976 Pontiac Sunbird . Similarly, to the X-body vehicles, the H-body subcompacts shared common bodies across all four divisions with differing grille, lamp, and body trim variations. Prior to 1981, the majority of General Motors vehicles were produced with engines designed by their respective divisions. From 1981 onward, GM ended its policy of divisionally-developed engines, instead offering engines under

5490-529: The 1980 model year. For 1982, Cadillac released the Cadillac Cimarron to compete against compact European-brand executive sedans . The smallest Cadillac produced since the 1900s, the Cimarron used the chassis of the GM J-body four-door sedan. Developed and brought to market less than a year before the J-body was released, Cadillac was left with almost no time to distinguish the Cimarron from its divisional counterparts from Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac. Though sharing nearly its entire exterior with

5612-415: The 1990s, GM advertising featured a disclaimer stating '"Oldsmobiles (or any other GM division) are equipped with engines manufactured by various GM divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide."' Prior to the mid-1970s, the American luxury brands Lincoln and Cadillac offered model lines consisting entirely of full-size two-door and four-door sedans and full-size personal luxury cars. At the beginning of

5734-443: The 2.3-liter "international" engine for single events. These were special edition Chevettes made by Star Custom Vehicles, Station Road, Ampthill. They came with black and silver paint, red graphics, a plaque inside the door stating styles by Farina, sport steering wheel, flared arches and low-profile wheels. Blackwatch was written on the nose of the car and on the bottom of each door. Also produced by Star Custom Vehicles, based on

5856-473: The A-bodies became enormously popular – as well as synonymous with one of GM's most transparent examples of badge engineering : they were simultaneously presented, almost indistinguishably, on the 22 August 1983 cover of Forbes magazine as examples of genericized uniformity, embarrassing the company and ultimately prompting GM to recommit to design leadership. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation acquired American Motors Corporation (AMC) from Renault , leading to

5978-405: The Astra in 1980, the Chevette line-up was gradually slimmed down in terms of both trim options and body styles. By the time of the Nova's launch in 1983 only the four-door saloon and the three-door estate versions (in two trim levels) remained on sale until the end of production. Although the Chevette was essentially a rebadged Opel Kadett C with revised front-end styling (detailed below), it used

6100-469: The Audi plant in Ingolstadt after the A4 B7 production had ended. The tooling was dismantled from Ingolstadt and was sent to the SEAT manufacturing plant in Martorell , Spain, to be reinstalled. Another example is the Dongfeng Fengdu MX6, which was produced after the near-identical Nissan X-Trail (T31) production had ended, and the Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo, which is based on the then-recently discontinued Suzuki MR Wagon . The advantage of this strategy

6222-418: The Breeze from the original CR-V , the Elysion from the Odyssey , the XR-V from the HR-V , and others. In other cases, foreign manufacturers may also rebadge a model developed by its partner, sometimes for exports to other markets. Examples include the second generation Chevrolet Captiva which is an export version of the Baojun 530 made by SAIC-GM-Wuling , or the Ford Territory , a reworked version of

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6344-423: The British and Japanese right-hand drive tradition of having the indicator stalk switch on the right side of the steering column, with wipers on the left; while the Kadett used a single stalk system (typical of many 1970s German cars) on the left of the steering column to control turn signals, headlamps and wipers. The Chevette also had a much more angular instrument binnacle, although the instrument cluster itself

6466-404: The Chevette L hatchback specification, with black, silver and orchid livery, colour impregnated front air dam, flexi rear spoiler, alloy wheels with locking option, head restraints, black four-spoke sport steering wheel, centre console, burled walnut fascia, hinged glove box and door capping, removable tinted glass sun hatch, and two-wave band radio / stereo cassette player with door speakers. Both

6588-420: The Chevette as well as the Isuzu Gemini, while neighbouring Australia had only the Isuzu Gemini -based Holden Gemini . The Vauxhall 1,256 OHV (from the Viva and Magnum) was the standard engine unit for all New Zealand Chevette models. Most models were of GL specification and all had metric instrumentation. A lower trim Chevanne commercial fleet model was also offered, however, unlike the European models, it used

6710-409: The Chevette finally finished in 1984. A total of 415,000 Chevettes were sold in Britain. The Chevette was also sold in Austria, where it was also offered with the option of a low output version of the 1,256 engine (49.5 bhp). The range included two- and four-door L saloon and estate, GL three-door hatch, GLS four-door saloon and three-door hatch. The local factory AYMESA produced a version of

6832-421: The Chevette soon to be obsolete, Opel were able to force the cancellation of the HSR rally programme in favour of the Manta 400. A 2.6-litre engine for Clubsport rallying and a 300 hp (224 kW), turbocharged derivative were never fully developed, thanks to the budget cuts. A few examples of the 220 hp (164 kW) 2.6-litre engine were built, with Blydenstein offering the engine for hire to replace

6954-579: The Chevette starting in 1978. This version was called the AYMESA Cóndor. It had a glass fibre (fibreglass or glass reinforced plastic) body and a 1,500 cc engine with the higher compression cylinder head from GM Brazil to compensate for the Andean altitudes. The Chevette was also sold in France but it did not sell well against the Peugeots and Renaults of the time. The Chevette was the last Vauxhall sold in France. On 6 December 1979, Vauxhall announced that they were withdrawing from 11 major European countries where Vauxhall and Opel models were sold together. This

7076-418: The Chevette was sold without Vauxhall badging through Opel dealers with a 1256 cc 53 PS N and a 57 PS S automatic. The only Vauxhall badging to remain was on the hub caps and steering wheel. The Chevette was assembled by General Motors New Zealand between 1976 and 1981. All body styles that were available in the UK were sold. The first models built were three-door hatchbacks. New Zealand had

7198-425: The Chevette was the UK's best-selling hatchback, as UK branded rivals failed to respond to the challenge of the imported Peugeot 104 , Fiat 127 , and Renault 5 until the arrival of Ford's Fiesta at the end of 1976. Chrysler UK did not launch its Chrysler Sunbeam until 1977, while only in 1980 did British Leyland come up with the Austin Metro . The Chevette also managed to outsell larger hatchbacks, including

7320-401: The Chevette was the only Vauxhall-badged car to be sold in markets such as Mauritius and New Zealand; successor models assembled in the UK for sale in mainland Europe, such as the Astra, have been badged as Opels. A van version, based on the estate and called the Bedford Chevanne , was also built, and badged as part of GM's Bedford commercial vehicles marque . Following the introduction of

7442-431: The Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire to allow production of the larger Cavalier and Carlton models to be moved to Luton from Opel plants in Belgium and Germany. The UK version of the vehicle was intended to fit into the Vauxhall range below the Viva , and was initially presented only in its hatchback version, a style that became very popular during the 1970s. With its Pontiac-inspired 'shovel nose' and inset headlamps,

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7564-414: The Escort. The final proposal was developed by Tom Tjaarda at Ghia . The project was approved for production in December 1973, with Ford's engineering centres in Cologne and Dunton (Essex) collaborating. Ford estimated that 500,000 Fiestas a year would be produced, and built an all-new factory in Almussafes , Valencia , Spain ; a trans-axle factory near Bordeaux, France , and factory extensions to

7686-427: The Fiesta adopted the now industry-standard mechanical layout pioneered by Fiat with a transverse mounted engine coupled to an end-on four-speed manual transmission of the Ford BC-Series with unequal length driveshafts. The power unit would be a new "short block" version of the venerable Ford Kent OHV engine, dubbed "Valencia" after the new factory's location. To cut costs and speed up the research and development,

7808-410: The Fiesta is widely credited as being Ford's first globally successful front-wheel-drive model, and was the first front-wheel drive Ford car to feature a transverse engine layout. Pilot production began at Cologne in April 1976, with production starting in Valencia and Dagenham in October of that year. The Fiesta was officially launched in the UK on February 2, 1977, where it was available from £1,856 for

7930-399: The Jeep range, Eagle was marketed towards consumers interested in imported vehicles. For 1992, the Eagle Vision full-size sedan replaced the Premier, becoming the first Eagle-brand vehicle developed by Chrysler. Positioned between the Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde, the Eagle Vision shared most exterior trim with the Concorde. It was the only Chrysler LH car offered exclusively with

8052-439: The Kadett C to give German buyers the option of rear-wheel drive following the Kadett D's introduction; the Chevette was unusual as it still featured rear-wheel drive , while most of its competitors were now driven by the front wheels. A further 12,332 Chevettes were sold through Opel dealers in Germany from October 1980, although they never actually carried Opel or Vauxhall branding, being badged simply as "Chevette". By this time,

8174-417: The M30 differed from the Leopard primarily in its steering wheel location. Intended largely as placeholder models, the ES250 and M30 were largely overshadowed by their companion flagship sedans. Following the end of the 1992 model year, both models were withdrawn (as their Japanese counterparts had ended their model cycles). For 1993, the ES250 was replaced by the ES300; while again sharing its body with

8296-419: The New Zealand market had initially been sold as an Isuzu in the mid-1970s and then been dropped before being reintroduced. The Chevette was the last British-sourced GM product to be assembled in New Zealand. The Chevette was also sold in Sweden. It entered the market for 1976, originally only as a hatchback so as not to compete directly with the larger Viva. The range ended up a little differently from that of

8418-410: The Seville (sharing its chassis underpinnings both the Chevrolet Nova and the Chevrolet Camaro), the Versailles shared nearly its entire body with the Mercury Monarch (itself a counterpart of the Ford Granada ); the model line also replaced the previous Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia . Outsold by the Seville nearly three-to-one, the Versailles sold far under sales predictions and was discontinued early in

8540-508: The Toyota Sprinter was marketed as the Chevrolet Nova (and the Geo Prizm that replaced it). The Honda Vigor and Inspire were marketed as the Acura Vigor and TL; Nissan sold the Gloria in the United States as the Infiniti M45 . Two automakers can also pool resources by operating a joint venture to create a product and then selling each as their own. For example, General Motors and Toyota formed NUMMI . The vehicles produced from this venture (though not necessarily at NUMMI itself) included

8662-433: The U.S. market, the Ford Escort replaced both the Fiesta and the compact Pinto in 1981. At the beginning of the British government's Motability scheme for disabled motorists in 1978, the Fiesta was one of the key cars to be available on the scheme. A sporting derivative (1.3 L Supersport) was offered in Europe for the 1980 model year, using the 1.3 L (79 cu in) Kent Crossflow engine, effectively to test

8784-595: The UK version looked radically different from the Opel Kadett and was accepted by the motoring public as a completely new car; when the saloon, estate car, and van variants appeared and the hatchback was added to the Kadett lineup the common lineage became apparent. The Chevette was one of the first British-built hatchbacks of this size, the first arguably being the Austin A40 Countryman; Ford did not respond with

8906-665: The UK with the two-door saloon and three-door estate only available in L spec and the hatch and four-door saloon only available in GLS spec - no E or GL models were offered, although the GL was originally planned. In Uruguay, the Viva-based Grumett had been marketed since 1962. This was a 2+2 coupé utility based on the Viva HC, with imported metal doors and locally made fibreglass front and rear ends. A similarly constructed version of

9028-589: The United Kingdom from 1975 to 1984. It was Vauxhall's version of the " T-Car " small-car family from Vauxhall's parent General Motors (GM), and based primarily on the Opel Kadett C . The family also included the Isuzu Gemini in Japan, the Holden Gemini in Australia, the Chevrolet Chevette in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina, and in the U.S. and Canada it

9150-673: The Vauxhall Chevette was created to replace the original Grumett. However, this featured the 1.4-litre engine and mechanical underpinnings of the Brazilian Chevrolet Chevette. This was succeeded by a version which featured the Brazilian Chevette bodywork, although this time it was also available as an estate. In 1976, at the instigation of new chairman Bob Price, Vauxhall decided to increase their profile in international rallying. They developed

9272-597: The Vauxhall brand; when sold in the United States, Opels were marketed as Saturns, Chevrolets, and Buicks. Conversely, the Australian Holden brand was never sold in North America, but the Holden Monaro and Holden Commodore were sold under the Pontiac (Pontiac GTO, Pontiac G8), Chevrolet (Chevrolet SS), and Buick (Buick Regal Sportback/Buick Regal TourX) nameplates. Another way badge engineering may occur

9394-663: The XR2 hot hatch became a cult car beloved of boy racers throughout the 1980s. For the 1979 auto show season, Ford in conjunction with its Ghia Operations in Turin, Italy, produced the Ford Fiesta Tuareg off-road car. It was touted in press materials as "a concept vehicle designed and equipped for practical, off-road recreational use." Minor revisions appeared across the range in late 1981, with larger bumpers to meet crash worthiness regulations and other small improvements in

9516-608: The above special editions were created by Rob Darcus of Star Custom Vehicles, who began developing special trim versions of standard models to help sell more vehicles when he was district manager for Vauxhall in London. He and Vauxhall dealer Hamilton Motors set up the Star Custom Vehicles facility in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, to carry out specialised paint work on Chevette 'dealer specials' (cars restyled and re-trimmed for

9638-621: The assembly plants in Dagenham, UK. Final assembly took place in both Valencia and Dagenham. Ford's plants in Dagenham , England, and Saarlouis and Cologne (from 1979) in Germany, also manufactured Fiestas. The motoring press had begun speculating about the existence of the Bobcat project since 1973, but it was not until December 1975 that Ford officially announced it as the Fiesta. A Fiesta

9760-749: The automotive industry. Alongside a shared chassis (though unibody construction is nearly universal in cars and many light trucks), platform sharing also standardizes components such as drivetrain, suspensions, components, and other technologies. General Motors used the B platform for many of its non-Cadillac full-size vehicles (nearly exclusively from 1959 through 1985), while Chrysler used its B platform for intermediates and its C platform for (non-Imperial) full-size cars. The Volkswagen Group uses platform sharing as its business strategy to improve its profitability and growth. For example, Audi uses components from their more pedestrian counterparts, sold as Volkswagen mass-market brands. As an effort to place Audi as

9882-948: The basic 950 cc-engined model. It was only the second hatchback supermini to have been built in the UK at this stage, being launched a year after the Vauxhall Chevette , but nearly a year before the launch of the Chrysler Sunbeam and four years before the Austin Metro . The millionth Fiesta was produced in 1979. The car was initially available in Europe with the Valencia 957 cc (58.4 cu in) I4 (high compression and low compression options), and 1,117 cc (68.2 cu in) engines and in Base, Popular, L, GL (1978 onward), Ghia and S trim, as well as

10004-661: The beginning of a phase-out in favour of the newer Astra, Vauxhall's version of the front-wheel drive Kadett D, which was launched in March 1980, though it was not produced in Britain until November 1981. The Vauxhall Nova (the rebadged version of the Spanish built Opel Corsa ) became the entry-level model in the Vauxhall range when it was launched in April 1983, although the Chevette continued alongside it for another year. Production of

10126-485: The black HS-X designed by David Harley of Mamos Roundabout Garage - Greenford. The HS became a successful rally car, chalking up notable wins for drivers such as Pentti Airikkala , Jimmy McRae and Tony Pond . It was a challenge to the most successful rally car of the time, the Ford Escort , winning the British Open Rally Championship for drivers in 1979 and for manufacturers in 1981. It

10248-485: The brand's inaugural year. The chairman and CEO of the company, Charles W. Nash , ordered that the Ajax models be marketed as the "Nash Light Six", Nash being a known and respected automobile brand. Production was stopped for two days so Nash emblems, hubcaps, and radiator shells could be exchanged on all unshipped Ajax cars. Conversion kits were also distributed at no charge to Ajax owners to transform their cars and protect

10370-533: The cars. An additional base E model was introduced to the range in 1980, aimed at fleets and budget-minded buyers, using the four-door bodyshell. This car was incredibly spartan – fitted with plain wheels and vinyl seats – and lacked reversing lamps, hazard flashers, radio and many gauges. Production of the New Zealand Chevette ceased in June 1981, when it was replaced by the Holden Gemini , which for

10492-413: The common claim that only 20 or so cars were built is probably untrue; it is believed that this figure refers to the number built by Crayford, rather than the number built in total. What is known is that Dorset-based firm F. English Coachwork Division bought the rights to produce the Fiesta Fly sometime in 1982, and Autocar reported in September 1983 that about 100 Fiesta Fly conversions had been produced. It

10614-615: The cost of engineering an all-new vehicle design (at the same time, in Europe, the Honda Crossroad was a rebadged Land Rover Discovery ). During the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Volkswagen Routan was a rebranded version of the Dodge Grand Caravan, supplied as Volkswagen sought to re-enter the North American minivan segment without the investment of federalizing its design. Assembled by Chrysler with

10736-455: The dealer network and not available as a standard trim from the manufacturer). Initially cars were supplied to the London dealers that Rob Darcus was responsible for; following interest from Vauxhall, the vehicles were supplied nationally. This special edition was produced in silver to commemorate the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. The Bedford Chevanne was a small commercial vehicle based on

10858-590: The decade, European automakers began to market their largest sedans as luxury vehicles in North America. Though the BMW Bavaria/3.0Si , Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 , and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W116) were priced similar to the Cadillac Sedan de Ville and Lincoln Continental, the model lines were thousands of pounds lighter and multiple feet shorter in length (with only the hand-built Rolls-Royce Phantom V rivaling Lincoln and Cadillac in size). In response to both

10980-580: The estate bodyshell - complete with side windows - and was badged as a Vauxhall, rather than as a Bedford. In 1979 the New Zealand Chevette had a mechanical update not fitted to the European models, Holden -developed Radial Tuned Suspension and wider tyres, giving the car superior handling over its rivals. At the beginning of 1980 the Chevette received the facelift which included flush mounted headlamps and various new interior appointments, including extra air vents and different seats, giving more legroom in

11102-452: The existing T-car programme - thus the Chevette would be derived from the Opel Kadett C. The car was first launched in Brazil in 1973 as a slightly restyled Kadett with a hatchback added to the model range. This hatchback was launched in the U.S. and Britain in 1975 with restyled front ends. Initial production was at Vauxhall's Luton, Bedfordshire, factory, then Chevette assembly was moved to

11224-648: The exit of the latter company from the North American market. As part of the sale, Chrysler obtained the AMC dealership network, the AMC Eagle line of all-wheel drive cars, and the Jeep line of sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks. For 1989, Chrysler established the Jeep-Eagle Division in a strategy to both focus on Jeep and offer specialty cars differentiated from the established Chrysler lines. Following

11346-539: The first letters of their model names) were produced with identical bodies with divisional differences marked only with specific grille, lamp, and body trim variations. To expand its footprint in the subcompact segment, the H-body Chevrolet Vega platform was used for the 1975 model year for newly styled variants sold as the Chevrolet Monza , Buick Skyhawk , and Oldsmobile Starfire followed by

11468-542: The four-door Chevrolet Cavalier, the Cimarron was priced nearly twice as high as its counterpart. Additionally, J-body vehicles from other divisions could be equipped nearly identically to the Cimarron for a lower cost. Though the model line closely matched its Buick Skyhawk and Oldsmobile Firenza counterparts in sales, the Cimarron was discontinued following the 1988 model year. Though the Lincoln Versailles

11590-525: The huge loss of workforce this would cause, representations were made that resulted in the decision to continue production of existing models alongside the new. This meant that a new name would have to be found for Vauxhall's version of the new Opel Kadett, so in March 1980, the Vauxhall Astra was born, replacing the Viva in the Vauxhall range, while the Chevette remained on sale until 1984. At this time,

11712-438: The intended standard engine, underestimating consumer demand for Oldsmobile V8 engines. To accommodate the increased market demand, nearly 60% of Delta 88s were equipped with a Chevrolet 5.7 L V8 for 1977. The lawsuit was filed by the state of Illinois, claiming GM falsely advertised the vehicles. In 1981, GM settled the lawsuit with the vehicle buyers and discontinued their company-unique policy of division-specific engines. Into

11834-492: The investment they had made in purchasing an automobile made by Nash. Starting with the beginning of General Motors in 1909, chassis and platforms were shared with all brands. GMC , which historically was a truck builder, began to offer its products branded as Chevrolet , and vehicles produced by GM were built on common platforms shared with Chevrolet, Oakland , Oldsmobile , Buick , and Cadillac . Exterior appearances were gradually upgraded between these vehicle brands. This

11956-591: The larger LS (along with similarly styled wheels and taillamps). The Infiniti M30 is a two-door notchback coupe derived from the Nissan Leopard (a model never sold in North America). Along with the coupe, Infiniti sold the M30 as a two-door convertible (converted in the United States). With the exception of its badging and its dashboard (sourced from the left-hand drive Nissan Skyline ),

12078-441: The market for the similar XR2 introduced a year later, which featured a 1.6 L version of the same engine. Black plastic trim was added to the exterior and interior. The small square headlights were replaced with larger circular ones resulting in the front indicators being moved into the bumper to accommodate the change. With a quoted performance of 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 9.3 seconds and 105 mph (169 km/h) top speed,

12200-410: The new powertrain package destined for the Fiesta was tested in Fiat 127 development "mules". Unlike several rivals, which used torsion bars in their suspension, the Fiesta used coil springs . The front suspension was of Ford's typical "track control arm" arrangement, where MacPherson struts were combined with lower control arms and longitudinal compression links. The standard rear suspension used

12322-407: The one platform". In several countries including Japan, manufacturers often use the phrase " OEM supply" or "OEM-supplied" to denote vehicles that are a rebadged model from or for other manufacturers. Although platform sharing can often involve rebadging and rebranding, it can extend further, as the design may be used across multiple configurations. For example, a single platform may underpin

12444-528: The planned mothballing of most of the Ellesmere Port plant went ahead as originally planned. Meanwhile, General Motors would develop a new entry-level model to be sold in Europe under the Vauxhall and Opel marques, and would build a factory in Zaragoza , Spain , for the production of this new car. This longevity led to the Chevette being exported to Germany after 1979, following the discontinuation of

12566-533: The price of the iQ. Alternatively, VW Group under Ferdinand Piëch used the reverse of this in some circumstances, engineering the more luxurious model first and then remove features for models from less prestigious marques. Examples include the Lamborghini Gallardo / Audi R8 and the Audi A4 / Volkswagen Passat . Along with rebadging and badge engineering, platform sharing is common throughout

12688-717: The production and sales rights to each joint venture, manufacturers often resort to a similar strategy deployed in Japan: simply producing the exact model under two different names with minor changes to exterior bodywork. GAC Toyota has produced the Levin as a twin model to the FAW Toyota-built Corolla and the Wildlander as the alternative to the RAV4 . Honda awarded several models to two joint ventures, which spawned

12810-530: The purpose-built factory in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, under a government initiative to bring employment to the area. More conventional two- and four-door saloons, and three-door estate variants (essentially the Kadett C with Vauxhall front bodywork and engines) were also offered from June 1976. The two-door coupé version of the Kadett C was the only version of the Opel car not to have a Chevette equivalent. The Viva

12932-493: The rear, where extra suspension links were fitted), and other minor changes. Group 4 evolution required a production run of 50 cars incorporating the new modifications; these were made by rebuilding unsold HSs and by modifying customers' vehicles. However, the merger of the Vauxhall and Opel marketing departments resulted in Dealer Team Vauxhall and Dealer Opel Team (DOT) joining to form GM Dealer Sport (GMDS); with

13054-400: The regional Big Threes of the United States, Europe, and Japan) owns a portfolio of different brands and markets the same car under different brands and nameplates. The practice is used for multiple reasons. In one example, a company may do so to expand its range of different brands in a market without the cost of developing completely new models. In the United States, General Motors may sell

13176-497: The retirement of the AMC Eagle Wagon in early 1988 (derived from the 1971 AMC Hornet), Eagle established its product line with the introduction of the 1988 Premier and Medallion (developed by Renault prior to the sale of AMC). To expand the product range beyond the two sedans, Chrysler sourced vehicles from Mitsubishi, introducing the 1989 Summit (Dodge/Plymouth Colt) and 1990 Talon (Mitsubishi Eclipse). In contrast to

13298-403: The single driver, saloon models that suited families, an estate car for the service fleets, and the Chevanne van version for utility purposes. The original hatchback was launched in the UK using Vauxhall's slogan and musical jingle, which capitalised on its practicality and widespread appeal: "It's whatever you want it to be! - A sporty coupe, a family saloon, a handy estate...". It was made at

13420-627: Was a Getrag five-speed. Chevrolet Vega alloy wheels (similar in appearance to the Avon wheels used on the droopsnoot Firenza) were used, as well as a newly developed glass-reinforced plastic air dam. The result was a very fast and well handling, if rather unrefined, road car. Like the Droopsnoot Firenza, the HS was available only in silver, with red highlighting and a bright red, black and tartan interior; though (partly to help sell unsold vehicles) some cars were repainted in other colours, such

13542-739: Was also rebadged as the Pontiac Acadian/Pontiac T1000 . The Chevette, as its name implies, was intended to be a small (baby) Chevrolet. At the same time as the Chevette project was being considered in America, Vauxhall Motors publicised a new design project, provisionally referred to as the Baby R, later designated as the S-car by GM. However, to save costs GM management shelved the S-car project and merged its styling studies with

13664-541: Was also successful in other national rally championships, such as Belgium's. To keep the rally car competitive into the 1980s an evolution version, the Chevette HSR, was developed which was successful for several more years. The modified cars featured glass reinforced plastic (fibreglass) front and rear wings, spoiler, bonnet and tailgate (giving the HSR the nickname 'Plastic Fantastic'), revised suspension (particularly at

13786-496: Was closed by Ford. General Motors underwent several brand revisions; following the discontinuation of the Geo sub-brand of Chevrolet in 1997, Oldsmobile was closed after 2004 (the oldest American nameplate at the time). Following its 2009 bankruptcy, GM closed Pontiac, Saturn, and Hummer in 2010; Saab was sold (eventually leading to its demise). GM sold its European Opel and Vauxhall brands in 2017 to PSA (now Stellantis). In response to

13908-515: Was directly from the Kadett (though with imperial rather than metric scales). The Chevette's front end featured a more aerodynamic-looking nose than the Kadett, based loosely on the design of the "droopsnoot" Firenza , itself said to be inspired by the Pontiac Firebird, a sister GM product. In contrast the Kadett had a more conventional, flat-fronted design. In 1980, the Chevette underwent a facelift with flush fitting headlights, giving it

14030-534: Was discontinued in 1979, with the Opel Kadett D entering production in the same year. This car was intended also to be produced in the US and UK, as the second-generation Chevette, but due to various industrial issues at the time, GM decided to shelve most of the Ellesmere Port plant, retaining only the assembly shop to build the new car. These would be assembled from knock-down kits, although they were initially imported fully built-up from Opel's plant in Bochum . Due to

14152-410: Was keen to update the Fiesta in order to keep it competitive with its rivals. In 1981, coachbuilders Crayford developed a convertible version of the Fiesta, which was dubbed the Fiesta Fly. Designed by David McMullan, the Fiesta Fly had a permanently welded-shut boot, with a plastic sill fitted to prevent the car from needing to be repainted. The production history of the Fiesta Fly is not clear; but

14274-575: Was largely forgotten after its 1980 discontinuation (its role superseded by the downsizing of the Lincoln Continental for 1982), the Cimarron would cause extensive damage to the Cadillac brand, as its market share declined by almost 50% from 1980 to 1998. As of current production, neither Lincoln nor Cadillac has marketed a compact-segment car. Through the use of rebranding, Lincoln produced the mid-size Lincoln MKZ (sharing its doors with

14396-535: Was on display at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1976 , and a few rallys. The name Fiesta belonged to General Motors when the car was designed, as they had used the name for the Oldsmobile Fiesta in the 1950s; however, it was freely given for Ford to use on their new supermini. Ford's marketing team had preferred the name Bravo , but Henry Ford II vetoed it in favour of the Fiesta name. Mechanically,

14518-525: Was partly because all bodywork was provided by Fisher Body which was bought by GM in 1925, and the introduction of the Art and Color Section in 1928, directed by Harley Earl . For the 1958 model year, GM was promoting its fiftieth year of production and introduced anniversary models for each brand; Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. The 1958 models shared an almost identical appearance on all models for each brand and made special luxury models with

14640-517: Was symptomatic of a policy of sales competition between the constituent organizations". The ultimate example of BMC badge engineering was the 1962 BMC ADO16 which was available badged as a Morris, MG, Austin, Wolseley, Riley and the upmarket Vanden Plas . A year earlier, the Mini was also available as Austin, Morris, Riley, and Wolseley – the latter two having slightly bigger boots. Badge engineering often occurs when an individual manufacturer (such as

14762-523: Was the older "Crossflow" version of the Kent engine. Among the other changes required for the US market, the Fiesta was fitted with a catalytic converter and air pump to satisfy strict Californian emission regulations, energy-absorbing bumpers, side-marker lamps, round sealed-beam headlamps, improved crash dynamics and fuel system integrity as well as optional air conditioning (a/c was not available in Europe). In

14884-399: Was to be completed by the end of 1981. Despite announcing its withdrawal from continental Europe, Vauxhall said it would export Chevettes to West Germany . At the time Opel had already started selling the Kadett D / Astra Mk1, but it was felt that there was still a market for the previous rear-wheel drive model, as a low-cost option and for buyers resistant to front-wheel drive. Accordingly,

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