Imagine a Coupe based in the S2000's X-bone chassis. I hope they release one.

 

so is honda to an extent...

accord= TL=CL

RSX=Si (sorta)/CIvic

pilot= MDX

TSX= Euro Accord

hell just a few years back

passport, odysee and SLX= isuzu

 

The TSX is the Euro Accord. The Passport and SLX were Isuzu, but the Odyssey was Honda.

The Pilot and MDX are significantly different. Unlike GM, which keeps the interior the same (mainly) and changes the sheetmetal a little(TrailBlazer=Ascender=Envoy=Bravada=Rainier) , the Pilot and MDX are VERY different vehicles. Different engines and suspension too. Same with the RSX and Civic. Same with the Accord and the TL/CL.

Here's the example I gave illustrated: https://www.honda-acura.net/forums/s...threadid=25456

 

Oldsmobile Alero/Pontiac Grand AM - same exact car aside from lights and cladding

Buick Century/Buick Regal - two different names for the same car sold in the same dealership

Minivans - minor trim variations, sold in Oldsmobile, Chevy, Pontiac forms

Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird - minor trim variations...lights and cladding

Honda practices "platform engineering" but you don't see them actually take the same actual car with different trim in both Acura and Honda dealers.

 

i gotta disagree on the Pilot/MDX...yes sheet metal is significantly different, but in their initial offerings they both offered the same motor and even presently they have the same motor , but the MDX has a massaged version of it. The MDX does have a stiffer tuned suspension relative to the Pilot but the parts are interchangeable...The drivetrain is almost identical....Having driven/ridden in both they really aren't that different....same exact seat configuration...similar room, similar performance...the pilot is just a lil cheaper in material quality and price

Yes Honda spends time to differentiate sheet metal more than GM, but their vehicles really aren't sooo different from each other in terms of pricing and performance...ie the raging debate of whether a CTR , RSX-S, RSX, Si, RSX-R could coexist in the USDM ....

Further you fail to mention the significant sheet metal diffs btwn Grand Prix and Regals, the fact that there isn't even Regal coupe anymore. Those cars have no semblance to the Impala, a not so distant cousin.

The bonneville and the park avenue similar yet very different visually, but similar underneath...and is there any connection to the DeVille? (not sure if they're related)

Vette and Evoq very unique and distinct....

And getting back to trucks: the 'Lade is pretty damn distinct relative to the Tahoe and the H2...

Yes the Current GM small truck platform is cloned except for the noses on them, but it really wasn't long ago when you could not distinguish btwn the SLX/Passport and the Trooper/Rodeo....

I guess all i'm saying is Honda really isn't tooo far off from doing what the General does, as does Toyota, Nissan, DC, and Ford, albeit, it does a better job.]


noel

 

Those are the two to which I will respond to.

If you wanna go into Pilot/MDX being the same, then whatever. But they have completely different interior designs. Space and seat configuration mean little. I suppose the 4Runner is the same as the GX470, or whatever the hell Lexus is that's based off of it. They aren't very different, but so what? They aren't clones like GM.

The SLX/Passport and Trooper/Rodeo is kind of a stupid example bro. That's the past. Honda was in a bind and made a deal with Isuzu, which actually worked out for them. Except in Consumer Reports.

 

I never said anything wrong about platform sharing. Its when you rebadge your almost all your products at least 3 times in 6 tiers, none of the products are unique and all the products starts to canabalize itself.

The difference between a Accord and TL/CL is that there's more to the difference than just slap on different cosmetics and slight powertrain tweaking. The Accord and TL/CL has different displacement, different size, different price point range. Accord's price ends at around $28k, while the TL starts at around $28k. Same formula with the Civic/RSX.

Now look at GM. Take the W-body platform of the Grand Prix, Regal, Century, and Impala. All are basically same size, same engine displacement, and same $20k-28k range. I have 3 choices to pick if I was looking at $25k and 200hp between them. Same problem goes for the GM Trailblazer and its twins, Cavalier/Sunfire (soon to be added ION when the next Cav comes), Malibu/Alero/Grand Am.

Even if Honda and most other automake rebadge models, they separate the brand and pricepoints a lot further than GM. Honda Pilot EX leather navi is $33k. The base Pilot starts at $36k.

The Solstice is a very nice little roadster, but the awe of it WILL be deluted with 2 rebadge that WILL overlap in price. Plus, roadsters are small volume seller and having 3 brand/dealer selling near the same version of that roadster is just extra overhead.

 

That's a better brand management system than what GM is currently utilizing. See my previous post.

Grand Prix comes in sedans also. And next model Grand Prix will be sedan only. The Regal and Grand Prix shares the same transmission, same 3800 OHV engine, and assembled on the same FWD W-body platform. Same with the Impala.

Bonneville & Park Avenue are the G-Body platform. Same 3800 OHV 3.8L as the W-Body. Olds Aurora is also on the W-body platform, but has a different DOHC engine. The Deville is on a modified W-Body platform with a given name K platform that is shared with the Seville.

GM will be rebadging it 4 TIMES of the Trailblazer clones, including the Bravada that will bow out in 2004.


Not really. Toyota/Nissan/Honda has 2 distinct brand levels with each brand having at least a few models that are not rebadges. Ask yourself if Chevy/Pontiac/Buick/Oldsmoible/Saab have any unique platform that its sibling brands do not have.