Badge engineering. A time-honored automotive custom proper up there with fudging gas financial system numbers and utilizing illicit funds to go racing.
That’s to not say all badge-engineered vehicles are dangerous–in reality, the apply usually results in some memorable outcomes.
Simply take a look at Honda. Apart from the extra apparent Acura crossovers, Hondas have been rebadged on nearly each continent (apart from Antarctica, in fact) by varied totally different carmakers.
Out of all these badge-engineered Hondas, listed below are my 4 favorites.
Honda Ballade/Triumph Acclaim
{Photograph} by Charles01/courtesy Wikipedia
Go determine, one of many final vehicles offered below the Triumph marque–the model that gave us among the most iconic sports activities vehicles of the ’50s and ’60s–was, in reality, principally a Honda.
Mechanically, the Acclaim used of a four-cylinder engine that was relative of Honda’s famed CVCC engine; Nevertheless, the Acclaim featured twin carbs instead of the only carb fitted to the mannequin offered within the house market, the Ballade.
I wouldn’t usually place a automobile just like the Triumph Acclaim on the prime of the listing of vehicles I would like to purchase, although there’s a uncommon mannequin I wouldn’t instantly say no to: The Triumph Acclaim by Avon. (The coachbuilder, not the beauty multi-level advertising and marketing firm.)
Extra particularly, I’d like one of many later ones that bought a turbocharger. Regardless of preliminary claims that Avon would produce as many as 25 examples every week, solely a handful had been ever made.
Honda Passport/Isuzu Rodeo
{Photograph} courtesy Honda
If there was ever a golden age of SUVs, I’d argue that it was the ’90s–and the unique Honda Passport completely exemplifies that period.
The results of a sharing settlement with Isuzu, the Passport is nearly equivalent to the Rodeo, except for the outside badging, in fact.
So why decide one over the opposite? An outdated publish on an Isuzu discussion board provides a compelling argument in favor of the Honda: “Honda is simpler to spell than Isuzu.”
Honda Domani/MG ZS
{Photograph} courtesy Bonhams
Alright, the connection is a little bit little bit of a stretch, however right here me out.
The Honda Domani, a relative of the Civic, was offered within the U.Okay. because the Rover 400. The 400 would later be refreshed into the Rover 45. The 45, in flip, morphed into the MG ZS.
Because of its Honda underpinnings, the ZS sounds fairly interesting–on paper, a minimum of: In its most potent type, the ZS 180, the MG acquired a 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter V6 positioned in a chassis with double wishbone suspension up entrance and a multi-link setup out again.
Whereas a Honda V6 below the hood would make the ZS extra interesting, the bones, as home flippers say, are good.
Honda Crossroad/Land Rover Discovery
{Photograph} courtesy Honda
In the event you assume that the Honda Crossroad seems like somebody simply slapped a Honda badge on a Land Rover Discovery, that’s as a result of that’s precisely what it’s–and that purpose alone is why I need one.
I can solely think about how a lot it will confuse individuals at a vehicles and occasional, or the variety of odd seems I’d get exhibiting up at an area Honda dealership for service. (In equity, I wouldn’t blame them for turning me away, it’s a Land Rover in spite of everything.)
Essentially the most fascinating truth, nevertheless, is that the Crossroad holds the excellence of being the one manufacturing Honda to be fitted with a V8.
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