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Question of the Day: Most heinous act of badge engineering?

Badge engineering, in which one company slaps its emblems on another company's product and sells it, has a long history in the automotive industry. When Sears wanted to sell cars, a deal was made with Kaiser-Frazer and the Sears Allstate was born. Iranians wanted new cars in the 1960s, and the Rootes Group was happy to offer Hillman Hunters for sale as Iran Khodro Paykans. Sometimes, though, certain badge-engineered vehicles made sense only in the 26th hour of negotiations between companies. The Suzuki Equator, say, which was a puzzling rebadge job of the Nissan Frontier. How did that happen? My personal favorite what-the-heck-were-they-thinking example of badge engineering is the 1971-1973 Plymouth Cricket. Chrysler Europe, through its ownership of the Rootes Group, was able to ship over Hillman Avanger subcompacts for sale in the US market. This would have made sense... if Chrysler hadn't already been selling rebadged Mitsubishi Colt Galants (as Dodge Colts) and Simca 1100s as (Simca 1204s) in its American showrooms. Few bought the Cricket, despite its cheery ad campaign. So, what's the badge-engineered car you find most confounding? Chrysler Dodge Automakers Mitsubishi Nissan Suzuki Automotive History question of the day badge engineering question

Here's the new Suzuki Jimny in official photos

Finally! The new generation Suzuki Jimny has been officially revealed, ready to replace the old model built since 1998. Or rather, Suzuki has at least l aunched a microsite dedicated to the small SUV's latest iteration, complete with color palette. The signature Kinetic Yellow launch color gets a similarly noticeable Brisk Blue alternative; the rest of the colors are more muted. Previously, photos of undisguised Jimnys had started coming out of the woodwork. Now we can have an official look at the neatly designed little Suzuki. It's not retro, but completely functional; these shots also show the fender flares missing from the JDM cars. When it comes to vehicles this small, the Jimny might be the boxiest thing produced since the original Fiat Panda ceased to be made in 2003. The rear hatch is the width of the entire rear, making cargo loading easy — the only hindrance we can see is that even on a left-hand-drive vehicle, the hinges are on the right, complicating things a little when one is street-parked. The interior has also survived transition into production quite nicely, with the big infotainment screen placed as high on the dash as possible. The materials on the dash look hard-wearing even in the official render, and the switchgear looks like it can be handled with gloves on. Engine specifications have not yet been announced on Suzuki's site at the time of writing, with the only technical photo a shot of the longitudinal engine perched on the ladder frame, accompanied by a mention of a three-link rigid axle suspension and part-time 4WD complete with low range. There are rumors of optional hybrid tech. Suzuki also says 2.85 million Jimnys have been sold through March 2018: If the pricing (about $18,500 for the old model in Europe) remains affordable, that number is sure to rise nicely. Related Video: Featured Gallery Suzuki Jimny official images Suzuki SUV suzuki jimny

Suzuki Swift gets a motorcycle-inspired wide body for Tokyo Auto Salon

Tokyo Auto Salon is just around the corner, and companies such as Daihatsu and Mitsubishi have announced a slew of impressive custom cars. Suzuki has also announced its custom lineup, which is a bit humble this year at just three. They range from the wild Suzuki Swift Sport Katana to the mild Hustler Street Base. The Swift is the most impressive of Suzuki's show cars. Its name, and supposedly its looks, are based on the Katana sports bike. We're not sure they have that much in common beyond the silver and red paint job, but that's all right because this Swift still looks excellent. It features aggressive fender flares and a reworked front fascia. Bigger, wider wheels fit underneath those flares, and it has side-exit exhaust to cap off the extreme design. Next up is the Suzuki Jimny Sierra Marine Edition. Suzuki started with the wider Jimny Sierra model and fitted it with equipment for a day in and around the water. It has storage for fishing rods on either side and an interior covered in wetsuit material. The roof has been raised for extra interior space. The exterior also gets a garnish of visual upgrades such as custom wheels, chrome trim, paint scheme, auxiliary lights and tow rings. The third and final custom vehicle is the Hustler Street Base. It's fairly basic with a matte gray paint scheme, a few decals, and an upgraded audio system inside with some flashy lighting. Apparently it's designed for hip young people who live in the city and might be interested in extreme sports and an active lifestyle. Related Video: