Ninehigh
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| posted on 20/1/12 at 04:15 PM |
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Independant car companies
It's just ocurred to me, there are plenty of phone manufacturers out there (ZTE is just one I know of) but you never actually see their phones
because they're sold as a service provider's phone (Orange San Francisco for example)
Why can't this be done with car companies. I mean would it be possible for (e.g) Raw to make their vehicles under the Ford name and be sold as
specials or something in Ford dealerships? Surely it would be a massive boost to Raw as demand would rocket because they're being seen whenever
someone goes in looking at the Focus ST.
If not why not?
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nick205
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| posted on 20/1/12 at 04:42 PM |
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Lots of re-badging going on, for example Morgan are entering Le Mans this year with an LMP type car badged as a Morgan.
In your example you'd have to ask what's in it for Ford? As the seller they'd be up for warranty and all manner of other things.
If they wanted to do it they'd probably commission a car via their special products dept. who might in turn call in more specialist companies to
help deliver the product. Bear in mind unless they were using it as a marketing tool for something specific they'd be looking for a return on
it too which would make it expensive - probably more expensive than a Caterham (who they supply with engines).
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stevebubs
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| posted on 20/1/12 at 04:54 PM |
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This already happens...
It's what the likes of TWR (Jaguar XJ220 amongst others) built their business on.
Vx220 = designed and built by Lotus...badged and sold as Vx...
The trouble with what you're talking about below is that to compete at the low end, it needs to be a volume product with reasonable margin...in
the big scheme of things, our cars don't come under that heading...
Plus: If sold as a Ford, for example, it would most likely have to go through the EU testing, also....not cheap or trivial...
[Edited on 20/1/12 by stevebubs]
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 20/1/12 at 05:18 PM |
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Ah two good points there, I guess with a car it's not so simple to just send it back and give them a new one from the back 
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Neville Jones
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| posted on 20/1/12 at 07:57 PM |
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I had a southern Vauxhall dealer approach me in the past year, to build a 'showroom' car for him, and then sell on with his name on it.
When his solicitors had looked at the situation, it was nigh on impossible, due to Product liability. If he sold it with my badge on it, different
story, as it was a 'second hand' car. The alternative was to act as an intermediary, taking a commision on the cars sold.
When I worked with a kit building company in the late 80's early 90's, the product liability was £400 per car, on a car by car basis.
Nowdays it's probably nearer £4000.
How many kit manufacturers have Product Liability Insurance, and can show you the certificate.
Cheers,
Nev.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 20/1/12 at 08:18 PM |
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Ooh now, maybe that's the alternative. I'm sure Lexus, being the posh end of Toyota's cars, could be classed as a different company
that piggyback in this way...
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se7en
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| posted on 21/1/12 at 12:16 AM |
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Ford do currently have and have previously had rebadged cars - currently the new Ka is being built by Fiat in Tychy, Poland. To all intention purposes
it is a Fiat with a Ford badge.
Previous rebadged cars were the Maverick - rebadged Nissan Terrano; the Galaxy - rebadged Volkswagen/Seat; Ford Freda - rebadged Mazda Bongo; Ford Lio
Ho - rebadged Mazda 323, to name but a few.
Ford are not the only company to be doing this. Mazda, part of the Ford empire, used a Ford Fiesta and rebadged as a Mazda 121.
Tom
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PSpirine
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| posted on 21/1/12 at 12:55 AM |
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There are still plenty of coachbuilders who produce if not whole vehicles then at least bodies, or rework existing models for limited editions.
Obviously it rarely features in the sales brochures..
Think of Karmann Ghia Pininfarina Steyr (don't they build the Aston Martin Rapide?).
Some massive OEM rebadging going on as mentioned already..
Don't forget cars like the Mercedes 500E W124 - built by Porsche.
So it absolutely does happen. In fact I'd suggest there's more inbreeding going on now than in the past..
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PSpirine
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| posted on 21/1/12 at 12:58 AM |
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As for your query as to why not slap a Ford badge on a RAW, as I happen to work for an OEM that was owned by Ford till a couple of years ago, I can
honestly say you cannot even begin imagining the amount of standards, attributes and other criteria that need to be satisfied before a car is sold to
a customer.
Ford would NEVER take a risk of just slapping a badge onto a kit car, and sticking it in their dealer. The homologation loops they'd need to go
through, the potential warranty issues on it etc. etc. etc.
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