|
It's pretty much your average marketing bullshit. I've never heard of Infiniti, but Lexus is Toyota's (?) luxury brand. Another example is that Datsun was the name that Nissans were sold under in Australia/New Zealand for a long time. It took a while for Japanese names to become accepted in the west after WWII. It's not just brand names actually, but also model names for some reason. For example, I used to have a Nissan Pulsar, but the exact same car was sold as a Bluebird Sylphy in Japan.
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:34
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 00:16 |
|
|
I didn't know Datsun was a Nissan brand. They sold then in the US up until the 80s I think. I guess that's one advantage, you can scuttle a marque if it has too much bad reputation attached to it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:40
|
|
|
The branding stuff is fun. But the reasoning is if your gonna pay a lot of money your not gonna way an economy brand. Toyota was a economy brand but at the matured they created scion, for economy and lexus for luxury Honda's luxury is Acura Nissan's is infinity Volkswagon is Audi Fords is Mercury
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:41
|
|
|
1000 Brown M and Ms posted:It's pretty much your average marketing bullshit. I've never heard of Infiniti, but Lexus is Toyota's (?) luxury brand. Another example is that Datsun was the name that Nissans were sold under in Australia/New Zealand for a long time. It took a while for Japanese names to become accepted in the west after WWII. Datsun existed in the US as well for quite awhile. I drove an old Datsun and am currently driving an early 90s Nissan truck that I got for free 
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:41
|
|
|
Mercury is actually Ford's economy brand, Lincoln is their luxury brand. I forget what the Mercury version is but the Ford Crown Vic and the Lincoln Continental are very obviously all the same frame. Same with the Mountaineer/Explorer/Aviator and the Expedition/Navigator. The fun thing is strictly-national brands. I don't know if any exist anymore in European countries (except for multi-national brands that just don't really exist in the US like Peugeot) but China has like 5+ brands that only exist in that country. I distinctly remember one of the Chinese brand logos being literally the Star Trek Federation logo. Also the taxis were all VW Santanas which I think is the Euro name for the Passat? e: I think the Nissan Pulsar was sold in the US as the Sentra and later the Versa, could be wrong though. Snow Cone Capone has a new favorite as of 15:51 on Mar 23, 2016 |
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:47
|
|
|
Germstore posted:I never fully understood all the weird car brands. Is it purely marketing to differentiate entry level and luxury? Is it to give the illusion of choice? Do other countries do it? Based only on Gran Turismo I get the impression that in japan cars under the Infiniti marque in america are just sold as Nissans. e: and it just occurred to me that Infiniti, Scion, Acura, Lexus are all western names, so probably just America. Some of it is just one of the big three buying up another company and keeping the name. Somewhere along the line, they discovered Americans are dumb enough to pay more for the exact same car if you church up the name and throw some wood grain and leather at it. Ford crown Victoria, mercury grand Marquis, Lincoln Town car, all the exact same car. They just get slightly nicer options as you go up. When german makers came along, they either came as a budget name (Volkswagen) or as a luxury brand (BMW, Mercedes). All three of those make cheap and expensive cars in Germany, but have a niche in the US. Then Japan came along. At first, they were synonymous with cheap. Like Korean cars of a couple years ago, they weren't that great. Their saving grace was that they were cheap as all get out. Then they want to make luxury cars too. That won't fly in the US. If I want cheap, I get a Chevy, if I want expensive, I get a Cadillac. Doesn't matter that they are the exact same thing. No one will buy a nice Honda or Toyota. Especially not when it has the same badge as that stupid teenager down the street. They invent Acura, Lexus and Infiniti to sell the same cars twice because Westerners are dumb.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:49
|
|
|
I once had an email account at http://www.com it's still there but now it's just some ad service thing with no email. It was cool having name@www.com email account.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:49
|
|
|
Didn't Datsun rebrand to Nissan in the US, because the Datsun brand was really really suffering from quality problems/perception of quality problems?
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:53
|
|
|
Hillary Clintons Thong posted:Didn't Datsun rebrand to Nissan in the US, because the Datsun brand was really really suffering from quality problems/perception of quality problems? Yes. Datsun ZX (240, 280, 300) cars are collector items here and there are clubs dedicated to those cars.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:55
|
|
|
Hillary Clintons Thong posted:Didn't Datsun rebrand to Nissan in the US, because the Datsun brand was really really suffering from quality problems/perception of quality problems? Yes
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:56
|
|
|
Cool, wanted to see if that was true, or just something I heard once and thought was true, if that makes sense.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 15:57
|
|
|
Computer viking posted:One of the benefits of being from a small country: my mom grabbed surname@gmail.com, while I put an initial in front to match some other usernames. I also managed to get mysurname@gmail.com. Unfortunately, my name translates to "cheap" in a language of a people that values a good bargain. So for a while I was getting offers from cheap foreign mp3 sites and other shady business ventures to buy my email. I also get a lot of emails mistakenly sent for people using initial/firstname.mysurname. I am too proud of my first wave Gmail to give it up.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 16:00
|
|
|
Every few months I get email meant for the person with my name who lives in California. I always make sure to politely reply pointing out their mistake because he's an educator and seems like a nice guy.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 16:03
|
|
|
Hillary Clintons Thong posted:Cool, wanted to see if that was true, or just something I heard once and thought was true, if that makes sense. Actually I have to partially back that "yes" up, they absolutely rebranded but now that I think harder about it, I can't remember specifically why. Maybe someone not phone posting can find something online 
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 16:21
|
|
|
max4me posted:The branding stuff is fun. "A corvette's a chevy!?"
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 16:22
|
|
|
Captain Yossarian posted:Actually I have to partially back that "yes" up, they absolutely rebranded but now that I think harder about it, I can't remember specifically why. Maybe someone not phone posting can find something online reading the wikipedia article, and yeah, it seems a bit more complex. Stuff to do with WWII and such. Oh well, no reason to further derail internet relics thread about. Thanks
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 16:24
|
|
|
My favorite is that my Chevy is a Suzuki with Chevy rebranding Gotta love marketing
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 16:36
|
|
|
Remember when 90s cars rejected the boxy electric shaver look of the 80s in favor of more organic lines? Like the frog-eyed 99 Ford Taurus? 
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:02
|
|
|
Germstore posted:I never fully understood all the weird car brands. Is it purely marketing to differentiate entry level and luxury? Is it to give the illusion of choice? Do other countries do it? Based only on Gran Turismo I get the impression that in japan cars under the Infiniti marque in america are just sold as Nissans. e: and it just occurred to me that Infiniti, Scion, Acura, Lexus are all western names, so probably just America. Infiniti exists in the US, though they're not that common.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:10
|
|
|
FilthyImp posted:Remember when 90s cars rejected the boxy electric shaver look of the 80s in favor of more organic lines? I stopped liking Volvo's design when they did this. The early 90's boxy Volvos are far superior to both the mid-late 90's "Boxy with slight curves" and the modern "this looks like basically every other car on the market" look computer parts posted:Infiniti exists in the US, though they're not that common. Really? Around here (NJ, NYC suburbs) I see 'em all the time. Lexus and Infiniti are the definition of "I want people to know I have money, but not that much money" car. Also, around here at least, Maserati seems to be usurping BMW as the noveau riche douchenozzle car of choice.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:17
|
|
|
drunk asian neighbor posted:I stopped liking Volvo's design when they did this. The early 90's boxy Volvos are far superior to both the mid-late 90's "Boxy with slight curves" and the modern "this looks like basically every other car on the market" look Fwiw in my previous job as a total loss investigator, infinities seem like really good cars
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:20
|
|
|
drunk asian neighbor posted:I stopped liking Volvo's design when they did this. The early 90's boxy Volvos are far superior to both the mid-late 90's "Boxy with slight curves" and the modern "this looks like basically every other car on the market" look I've been seeing a lot of Maseratis as well. I had an Infinity G35 and always wondered why it was branded that way instead of Nissan 350z Sports Coup.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:22
|
|
|
i usually hate lexus owners
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:22
|
|
|
havax posted:i usually hate lexus owners Same but bmw 4 wheel drive doesn't mean you can stop on ice doofus
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:23
|
|
|
Mad Monk posted:I've been seeing a lot of Maseratis as well. I had an Infinity G35 and always wondered why it was branded that way instead of Nissan 350z Sports Coup. Because you have to appeal to market segments. Social-climbing yuppies won't buy a hooligan 350Z, and street racer kids won't buy a posh G35. But change some badges and interior trimmings and voila, instant doubled market. Same reason why everybody and I mean EVERYBODY has to make small, medium, and large SUVs, and if you hear they're coming out with another vehicle next year I guarantee it'll be an SUV that fits between the small and the medium or the medium and the large
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:26
|
|
|
It's sad, hatchbacks are still viable but no one makes them anymore
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:30
|
|
|
Data Graham posted:Because you have to appeal to market segments. Excuse me I think you mean "crossover", SUVs are for those other people
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:30
|
|
|
theultimo posted:It's sad, hatchbacks are still viable but no one makes them anymore I think the Chevy Spark has a hatchback. It's sort of funny, but I remember in the 80s/early 90s when we had an era of really compact cars there were actually dedicated 'compact car only' parking spots at some locations in town. Essentially, areas around lamp posts and stuff that normal cars couldn't be used by traditional cars but fit really well with a Geo Metro.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:39
|
|
|
JediTalentAgent posted:I think the Chevy Spark has a hatchback. we still have those, of course no one cares and parks their F350 or Tahoe in them.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:42
|
|
|
Yeah my sx 4 Chevy rebadge can use the compact car spots, I do love it when a surburban tries
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:45
|
|
|
Maseratis are showing up more because Maserati dropped their prices and started releasing more affordable (but still high enough that the filthy poors can't afford it) models. "noveau riche" is absolutely a dedicated market share: it's the home of the Porsche Cayenna and Panamera, the BMW 3 and 5 series, Mercedes C class, etc. Not to mention all the luxury crossovers tailor-made for the soccer mom who doesn't want to look like A Poor in a minivan. Also I thought the Infiniti G35 was a rebranded Nissan Skyline and not a 350Z? I never knew why they didn't stick with the Skyline name - it sounds cool and also has a ton of immediate brand recognition among weeaboos and anybody who's ever seen Tokyo Drift. (Not to be confused with the Skyline GT-R of course)
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:45
|
|
|
I've only seen a Maserati in person once. I was a bit shocked to see they have a model that costs 5 figures now.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:46
|
|
|
drunk asian neighbor posted:Maseratis are showing up more because Maserati dropped their prices and started releasing more affordable (but still high enough that the filthy poors can't afford it) models. Nope, it's a luxury 350z The skyline is just a Nissan GT-R
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:48
|
|
|
There was a time when a "compact" car actually was, you know, small But now even a brand that starts out with its entire mission statement as "Make a good small car" has to make their homage car start out like 150% the size of the thing they're copying, and the very next thing they do is make a BIGGER AND BETTER version I mean if "Mini" is just going to make an SUV like everybody else, why the gently caress bother, might as well make the badge just a big middle finger if you're going to still call it "Mini" when it's the same size as every other CR-V clone Same with Fiat, yeah start out selling a 500 that's the smallest thing around and aww how cute, and then like clockwork "improve" it in response to "customer feedback" that says things like "not enough legroom/elbow room/headroom" and "couldn't you make it just a little bit roomier?" E: I know, this isn't AI, sorry
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:49
|
|
|
"JediTalentAgent" posted:Geo Metro. I had a Chevy Metro for a while.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:50
|
|
|
Data Graham posted:There was a time when a "compact" car actually was, you know, small Europeans nowadays are a lot taller and fatter than Italians in the 70s.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:51
|
|
|
Not 150% and up, jeez. Still, there's a pernicious effect of listening to focus groups: you're not ever going to hear someone say "Nice car, but couldn't you make it just a little bit smaller???" Hence the BMW 3-series is the size the 5-series used to be, so here comes the 1-series, and every year they all shuffle up the ladder again
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:54
|
|
|
how in the hell does this thread keep turning into car chat edit: heres a dumb old computer thing. i dont know exactly what the hell is happening here, but one of you probably does 
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:55
|
|
|
theultimo posted:Nope, it's a luxury 350z Yeah they rebranded the Skyline GT-R as just the GT-R a few years ago. According to Wikipedia though the G35 is in fact a Skyline. The 350Z and the Skyline are built on the same platform but the actual G35 is the same car that's known as the Skyline V35 outside the US.
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 00:16 |
|
|
drunk asian neighbor posted:
No idea, it's got the same engine as the 350z so that's where I got my idea from. I forgotten all about the skyline. Now I guess their normal model cars are Sentra, Altima, and Maxima?
|
|
#
?
Mar 23, 2016 17:56
|
|