GM's' Xerox Machine

Behold, an example of badge engineering gone wild: the Chevrolet Trailblazer and it's cousins (2002-2009).

By itself, the Trailblazer was a rather good SUV. It was comfortable enough, could carry a decent amount, and so on. Nothing out of this world, but not terrible.

Really, the most interesting thing about it was that had an optional inline six (I6) engine. Not a lot of truck, or cars, have those these days. Companies prefer the rougher, but more compact V6s.

This is the Chevrolet Trailblazer:
It's recognizable as a Chevrolet. It has the badge and line of chrome splitting the grill.
The back is fairly standard. We have the Chevrolet bow-tie.

Naturally, Chevrolet needed an SUV to compete in the market. It also provided the basis for a number of other models.

Like the five, yes five, vehicles built using the same body.

The GMC Envoy:
I always think of a GMC as a Chevy that costs more and has more leather. I don't see a point in the brand, let alone their vehicles. But they sell, they have a customer base, and so they naturally have a version of the Trailblazer.

The Oldsmobile Bravada:
Oldsmobile's version is slightly iffier. But the Bravada had been around since the early '90s, when it was a cousin of the smaller Blazer. So I'll give that to GM, a SUV between the Chevy and GMC made since. It filled a price point and had features common to both models.

The Buick Rainier:
Well, it came out after Oldsmobile was killed. In fact, they just took the Old's body and put a Buick grill on it. But the Buick was closer to the GMC in pricing, so GM's various divisions were starting to steal sales from each other.

That's not good, and it one of the major dangers with badge engineering.

The Isuzu Ascender:

Isuzu is known as a truck maker. However, they made cars and trucks for non-commercial consumers. But, when the Ascender came out, Isuzu had a grand total of three products to sell. Four, after this SUV.

That's why GM gave them the Ascender, to prop up sales. But, really, if you have the choice between an established brand like Chevrolet and Isuzu (and they're selling the same basic product) which one are you going to buy? There wasn't enough of a difference between the Isuzu and any of the rest to really recommend it.

And the Saab 9-7x:
The most unnecessary of all.

Saab is small Swedish company. They built sporty hatchbacks and compacts that were turbo powered with front wheel drive and had the ignition key between the front seats. Their cars were a stylish, small, and sporty way to slam into a tree and kill yourself.

Like this:
In short, they were very good cars. They had their own distinct, Swedish, personality.

So, why, why did GM give them an SUV?

Because SUVs were selling, and it seemed like a good way to prop up Saab's sales. But it didn't work. It looks like what it is, an attempt to give Saab a new product with the least amount of effort possible.

That's the danger with badge engineering, it can become a quick fix to a larger problem. Executives start thinking that if one thing is a success they can duplicate it in a slightly different form and make more money.

But it doesn't always work if the products don't fit the brand right, like the Buick or the Saab. It becomes a waste of effort and money. An effort that can seriously hurt a brand's reputation.

Overdrive is necessary––to take the Saab 9-7x off a cliff at about 90mph. Once it's done bouncing down to its final resting place, I'll take off in an old Saab 900.