Rebadge engineering comes from the term Badge engineering, that simple means replacing the brand mark of one item by another, in order to evade the cost for innovating a fresh model and then marketing it. So the by replacing one company's logo on the product with another, product which is doing well in the market, the companies try to take cost effective advantage to expand their markets.

To put more simply, not much mechanical changes occur. One can easily find that a specific vehicle has been rebadged by looking it isn’t, keeping in mind the vehicle from which it has been incorporated. The intel put here is that, rebadging saves a firm from first setting up a whole new product in the market which may take longer time to be accepted by the crowd, second the cost of it all. Now this firm can look out to its ally to help it out to rebadge the some of its stock at much cheaper costs.

As observed from this trend, after a car has been rebadged, the modifications can be seen limited to headlamps, taillamps, front and rear, that goes for the common alterations. It is on partners wish to even change the engines and drivetrains for the ultimate product.

One might get baffled between the rebadging and platform sharing. Platform sharing is moreover a core term. Platform is shared basically to produce and sell a product but rebadging is more perfunctory and, considers moreover on the sales of the product. Let’s take a look over such cars in Indian auto-market.

Volkswagen Vento-Skoda Rapid

Rapid came out as the ultimate vehicle after Volkswagen and Skoda has caught up with each other. Last year, Rapid sold 2882 units and while Vento has already sold 3908 units. Rapid's front looks seem to be taken from Skoda Fabia while the rear and side profile are taken from Volkswagen Vento. The auto-developers have come about saving a lot money. It takes minimum of Rs. 300 crore for a new model, so you can imagine how comfortable would the alliance of two be feeling. The strategy of rebadging has proved fruitful for the brands that have multiple sub-brands, like Volkswagen, that also share platform with Skoda, Seat and Audi whereas Renault does it Nissan and Dacia.

Nissan Micra-Renault Pulse

On the insides, the Renault Pulse, the rebadged vehicle, doesnt offer much to you, that remains different from that of Nissan Micra. The list of features seems to long enough for you to reckon, for a car that will remain long in small class sector. The diesel engine is a 1.5liter dCi and petrol engine is 1.2liter. The new Renault Pulse will compete with models like Swift, Alto, Brio. The frennch auto maker is looking to sell the million figures by this year. The firm has set the location targets as India, Brazil and Russia.

Nissan Sunny-Renault Scala

French and Japanese auto makers have joined hands to sell the rebadged Scala. Sunny has been doing its time quite well in the market and the price of Scala saloon has aroused an anticipatory stir in the market and the auto lovers are waiting for it launch badly. The firm wishes to launch two more cars this year. The Scala saloon falls in the price bracket of Rs. 6-8 Lakhs. Such price tag is causing it to face competition from City, Sunny itself, Rapid, Linea, majorly. Scala is available in both the fuel types petrol and diesel. Sunny is known for its great pick-up and speed, same is expected from Scala.

Source : CarDekho