Subaru makes the new Saab 9-2...AAGGHHH!!

[2deadlegs]

I was sitting in my office (the can) reading an issue of consumer reports when I read that the new Saab 9-2 is a "thinly disguised" Subaru impreza wagon.

Did they ever make a wagon for Suzuki? I only ask this because there is one that lives by me and I always mistake it for a 95+ Lgacy wagon.

Anyone ever make vehicles for Subaru? Subaru ever make vehicles for anyone else?

I heard the Justy isn't really a roo at heart.

[gator gt]

No, Subaru doesn't make the Suzuki wagon.

If you look at some of the 'cheaper' Asian vehicles, you'll see a lot of stolen design cues.

I see it in Suzuki A LOT. Hyaundai and Kia do it a lot too.

Izuzu made the Passport (Rodeo clone) for Honda. It also rebadged its Trooper for the Acura version...forgot the letter designation.

Lot of swapping, stealing and deal making over there in Asia.

GGT

[2deadlegs]

I know all about the larger auto makers trading badges but I never figured Subaru would sell out.

Whats funny is that there is no such thing as Acura in Japan.... :lol:

[Wiscon_Mark]

No such thing as lexus in japan either, toyota is a luxury brand. (I think)
As for the subaru/saab thing, its a joint project, not a design steal. I read about it 5 months ago in Car and Driver. The suzuki....yeah, that's just a body copy.
Hyundai's look like Mercedes as often as possible.
Suzuki's look like Subarus
Kia's try to look like Hyundai's :D
Let's face it, GM cars are all the same with different shells :wink:
The line between some cars and BMW's is thinning. (this applies to many different cars)
Lexus and Infinity are starting overlap in design.
Volvo's are still boxes at heart
Many brands copy toyota also.
The Acura SUV (old one) was the SLX, I believe and it was rated unsafe due to rollover just like its twin.
Honda was stupid to copy the passport from Suzuki.
There are several others that I'm forgetting....

Yes, the copying takes place everywhere....not just in Asia.

[belladonna]

2deadlegs - subaru didn't really sell out that much. gm only owns about 20% of them and it's taken this long for subaru design ideas to start infiltrating the rest of the gm mecca.

mark - many brands do copy toyota and how many are owned by gm? :wink: anyone heard of the toyota cavalier?

[2deadlegs]

If you think about it, Subaru making cars for other companies is a good thing. Now there will be less pieces of crap on the road.

Today Saab.....tommorow the whole world!!!! Sweet!!

[jey]

I heard the Justy isn't really a roo at heart.

Right, it's a Suzuki Swift :)

[belladonna]

i thought the former geo metro was the swifts' counterpart?

[Reason]

Geo was bought by GM and incorporated in their Chevy line. GM is huge compared to the rest of the industry. GM makes Hummer, Chevy, GMC, Cadillac, Saturn, Oldmobile, Buick, Pontiac and I'm pretty sure the Own SAAB too. I also heard they have a few brands outside the States like Holden and Opel, but I could be wrong. Ford has Lincoln, Mercury and I know they did a little swapping with Mazda, not sure if they own them. I know ford has their feet over seas but I'm not a Ford fan and I wouldn't know Squat! Dodge and Plymouth cars were made on the same assembly line. A friend of mine worked for Dodge and they had to send cars back for the wrong badging.

Anyone one of us could be here all day naming all these brands that make or swap with these other companies.

[Tris_STi]

The Justy is not subaru in any way, and it's FORD, counterpart to the .. fiesta, methinks? Anyway, it's an inline 4, and 4 lug. It DOES have electronic AWD, but its' still not a scoob.
I did see one of the above mentioned saabs, earlier yesterday. I made it a point to mean mug. It looks JUST like a WRX wagon. I don't like it one bit. ..but I'm a purist, ya know?

[Wiscon_Mark]

So that's why it got good mileage, cause it isn't subaru....sacrifice good power though, the fiesta was a dog.

[belladonna]

reason - gm is the largest automotive corporation in the world.
while you are right that they own the companies you mentioned, they also own saab, holden, opel and vauxhall...
to clear up ford...they own ford, lincoln, mercury, mazda, volvo, jaguar, land rover and aston martin...

[SmoothLegacy]

I havent seen too many of the 9-2x's around either. Maybe a handful since it has been out. Many car companies these days are joining together on projects. Toyota and GM are doing a joint hybrid project. I was talking to a Toyota salesman the other week and he mentioned that Toyota will be the largest carmaker by the end of the decade. According to him (whether its true or not is up in the air) Toyota has enough cash in the bank to buy GM and Ford outright. Kinda wierd if you ask me...

[Wiscon_Mark]

Toyota is the most popular brand in Japan, I hear. Japan has a lot of people, so that's probably where they make most of their cash. And they don't engineer a lot of new things (besides the hybrid stuff). Look how long they've had the 1.5L I4 engine. They're very smart with their money.