I can understand vw/audi group sharing engines and the like with other companies but I seem to read so much about unlikely partnerships that are downwright weird and sordid .why has a mini got a chrysler engine?isn't that part of mercedes or daimler is it?did i read they are looking at a peugot engine for the next mini? i thought bmw were quite handy with cars and things. can't they make their own for it?might cure some of the problems

I can understand vw/audi group sharing engines and the like with other companies but I seem to read so much about unlikely partnerships that are downwright weird and sordid .why has a mini got a chrysler engine?isn't that part of mercedes or daimler is it?did i read they are looking at a peugot engine for the next mini? i thought bmw were quite handy with cars and things. can't they make their own for it?might cure some of the problems

The next Mini engine is indeed, according to this month's evo mag, a colaboration between BMW & Peugeot. It makes sense for both companies: Peugeot get access to BMW tech, BMW get access to Peugeot's FWD know how - after all apart from the (largely Rover developed) Mini they don't have a FWD car. Also, of course, BMW & Peugeot share the development costs.

The use of the Chrysler engine was decided on very early in the Mini's design process. BMW wanted to back-out, and use something else, but they had a contract with Chrysler which would have been very costly to cancel - lots of penalty clauses & legal costs as I recall.

The international motor vehicle world has seen lots of strange bedfellows:-

- VW Sharan & Ford Galaxy were developed together

- Citroen Synergie/Peugeot 806 share a platform with the Fiat Ulysse

- Diamond Star was a collaboration between Chrysler and Mitsubishi. The Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser were based on a common design; the Mitsubishi Galant had a lot in common with the Dodge Stratos.

- Even before Chrysler merged with Mercedes Benz, they had a joint production plant (Eurostar) in Austria.

- The CityRover is a badge-engineered Tata Indica from India.

I could go on...

The Ford TDCi and current crop of Pug diesels are the same.

Peugeot, Citroen and Toyota have designed city cars to be built at the same plant in the Czech Republic.

It all helps keep development costs down for them all to save money.

VW Sharan & Ford Galaxy were developed together

And the Alhambra, and all built by SEAT on the same production line.

Ford share diesel engines with pug and citroen...

the Daewoo something or other was a mk2 astra..

the dihatsu YRV is a toyota yaris

Ford also provide about 90% of the Mazda line up.

the Jaguar X-type... is actually a mundano :thumbdwn:

the dihatsu YRV is a toyota yaris

Not really, it shares an engine with it, but very little else.

the Jaguar X-type... is actually a mundano :thumbdwn:

Sad really isn't it ..........

At one time Jag's were the dogs ..

Now unfortunately a Ford in drag .........and a poor Ford at that .......

dont forget many other key sharing bit..

xkr=db7=xjs.....

mazda6=mondeo

mazda3=focus and so on..

bmw td used in bmw / omega / discos / rangies

merc td in ssangyong and a few others too...

1.8t used in many kit cars as was the k series

monaro = holden = pontiac gto

not to mention lancia thema 8.32 with a fezza v8....

elise/exige now use 1.8vvt mr2/celica engine

xj220 was the 6r4 v 6 unit with a couple of turbos.. wich in turn was orig a prototype honda v6 f1 design.....

xj220 was the 6r4 v 6 unit with a couple of turbos.. wich in turn was orig a prototype honda v6 f1 design.....

so the xj220 is a really really fast metro?

quite funny really

Ford also provide about 90% of the Mazda line up.

This would explain the old Mazda 121 and the old Fiesta looking similar.

VX220. Lotus design. Lotus build.

This would explain the old Mazda 121 and the old Fiesta looking similar.

Similar? I'm convinced they just replaced the Ford badges with Mazda badges on that car... and then probably proceeded to charge another grand on top

Similar? I'm convinced they just replaced the Ford badges with Mazda badges on that car... and then probably proceeded to charge another grand on top

Well berky, my uncle owns one and my wife untill a year or so back owned a Fiesta. Other than the badges the 2 cars were identicle.

the Jaguar X-type... is actually a mundano :thumbdwn:

No it's not. It doesn't share very much with the Mondeo, other than the diesel engine.

I don't see many awd, variable-valve V6 mondeos in the line up.

Besides, there are worse cars to base a 'performance' car on than the Mondeo: it's pretty much best in class.

Which was more than could be said for the mk IV golf chassis :sofahide:

Heebee, it shares a floorpan some of the transmission ( you can buy 4wd mondeos in europe but not the uk iirc.... also minor switchgear...

ref golf mk4 floorpan.. yes the mondeo is a better base ... however the bora floor pan used by the leon / octy is a much better starting point thant the std mk4 golf one... which is why octys and leons out handle golfs....

This would explain the old Mazda 121 and the old Fiesta looking similar.

How similar do you want? They were both built at the Dagenham plant, The only difference was the badges, spec level, warranty and price. The 121 was better VFM, but no one brought it so it was discontinued in favour of importing the Demio, which no one brought either.

The VW/Skoda sharing still get's me.

Sat in a Fubry vRS at the dealers. A bit snug, but alright. Turn over the engine. Unmistakably a diesel, but quite acceptable.........

And the VW Passat, a car marketed as a barely-sub-premium family saloon, with the same engine and running gear, lest we forget.......?

NVH is like a clapped-out Transit from the 1980's. It's sounds harsh from outside and inside when cold. Once warmed up, inside is still very "throbby", to the point a throttle blip will rock the car from side to side (which I quite enjoy, frightens the local Barryboys.....) but outside it still sounds like the coming of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse........

Such a difference.........

Who can forget the new 'Chevrolet's' an entire car companys Europe launch based around rebadged Daewoos, who in turn launched with 10 year old Vauxhalls.

Wasn't the Lancia Delta developed partly with Saab so Lancia could learn about rust prevention? Shame it didn't work! I have a vague recollection that the Delta was sold in Scandinavia as the Saab 600, but could be wrong.

They also worked together on the Saab 9000, Lancia Thema, Fiat Croma and Alfa 164 project.

And how about the Alfa Arna/Nissan Cheery Europe? ARGH!

the Jaguar X-type... is actually a mundano :thumbdwn:

Not to mention the back end of the estate version looks like a Volvo V40

The VW/Skoda sharing still get's me.........

Lets not forget about our friends at Audi and Seat who also share VW/Skoda platforms. In all fairness, VAG must be the daddies at coming up with one idea then changing it slightly and selling it to the masses as a range of different and 'unique' products. Then look what happens we get groups of grown men stood around say that one is significantly better than the other, but when you drill down to the nuts and bolts turns out they've all rolled out of the same factory..... BTW not trying to start anything just find it tickling sometimes... after all we're one big happy family

Just one more to throw in, and I think there will be some peeps out there who will like this one - apparently the Porsche Boxers uses the Furby heater matrix to keeps it occupants toast on cold days....

isn't saab doing a scooby or something?are these two companies related or is it a one night stand that might produce an interesting love child?