For the US market, SAAB has rebaged the Impeza into the 9-2x, and made one or two styling and handling changes. It is built on the same production line in Japan and as there is no Diesel option and the Impreza is priced in the same bracket as the 9-3 (and SAAB would charge more for the 9-2 being a premium brand), it is not coming to Europe.

There is also a 4x4 called the 9-7 and is a modified Chevy Balzer IIRC. It is not coming here for the same reasons.

Future versions of both models may make it into Europe though.

Wasn't also the Fiat 20v Turbo lump based on the same basic engine design as the Lancia Integrale ?

Nothing unusual to share cost, it is the same in IT industry

For some customers we may work with our biggest competitors and do a joint-bid, other times it's bid against them..

Just coz you share some components doesn't mean you get the same end result. It could be cheaper/more expensive, had the 'right' badge, option availability, all that...

Consumers want to have choice, whether real or perceived

Heebee' date=' 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.... [/quote']

But how much of the 'floorpan' is actually shared? It's not an 'off the shelf' item by any means.

The X-type doesn't drive like a mondeo, either. The suspension is firmer, and the steering more communicative. I'd agree to a point that it may be the wrong car for Jaguar to be building, but it certainly isn't 'just a Mondeo': there are many, many differences between the cars.

As for switchgear: who cares? Switches are horribly expensive to develop, so why bother when you can take a reliable one out of a parts bin?

The Lotus Esprit started life with Marina door handles, and no doubt some switch gear. That doesn't mean it was a Marina.

As for switchgear: who cares? Switches are horribly expensive to develop' date=' so why bother when you can take a reliable one out of a parts bin?

QUOTE']

A fair point but i had to double take when i saw the same switch gear on the dash of an Aston Martin (

A fair point but i had to double take when i saw the same switch gear on the dash of an Aston Martin (

I suspect the main difference in cost isn't attributed to the switch gear though!

Besides which' date=' you have to admire the dedication of the company who uses the same quality switches from their megabucks supercar in their entry-level supermini...

Rob.[/quote']

I doubt many people really appreciate how much it costs to develop switches, handles and that sort of thing. They are put through endless cycles of fatigue tests, they have to be crash-tested, and they have to pass specific legislation in some cases (e.g. window winders have to pass a 'break off' load test). Many smaller manufacturers simply can't justify the millions of pounds required to develop these items: it's development money that could be spent better elsewhere.

I doubt anyone would try and start a car company these days: it's too costly. The amount of legislation is staggering, and development costs continue to soar.

The Vauxhall 4x4 barge thing, forget what they're called now , was simply an under-powered, rebadged Izusu (Rodeo) 4x4.

Going back to the Mazda 121, basically, Mazda did produce a 121 model of their own (similar to a Nissan Micra, high-whale-like roof) but one year Britain set some quotas up or something and Mazda decided they needed use the quota importing higher profit cars. So, they asked ford to rebadge the Firesta, mechanically unchanged, so they could 'pretend' to still offer the 121 in the UK.

In the US, many of the sister brands that Ford, GM and Chrysler have are simply ways of denoting different comfort levels. Although a similar statement could be made of Skoda/Seat/VW/Audi, the thing is over there that the vehicle often stays unchanged externally (past badges) and it is just the finish etc. that changes (See Chrysler Voyager/Dodge Caravan etc etc).

Americans .....

Rich, adding more coal to the fire

I doubt many people really appreciate how much it costs to develop switches' date=' handles and that sort of thing. They are put through endless cycles of fatigue tests, they have to be crash-tested, and they have to pass specific legislation in some cases (e.g. window winders have to pass a 'break off' load test). Many smaller manufacturers simply can't justify the millions of pounds required to develop these items: it's development money that could be spent better elsewhere.

I doubt anyone would try and start a car company these days: it's too costly. The amount of legislation is staggering, and development costs continue to soar.[/quote']

.....don't think some worry about spending

mmm the X-Type is a bit more than a Mondeo in drag it shares the floor pan and some engines. The Mondeo is certainly one of the best driving mid market cars I've driven even if it does look like crap!!! Mate of mine is an engineer for Ford of Europe and is working on the next Mondeo/Volvo S80-S60-V50/LR Freelander/Galaxy project, asked him about the next X Type but he says that it won't be so heavily Mondeo based.