How Tesla And Stellantis Can ‘Badge Engineer’ Their Way Out Of Their Deep Holes

This is a weird time in the automotive world, in many ways. The type of car one chooses has always telegraphed a lot about the person who buy it. But I think the implications and intensity of this concept are more intense now than ever, and an awful lot of that is thanks to Tesla. Over the past couple years or so, Tesla’s identity has transformed from the car of choice for eco-minded futurist-types to…something else. We all probably know the reasons why this is happening, but it’s actually now having some real effect on Tesla’s sales, which have been plummeting in markets all over the world.

So what is Tesla to do here? Should they just accept the alienation of what was once a core part of their market? And what about consumers who may actually want the sorts of cars Tesla offers, but just doesn’t want to deal with all of the considerable baggage that comes with them, either because those beliefs differ to drastically from their own, or even just that lots of people just have no interest in a car that makes any sort of political statement. They just want a car.

So, what’s to be done here? Well, all of you are in luck, because I’m in the business of turning on your headlights instead of cursing the darkness. There is a solution here – one that automakers have known about for the better part of a century! A little bit of carmaker magic usually called badge engineering.

(Image: Jason Torchinsky)

Badge engineering is process where one car gets re-badged and sold as another car. It’s the same car, but it wears the make and model name of something else, something new. Sometimes this process can get wildly involved – for example, the Hillman Avenger was sold under 13 different names, including models from Plymouth and Volkswagen and Sunbeam, for example. The Suzuki Swift had at least 15 different names!

(Image: Jason Torchinsky)

Sometimes the cars are just different brands under the same corporate umbrella, like Toyotas and Lexuses or any of the GM family (Chevy, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Cadillac, etc) but sometimes they can be re-badged under company names that are not affiliated in any other way, like how Mercedes-Benzes became Peugeots or Land Rovers became Hondas:

(Image: Jason Torchinsky)

And, somehow, all of this re-badging seemed to make money, at least to some degree, for both companies involved. That part I’m a lot more fuzzy on, but they wouldn’t keep doing it if it didn’t make some money, right?

I tell you all this just in case you’re, improbably, unaware of the power of badge engineering. And I think at this moment, badge engineering has the potential to save two companies: Tesla and Stellantis.

Yes, Stellantis! So far, Stellantis really doesn’t have much of a mainstream electric car lineup at all; they’re working on things, and they have some, like the Dodge Charger Daytona and the Fiat 500e and Jeep Wagoneer S, and some more on the way, like the Jeep Recon, but there’s nothing really established and mass-market just yet.

Tesla, though, has some of the best-selling mainstream EVs, like the Models 3 and Y. Those are perfectly fine EVs, with good range, acceleration, and features, but their name has become a liability. So what if those cars became Stellantis brands!

(Image: Dodge)

Consider this: What if the Model Y were re-badged as a re-born Dodge Neon? The Neon had personality and a distinctive, lovable look and appeal. Sure, it got diluted over the years and hasn’t been around for a while, but the friendly, plucky Neon brand identity could be just what a re-badged Model Y needs!

(Image: Jason Torchinsky)

I think this could work! The re-badging could be as basic as a new front fascia, maybe new taillights, and on-screen UX for the infotainment/instrument cluster display. There could be some de-contenting, like going to basic mechanical door handles instead of those complicated electric ones, and maybe options like Tesla’s Full-Self Driving (FSD) wouldn’t be offered.

The distinctive face is key here, really broadcasting the Neon identity, blinding people with the glow so they don’t see the Tesla lurking beneath. Sure, car geeks like us will know, but mainstream car buyers – they don’t care about this stuff. If it says Neon and has a big friendly face, it’s a Neon.

That’s my sorta-serious suggestion; there’s more possibilities here, too, if we can get a hair more bonkers:

(Image: Jason Torchinsky)

What about a new Plymouth Superbird? Bring back the old Plymouth name just for this car, give it the massive wing, and you’re in business. With a Tesla Model S Plaid as the basis, this thing would haul plenty of ass to justify the name.

Or, what about a luxury edition? Think Chrysler New Yorker!

(Image: the Bishop)

I have to thank The Bishop for this quick mockup, which would get the distinctive squared-off roofline of New Yorkers past via the same half-ass methods used before, sort of like how the 1980s New Yorkers used a boxy fiberglass cap inset into the rear window and covered the whole mess with a vinyl top:

Oy, look at that mess! Picture something like that under the vinyl top of that former Model 3, only maybe a little better, if you’re feeling generous. Tack on a chrome grille and opera lights and some opulent interior materials and boom, you have a terrific traditional-inspired compact premium EV sedan.

I get these last two are a bit silly, and these are, of course, just quick, thrown-together Photoshops. But I think the basic idea has some merit; Tesla needs to sell cars, and so does Stellantis. Tesla has a tainted name right now to some who don’t agree with his politics, and Stellantis just doesn’t have the cars. Together, they could solve one another’s seemingly intractable problems, and maybe everyone can win.

Or at least not lose quite so hard. Isn’t that what badge engineering is all about?

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