Today The Autopian published Sam Abuelsamid’s review of the Jeep Wagoneer S, an electric Jeep SUV sharing most of its name with a body-on-frame, Hurricane inline-six powered vehicle in the Jeep lineup. Both these vehicles in the Jeep lineup are — like the Jeep XJ and ZJ before — leveraging the name of one of the most legendary nameplates in history, one based on a beautiful Brooks Stevens-designed vehicle whose production run lasted from the early 1960s until 1991. Most remember that car from the show Breaking Bad, the moving Without a Paddle, the label of Founders IPA, or any other number of appearances, which is why Jeep keeps bringing it back. But while the new Wagoneers could be considered a blasphemous take on the old Wagoneer given their lack of woodgrain, it’s definitely not the worst example.
So, I think the most obvious example of “misuse” of a legendary brand name might be the Ford Mustang Mach-E, but that’s actually a decent vehicle, plus I’m a Jeep person so I’m just going to vent a bit about the Jeep Cherokee “KJ” model for a bit (this was called the Liberty in the U.S.). I realize that there are some other, modern examples of legendary names being chucked on vehicles without an ounce of the original’s soul/capability, but the KJ Cherokee/Liberty sticks out to me because of just how much of a downgrade it was over the XJ it succeeded.
To be sure, on paper, it was an upgrade. It had more power, a better ride, an updated interior, and more space. But the problem was: It gave up three key things that made its predecessor so great: Off-road capability, reliability, and soul.
The old Jeep Cherokee XJ was an off-road billygoat, with a solid front axle that offered articulation, durability, and above all, lift-ability. It’s a key reason why you see so many lifted XJs, and that’s a key reason why they’re so legendary in the off-road scene.
The successor, the Cherokee/Liberty, had a smooth independent front suspension, it it wasn’t as durable, couldn’t be fixed as easily, and didn’t offer the articulation or lift-ability. What’s more, the 3.7-liter V6 was a clear downgrade from a reliability standpoint, and thanks to the added weight over the predecessor, it really didn’t feel any quicker or more efficient. What’s more, the Liberty’s transmission was also a major reliability downgrade. All these compromises, plus the softer, more-forgettable styling, make the Jeep Cherokee/Liberty KJ a blasphemous sequel in my eyes. I’ll admit that these days I’m starting to come around to the styling a bit, but it’s blasphemous nonetheless.
But there are so many more examples. What do you consider the most blasphemous use of a legendary nameplate?
Images: Jeep
Anything Mitsubishi has slapped on after the they discontinued the Lancer Evo. And the 3rd and 4th gen Eclipses before that.
Ford never should have reused the Model A name for that oversized, overpowered, over-featured thing they made for a few years following the Model T. It has almost nothing in common with the original:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52381605498_7d044a670e_c.jpg
Yes, in what world does ‘A’ come after ‘T’?
Mini. Because, well, they aren’t.
I think the biggest case of blasphemy in the use of muscle car names is the 1981-1987 Dodge Charger! FWD, sub compact. They came with a 70-hp VW engine. Think about that… it made me sick to see it.
Was looking for this! What made it even worse was that the other badge-engineered versions had better choices.
What about the Jeep Compass?
There was never a good one in the first place so I’d be fine if they slapped in on an outhouse on casters.
These kind of posts are always a guilty pleasure for me. For some reason I just love the mustang tears. Now we get land cruiser tears too, it’s great.
I really expected this to be a shot at the Renegade version of the Liberty. I was ready to defend it because, factory light bar! While I never loved the Liberty, a green pre-facelift with the renegade package and that requisite roof-mounted switch just hits the spot for me.
Camry. Will they EVER stop using the name???
Corolla says no.
Agreed. I wish Toyota would just drop their use of “Crown” derivatives in general. There’s so many more exciting name possibilities out there.
Cherokee, particularly when applied to the wedge-shaped version (I’m not even going to dignify it by looking up the two-letter model designation). The only slightly redeeming thing about it is that one of the managers where I work bought a Cherokee with the Trailhawk trim package, thinking it was equivalent to a Wrangler for some reason. That was entertaining.
I had to explain to my brother-in-law that as a wrangler owner, I was not gonna jeep wave him in his patriot.
But you’ll at least give him a duck though, right?
no I had to be guilted into giving one to my friend with a lifted armored XJ on 33s. I tend to only duck interesting wranglers.
Do Gladiators count?
I will wave at one but probably not duck one. everyone needs boundaries.
Respectable.
If you ask Bill Stephens, he’d say Ramcharger. He feels the legendary race team by that name should not have been cribbed for a pickup-truck Blazer-wannabe thingy.
The truth is, Ramcharger is such a cool car name that it’s a amazing one of Chrysler’s many owners hasn’t used it again. Gotta be an EV, right?
Mustang Mach E wins that crown.
The Ford Capri CUV-ish thing.
First we had the Lincoln Capri – then the Mercury Capri (Euro and Fox) – now a jacked up Polestar 2 knockoff?
But that’s not the worst:
Remember that awful Lincoln MKT Minivan thing with the cleft-lip baleen whale grille?
Then after discontinuing the Panther-based Town Car, appended that nameplate to the MKT?
Yeah – That was pathetic.
The “mustang” mach e
Why on earth did they slap the name on a crossover???
They could have saved it for an electric coupe, and beaten Dodge to the punch. Something like the Cobra Jet 1400 but a bit saner
100,000 times this. I still don’t get it. The Mach-E looks great and seems competent. Giving it the Mustang moniker just made people confused and mad, and that’s not what you want for an American audience. We do stupid things when we are confused and mad.
The Liberty rusts just as good as older Jeeps, and really, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Now, considering the WK doesn’t get the same hate as the Liberty in spite of many of the same sins (IRS, swapping the 4.0L for the 3.7, assorted Cerberus-era issues), I kind of suspect styling is a piece of it. We went straight from the iconic, straight-edged Cherokee to the softer, sort of cute Liberty, while the Grand Cherokee went from iconic, straight-edged ZJ to bubbly WJ to staid, but recognizably Grand Cherokee XK. Whether or not it has the same issues, it’s not upfront about them.
I do think the Wagoneer is the one that annoys the most, because the original was a design classic that the new one will just never be, people won’t want to see it in production in 30 years, they barely buy it now.
Another one is the 5th gen Land Rover Discovery, because they just went with such rounded, forgettable styling, they opened the door for the active lifestyle Defender to replace the unchanging workhorse Defender (I stand by the Defender being a meh Defender, but a great Discovery).
I’d go with the final 1990-1993 Chrysler Imperial
In the 1920s and 30s, it was a top tier luxury car that could hold its own against Packard and Pierce-Arrow, and could be had with bespoke coachwork from the likes of LeBaron, Rollston, or Murphy
In the 1950s and 60s, Imperials offered higher build quality than Lincoln and Cadillac, with beautiful wood and leather interiors
Then, the name finished its days as a stretched K-car derivative with a big plastichrome grille. Even the padded vinyl roof was half-assed, having to be continued down onto the rear doors because the roof and c-pillars weren’t beefy enough to pull off the look
Hey, but it was apex K-Car, at least. No K was ever as festooned with malaise ridiculousness as the Imperial.
It was one of a kind. Just not in a good way.
You just have to laugh at that button-tufted interior gloriousness. Badges and trim in chrome, stainless and gold all at once, oh my! It’s just too bad they had done away with the talking systems monitor by then.
Don’t forget the crystal key.
Pontiac LeMans
Came to post this.
I mean f**** just look at the google search result and see the 4 cars in the preview on the right side of the screen. I can’t believe they did this at the time! The car wasn’t even built in the US!
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=pontiac+lemans&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Ps- Autopian pleeeeease let us post images! Comments to articles like this are BEGGING for it!
I did bring this glaring issue about two years ago. Mercedes Streeter replied brilliantly why The Autopian can’t do this feature.
By the way, you can embed the link in the word: highlight the word, click on symbol that resembles slant figure eight, paste the link, then you’re done.
Pontiac GTO.
On one hand I agree with you, on the other, I kinda want one.
See below. My comment has two meanings, one of which I didn’t see.
I wrote the same thing before I saw your post. It almost felt like it was the perfect final distillation of the malaise attitude.
Funny that. I was referring to Pontiac’s theft of the Ferrari 250 GTO name, but your point is equally appropriate.
Everyone complains about the Mustang Mach E but the Mustang II was far worse. Most of the muscle car names were used in the 1980’s and early 1990’s on truly terrible cars.
Given that my wife, who knows nothing of cars, HATES the current blazer for being called a blazer, I’ll have to vote for that one.
My early ’90’s Blazer was an utter POS.
They could name a Porta-John as the 2026 Blazer and it’d be an improvement.
Any supercar manufacturer putting their name on an SUV. Lambo, Porsche, Jaguar, Ferrari, whatever. That’s not what or who they’re supposed to be.
I would grant an exemption to the LM002 for being so delightfully insane. Otherwise agreed.
But this is about names, not brands.
Besides, if the SUVs are what sells, I can hardly blame them for choosing to adapt rather than die.
How do you feel about a supercar with Ford badges?
Just fine! Unfortunately it’s a one way street.
Any Malaise Era American car with an existing name. Mustang Mach-E has been said several times, but it needs to be said again. Making the Hornet a crossover is a crime, especially when Dodge could have really used a small, fun car in the lineup.
Slapping a Land Cruiser badge on a 4-cyl Prado should have resulted in jail time. The Chevy Blazer should have been a Jeep and Bronco rival, not a generic crossover.
Blazer. Put it on the EV suv, while Bronco was on a proper Off-Roader. Although Bronco Sport could be a close second.
Let me try again.
I have absolutely no doubt of her desirability and appeal, but David fake-naming his fiancee (now wife, unless she’s reconsidered) with the appellation of the just-discontinued Lotus Elise (which was its actual name) was a bit disrespectful to both.
No?
Maybe it’s because David gets in lots of trouble, usually serious.
I don’t think GM really did justice to the second half of the Facel Vega’s nam… oh, that wasn’t quite what you meant?
Two late Mercuries come to mind: Mercury Monterey and Mercury Montego. Both names originally tied to massive Mercury sedans of the land-yacht era, then applied to slightly but not entirely luxury Ford rebadges of the Freestar Minivan and the 500/Taurus. Really low effort there at the end from Ford.
Came here to say this.
Montego did not offend me as much as Monterey (Which was a top of the line Mercury Sedan for a number of years before becoming the bottom-of-the-line full-sized Mercury) being used on a Minivan.
But the Marauder gets a pass. Awesome car.
Oh hell yeah. Such a sleeping black Panther.
Came here to say Mustang Mach E and am unsurprised that it’s already been said several times. I’ll add the inevitable Corvette or Camaro crossover to the list as well because it’s absolutely happening at some point and it’ll probably be an EV which will make things even worse. I also think Lotus and MG becoming overweight Chinese EVs is pretty egregious as well.