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2004 Buick Rainier
Badge engineering is alive — and well.
by TCC Team (2004-01-12)
Badge engineering is alive and well. It was just a few years ago that the automakers, especially General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, all were talking about really doing away with the practice, which basically amounts to slapping a different badge and grille on a vehicle already sold by one of the company's divisions. Mercury was supposed to get unique cars. Chrysler euthanized Plymouth in part because it had no unique vehicles to sell. And GM whacked Oldsmobile so it could focus its product development resources on giving every division unique vehicles. Great plan, eh?
Forget it. Enter the Buick Rainier. This sport-ute isn't too much more than a Chevy TrailBlazer or GMC Envoy with Buick's signature falling-water grille. I'm sure that Buick styling is indispensable for the division's die-hards, however many there are. But in reality, the Rainier exists because, with the death of Oldsmobile and its Bravada SUV, GM needed to maximize production at its mid-size SUV plants and do so without forcing more inventory on Chevy and GMC dealers. GM workers are now turning out Rainiers instead of Bravadas. Also, Buick dealers need something more to sell.
For the entire review click: here.
To View comments or to discuss this review and possibly sending an e-mail to TCC over their ridiculous comments click:here.
Badge engineering is alive — and well.
by TCC Team (2004-01-12)

Badge engineering is alive and well. It was just a few years ago that the automakers, especially General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, all were talking about really doing away with the practice, which basically amounts to slapping a different badge and grille on a vehicle already sold by one of the company's divisions. Mercury was supposed to get unique cars. Chrysler euthanized Plymouth in part because it had no unique vehicles to sell. And GM whacked Oldsmobile so it could focus its product development resources on giving every division unique vehicles. Great plan, eh?
Forget it. Enter the Buick Rainier. This sport-ute isn't too much more than a Chevy TrailBlazer or GMC Envoy with Buick's signature falling-water grille. I'm sure that Buick styling is indispensable for the division's die-hards, however many there are. But in reality, the Rainier exists because, with the death of Oldsmobile and its Bravada SUV, GM needed to maximize production at its mid-size SUV plants and do so without forcing more inventory on Chevy and GMC dealers. GM workers are now turning out Rainiers instead of Bravadas. Also, Buick dealers need something more to sell.
For the entire review click: here.
To View comments or to discuss this review and possibly sending an e-mail to TCC over their ridiculous comments click:here.