Date:         Tue, 16 May 2000 01:04:11 +0200
Reply-To:     Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Subject:      Re: Hiace Web
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Andrew Grebneff wrote:

> Per Lindgren wrote that the Hiaces now sold in Europe are different. I'm
> not sure what those vans are, but they are almost certainly another model
> with Hiace badges fitted. The true Hiace remains the same good-looking
> forward-control (cabover) vehicle released in 1988 or so, with engine
> mounted over the front suspension.

Yes, this one was deleted in 96, when the new model came around. Just like the
Vanagon/Eurovan issue.

> If the van sold in England has a nose
> like a Transit or T4 Transporter/Caravelle, it's not a real Hiace! Sorry,
> Per! I have seen a single snouted UGLY "Liteace" here, which I think was a
> rebadged Deliboy (yes!).

Sorry, but that's the situation where the progress takes place, it is just you
guys stuck with the old stuff :-)

>
>
> Toyota did this sort of badge-engineering in England, and possibly also the
> rest of Europe, with a car there badged Carina. Now, the real Carina
> started off as a car based on the Corona but with different glass, interior
> and body panels; we get Japanese-market examples here, so I know what the
> originals are! The 1984-87 model differed from the Corona visually; the car
> sold as Carina in Britain was 100% Corona, with Carina badges. For the next
> two generations, 1988 onward, the Carina was different to the Corona
> original only in lights, front fenders, hood (bonnet, homburg, whatever)
> and dashboards. after 1996 I dunno, as no new Coronas were imported, and I
> haven't seen any Coronas or Carinas of the current generation. note that
> Carinas and coronas have the same model designation eg the 1988-1992 sedan
> of both is an ST160, or if diesel, CT160.

Carina, Corona, Corina Carone, who cares? Not a VW nut like me :-). But there
is much truth in the badge engineering. I know that some cars even have
different names on the Euro market. The Mitsu Pajero is called Montero in the
US and Shogun in the UK. And the Isuzu Off Road cars are badged Opel in
mainland Europe, Vauxhall In Britain and Eire.

Anyway, Toyota is the only Japanese competitor to the VW here these days. The
Nissan is gone, the Mazda is gone, the Isuzu is long gone. OTOH, the Toyota is
very popular, and the competition in the sales list is tough, especially when
Ford is launching a new Transit these days.

And to the US crowd, the Chevys are expensive and only for the specially
interested, and the Chrysler Mini's are almost only sold as family wagons.

PerL