[The Rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

I recently came across the trend of ironic badging, a somewhat-approved-by-car-enthusiasts form of fake-badging. One example of this is of people in the USA who have replaced the Chevrolet badges on their SS with Holden badges instead (since the SS is effectively a rebadged Holden)

I own an MG Hector, and have been think for a while now of doing something like that. The Hector is a rebadged version of the Baojun 530, and is also sold as the Wuling Almaz and new Chevrolet Captiva in some markets.

Wuling and Baojun badges and lettering would be difficult to source here, but I could get them 3D-printed through a 3D Printing shop (I found 3D models of these badges online) - while Chevrolet badging should be fairly easy to find in India.

My questions are:

1 - Is this actually a good idea? Is it a genuinely funny little joke, or a stupid thought?
2 - Would this earn me a place on the W&W thread?

All help would be appreciated. Thanks!

It's totally up to you but IMHO changing the badging won't really make any difference. The vehicle will still remain the same. I'm not a fan of adding any more badges than what came from the factory. In fact, I belong to the community where we de-badge our cars for a 'Cleaner' look. Makes the vehicle look smooth if you ask me

[digitalnirvana]

Cool idea!

I'd have removed the Internet Inside badge and put an Engine Inside badge.

[PaddleShifter]

Ironic badging- Does it mean changing the badge to an otherwise identical car from a sister brand? e.g. Urban Cruiser-Brezza.

The ricer in me has done three badge engineering jobs till date.

1. M800 Standard (Non AC): Added an EX badge to the car during first service. For reference, EX variant was an upgraded variant with coil spring suspension at the rear and spilt rear seats. DX was the top variant of M800 that additionally offered an AC.

2. Fiat Grande Punto (Emotion Pack) 75HP: Bought the top most variant of the FGT 75HP diesel motor and later on added a “90HP” badge to the car after an year.

3. Vitara Brezza ZDi owned by family: Replaced the ZDi badge with the ZDi+ badge during first service.

[2legit2quit]

My two cents: If it makes you chuckle everytime you look at it, go for it! I am one of those who enjoy a debadged vehicle, but my dream has always been to down badge a performance variant to an economy one (eg: M3 to 320i). I find it hilarious

[lordrayden]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

Is this actually a good idea? Is it a genuinely funny little joke, or a stupid thought?

If anything, it would tell people (that know who owns the MG badge) that you have a good sense of humor about yourself. I would get a kick out of seeing a Hector with a Baojun 530 brand. Definitely not stupid.

However, the next time you take it for a service, the Manager might want to have a word with you .

Originally Posted by GTO

People will think you are an MG India employee.

I would see it a little differently.

MG lays on the “Britishness” of their brand pretty thick, like with the “Brit Dynamic” and Union Jack plastered on the oh-so British named Gloster. They clearly want to hide the Chinese-ness of their company.

So if I see a Hector with a Baojun 530 badge on it, I would assume it’s a disgruntled former employee of MG India .

[Arsenic]

Quick update:

I wasn’t able to find a 3D Model for the Wuling badge, which leaves it up to putting either Baojun or Chevrolet badging on it.

If I went with the Baojun badge, I’d love to have the accompanying Chinese badging as well, and it would be amazing if a fellow BHPian could help with the 3D modelling of it. Pic shown below:

I do appreciate every response I’ve received so far. I should clarify that what I don’t want to do is upbadge the car (eg. adding a GT badge to an EcoBoost Mustang) - and rather I want to simply ironic-badge it - replace the MG badges with either the Baojun or Chevy badging.

@mods, if you could make a poll on which badge to pick between the Baojun and Chevy badging, that would be great

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

replace the MG badges with either the Baojun or Chevy badging.

Since you're going to do it, I would recommend Baojun since Chevy would be just like MG. It would miss the point

Might I also suggest to add the Baojun lettering on the hood


Disclaimer : I wouldn't do it if it was my car, maybe the QR code sticker.
I usually don't mess with whatever I have bought, that being said I wouldn't have bought the Baojun masquerading as a MG in the first place

[Haroon]

Reminded of the mid 90s when the Maruti Esteem was launched. A mallu friend who had the Maruti 1000 came home and I see the Esteem badge on it. Seeing my perplexed look, he said he had gone in for a complete upgrade conversion and cost him decent money! In mallu terms he said "Naalpad (40) aayi" which in the context would mean 40,000 which was a fair amount then in relative terms. I was still wondering and then he said the Esteem badge cost him Rs 40!!

[manpreetsj]

I feel GM logo (mirror image of MG) will look equally good and confusing at same time for those who don't know about GM and SAIC history! Baojun series was a brainchild of GM and SAIC JV. Earlier it didn't do well but later once Wuling joined a new JV with GM and SAIC, Baojun got a fresh lease of life. Added to this rebadging for different markets was added to the plan.

If you need 1 more suggestion. Add SUZUKI logo. The 1.5L turbo petrol engine used in MG Hector was co-developed by Suzuki and Daewoo Motors (Korean Co, which was acquired by GM Korea). GM Korea later used this engine in cars brought under trio's JV.

[vsbabu]

Baojun lettering looks cool. I prefer the MG logo at the middle though. While you are at it, how about getting that “Internet inside” in Mandarin too I saw bunch of Hectors during their media drive during launch and since then I can’t get over this huge badge at the back.

[Atul Kolekar]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

I recently came across the trend of ironic badging, a somewhat-approved-by-car-enthusiasts form of fake-badging.
=====
All help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Badging a MG to Wuling and Baojun won't qualify as iconic badging in my opinion. Chevrolet, may be fine but the brand does not enjoy iconic status at least in India.

On other hand, it would freak most MG owners if you badge it as Wuling and Baojun. Most of them were sold an Iconic British Badge and have no Idea of its true origin.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

…
If I went with the Baojun badge, I’d love to have the accompanying Chinese badging as well,
…

Visuals of people throwing away their Chinese televisions in a fit of rage are still fresh in my memory. So, I would only request you to not go overboard and make you car attract undue attention.

[ron178]

Interesting Paul Tan article about this: Perodua Kelisa owner fined for making his car look like a Daihatsu Mira Gino. Laws might be different in Malaysia but it's probably worth a read.

[Arsenic]

Originally Posted by ron178

Interesting Paul Tan article about this: Perodua Kelisa owner fined for making his car look like a Daihatsu Mira Gino. Laws might be different in Malaysia but it's probably worth a read.

Hope it’s not the same in India, considering that the police will fine you nowadays for anything from a roof wrap to a racing stripe.

[HammerHead]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

I recently came across the trend of ironic badging, a somewhat-approved-by-car-enthusiasts form of fake-badging. One example of this is of people in the USA who have replaced the Chevrolet badges on their SS with Holden badges instead (since the SS is effectively a rebadged Holden)

I own an MG Hector, and have been think for a while now of doing something like that. The Hector is a rebadged version of the Baojun 530, and is also sold as the Wuling Almaz and new Chevrolet Captiva in some markets.

Wuling and Baojun badges and lettering would be difficult to source here, but I could get them 3D-printed through a 3D Printing shop (I found 3D models of these badges online) - while Chevrolet badging should be fairly easy to find in India.

Be bold. Tell the world what you are really driving. Get the Baojun badge 3D printed and replace the MG badge