Sir, the car doesn't have feelings. It can't get hurt.

[draftermatt]

Toyota and Lexus has the same relationship that Nissan and Infiniti do. In fact, Lexus, I believe, is actually owned and operated by Toyota. It's just their "luxury" car line like Lincoln is to Ford

CH

You would be correct.

Ford-Mercury-Lincoln
Chevy-GMC-Buick-Cadillac (big reason they could nix Pontiac, either move down to Chevy or up to Buick)
Dodge-Chrysler
Scion-Toyota-Lexus
Nissan-Infiniti
Honda-Acura
VW-Audi (though I believe Porsche is now owned by the same folks as these two)

I have a friend who hates Ford products. Then she bought a Mercury, the irony seemed to be lost on her

[crazylegs]

I love the fact that my Skoda fabia is essentially a VW Polo - VW parts and build quality for a lot less cash!

[wolfie]

It got even more confusing when Chrysler axed the in-house chassis they build the Omni/Horizon on and opted to just import and re-name the then current Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback and put thier name on that, ending up with THREE cars on the same chassis different in name only with one obstensibly being an import,and two others domestic.... INSANITY!

Are you referring to the Dodge and Plymouth Colt? If so, you've made a slight mistake - there are FOUR cars on the same chassis different in name only. The Mitsubishi chassis design used on the Colt was also licensed by another company (hint - the logo on the grille is a styilized "H"), which re-styled the sheetmetal and sold it under the same name as a Microsoft product. Highlight the end of my post to see which car this was. Hyundai Excel

[RetailWorkhorse]

My mom still doesn't belive that the Lincoln Navigator is really just a Ford Expedition, or the Town Car is just a Crown Vic, or the Mark VIII was just a Thunderbird... and on and on it goes.

I hesitate to find out what my Jeep is....

[csquared]

It got even more confusing when Chrysler axed the in-house chassis they build the Omni/Horizon on and opted to just import and re-name the then current Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback and put thier name on that, ending up with THREE cars on the same chassis different in name only with one obstensibly being an import,and two others domestic.... INSANITY!

Don't forget the Eagle Summit.

Wolfie,
"H" built the car. Mitsubishi rebadged it as the Precis and sold it cheaper than the Mirage.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

My mom still doesn't belive that the Lincoln Navigator is really just a Ford Expedition, or the Town Car is just a Crown Vic, or the Mark VIII was just a Thunderbird... and on and on it goes.

My stepmom drives a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, which my Dad refers to as the "Cheap Lincoln."

They're both essentially the same vehicle, just different sheetmetal, as is the Crown Vic.

[Chromatix]

It's actually nice that VW and Porsche are under the same roof again.

The original VW (the old Beetle) was designed by none other than Ferdinand Porsche - though, pressed for time under Führer's orders, he "borrowed" a lot of design elements from the Tatra T97 - including the unusual air-cooled flat-four in the back. It's said that Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia partly to "deal with" a patent suit.

The original 911 models were essentially tweaked Beetles, too (for some value of "tweaked"). A stronger chassis, two fewer seats, a bigger engine, and a shape that at least looked faster... but still the same basic design with a flat air-cooled engine in the back, just like a small Tatra.

Tatra are still in business, but don't make cars any more - they make all-wheel-drive trucks that make a Humvee look pussy. With - you guessed it - air-cooled engines!

[Shalom]

Are you referring to the Dodge and Plymouth Colt? If so, you've made a slight mistake - there are FOUR cars on the same chassis different in name only. The Mitsubishi chassis design used on the Colt was also licensed by another company (hint - the logo on the grille is a styilized "H"), which re-styled the sheetmetal and sold it under the same name as a Microsoft product. Highlight the end of my post to see which car this was. Hyundai Excel

I don't think that's exactly correct somehow. If I remember correctly, the Excel was an original Hyundai design, using a Mitsubishi drivetrain, that was also sold under the Mitsubishi nameplate (as the Precis) but wasn't the same as the Mitsu that was sold as the Colt (which was the Mirage). I knew this because the Colt and the Mirage used an X54/X121 key blank, and the Excel and Precis used a different key blank (X160). I could generally tell whose cars were clones of another manufacturer's by which locks and key blanks fit what cars. E.G. the Mazda Navajo was obviously a Ford, because it had the regular 1984-1/2 Ford doubleside wafer tumbler key, just with a Mazda head on it.

(There was another car with the Excel name on it, of course, made by Lotus. This always confused me as a kid, because in the software industry, Lotus and Excel were competitors...)

[Magpie]

I'm going to expose my ignorance here (once again) and ask if these "identical" cars are actually the same, or if they're just built on the same line with the same parts? Because I know that I have worked for a company where it's lower end line was basically the same as the higher end one, but in addition to locking out some features in software, they didn't test it to the same level. So while yes, the same replacement parts could be used for both, and they were built on the same floor, the higher end one did indeed give better results.

[draftermatt]

I'm going to expose my ignorance here (once again) and ask if these "identical" cars are actually the same, or if they're just built on the same line with the same parts?

They're pretty much the same cars just the more expensive ones get some more bells and whistles and prettier sheet metal and interiors.

For example, a top of the line Ford Expedition has the same features as a Lincoln Navigator, it just says "Ford" and the leather may not be as soft. Same engine, transmission, drive-train, etc.

The OP's SC was driving a tarted up Nissan and calling it a "luxury" vehicle.

Sometimes the stuff they add can't be gotten on the base models no matter what options you get, but they're certainly not worth the added expense. It's just a prestige thing normally.

[mikoyan29]

My stepmom drives a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, which my Dad refers to as the "Cheap Lincoln."

They're both essentially the same vehicle, just different sheetmetal, as is the Crown Vic.

If I remember correctly they were built at the same factory on the same line.

[Argabarga]

My boyfriend explained how so many companies were offshoots of others, and told me which vehicles were identical frames, like a Ford Ranger and a Mazda... something :

That would be the Mazda B Series Pickup, just a Ranger with a different grille

[wolfie]

I hesitate to find out what my Jeep is....

AFAIK, the only Jeep with a "twin" is the Compass (twin of the Dodge Caliber). The Patriot is more of a cousin (drastically different sheetmetal, including where it doesn't show - Patriot can take a full-size spare, and one is offered as an option, Compass and Caliber can't).

[QASlave]

I hesitate to find out what my Jeep is....

Pre-1987, it was an AMC, since then, it's been a Chrysler. (Not sure when AMC acquired it, but don't think they were the original.)

[JustaCashier]

Pre-1987, it was an AMC, since then, it's been a Chrysler. (Not sure when AMC acquired it, but don't think they were the original.)

Off the top of my head, I can't remember if Willys was the creator of the Jeep, but they were an early builder of it.

Mike