Unnecessary models in the range

[JT_EVO]

Exactly!

Middle of the range sports model of a vehicle line thats not particularly sporty in the first place. - pretty much sums it up

 

[DWDarkWheels]

BMW lost the plot IMO. Should have kept the original sizing of 3 5 and 7 series. from 90's. That was the range covered. With these new releases all they have done is replace ones they made bigger. Ooops

Yep. I'm not a big BMW aficionado, but the even numbers increasingly lost me. 8-series : I get it - super-coupe thing. 6-series : ohh tasty - nice coupe but "is that a 7xx.....". After that - confoooosed.

 

[Pumesta]

Any sport model when there is a proper sport model!

Examples:

Zetec s when theres an ST
Civic sport when theres a type R
Sport when theres GTI

Theres no need, go hard or go home!

Thats assuming you can afford and extra few grand to buy the proper sporty one, and the extra insurance and the extra fuel etc. I bet if you were to check the sales figures the lukewarm models far out sell the sportier ones. When I was 17 an XR2 or Golf GTi were dream cars for most of my age, but due to costs we had to make do with a 1.4s or a driver

 

[Artoir]

Still sold outside the UK I think, they just weren't moving them in this country for whatever reason (were they a bit crap?). You occasionally see what looks like a Megane with a boot on ROI plates, but badged as the Fluence, so Renault could be accused of going down the same path of redundant models. Volkswagen was interesting in this regard: as @Nicky said there was the Bora/Golf, but then also the Vento/Golf and Jetta/Golf. The frequent changes of names always left me wondering if they even knew what they were marketing over here. For me, the Volkswagen Fox and Polo were always a weird overlap. The Fox doesn't look any smaller than the Polo, while the Up does at least look more compact.

Lots of funny models in the South, Focus saloon, etc

 

[Überdub]

Still sold outside the UK I think, they just weren't moving them in this country for whatever reason (were they a bit crap?). You occasionally see what looks like a Megane with a boot on ROI plates, but badged as the Fluence, so Renault could be accused of going down the same path of redundant models. Volkswagen was interesting in this regard: as @Nicky said there was the Bora/Golf, but then also the Vento/Golf and Jetta/Golf. The frequent changes of names always left me wondering if they even knew what they were marketing over here. For me, the Volkswagen Fox and Polo were always a weird overlap. The Fox doesn't look any smaller than the Polo, while the Up does at least look more compact.

I think Renault cut back in the UK as of 2012. They don't even sell the Espace or Kangoo here now which seems bizarre considering how popular they had been here as a brand. Having said that you can't buy a Daihatsu at all now.

The VW Bora was a Jetta in North America (just as the Mk.1 and Mk. 2 Golf derivatives had been) and they had a Jetta estate whereas we got a Mk. 4 Golf estate. The Fox was the handiwork of VW Brazil and I assume Europe decided to use it as a stop-gap replacement for the Lupo.

 

[Paul.]

Lots of funny models in the South, Focus saloon, etc

I wonder what their reasoning is? Are there tax breaks for that body-style or something, as in Russia (if I remember correctly)? I know the market in Russia has a bunch of weird looking hatchback-to-saloon models, including the Peugeot 206. I wouldn't Google it, it's hideous.

The Fox was the handiwork of VW Brazil and I assume Europe decided to use it as a stop-gap replacement for the Lupo.

Is the Fox actually small enough to compete with the Lupo's position? It could be my imagination or based on the car's design, but it looks near enough the same size as a Polo to me. What you're saying makes sense, don't get me wrong, but I've always seen it as a strange alternative to a Polo in this market, rather than a replacement Lupo.

 

[Überdub]

The opposite seems to be happening with some manufacturers. Alfa Romeo only have the Mito, Giulietta and now the 4C. The 159 has been gone since 2011 and the replacement won't be out until 2015. The 166 wasn't replaced and I don't think there are plans. Fiat didn't replace either its Coupé or Barchetta.

 

[Überdub]

I wonder what their reasoning is? Are there tax breaks for that body-style or something, as in Russia (if I remember correctly)? I know the market in Russia has a bunch of weird looking hatchback-to-saloon models, including the Peugeot 206. I wouldn't Google it, it's hideous.

Some markets just seem to prefer the saloon (sedan) body to the hatch. Maybe it's something to do with the perceived extra security of a separate boot (doubt it since seats often fold), maybe it's about a bit of extra length for those longer loads (with the seats folded), or maybe it's because there is a bit more metal when careless drivers run into the back of you? Or possibly the hatchback is seen as the budget car and having a 306 sedan in a developing country makes you feel more like you have a Merc E-class? Pick-up versions of small fwd cars are popular elsewhere too - I'd imagine it's because of the sort of loads people need to carry and the lack of funds for buying bigger 4x4 pick-ups we have.

Is the Fox actually small enough to compete with the Lupo's position? It could be my imagination or based on the car's design, but it looks near enough the same size as a Polo to me. What you're saying makes sense, don't get me wrong, but I've always seen it as a strange alternative to a Polo in this market, rather than a replacement Lupo.

I'm with you there - I've never really figured that out either.

I saw a Citroen DS3 parked behind a first generation Audi A3 a while back and was quite surprised by the comparative sizes. I'd always assumed the DS3 was smaller than it is.

 

[Überdub]

Lots of funny models in the South, Focus saloon, etc

The previous generation Focus saloon was sold here as far as I'm aware. They were certainly about.

 

[Arfur]

The current generation 4 door focus looks a million times better than the hatchback I think.. They did sell previous generation 4 door focus' here but they never did that well in sales, people just didn't want them. 4 door Astra is available in the south too afaik.

 

[thomas_lad]

including the Peugeot 206. I wouldn't Google it, it's hideous.

Oh my god my eyes, i wish i had taken your advice

 

[Rover Repair]

No long back from a drive across the continent I can assure you the a3 saloon along with the seat toledo fr saloon not the exeo are massively popular now. Also I've never saw so many octavia vrs diesels in my life.

The only other car that was as popular was the Peugeot 508 which really shocked me in Germany.

Small saloons are massive business out there, and I must admit the new toledo really caught my eye in blue.

 

[Nickyyy]

those Hyundais with 2 doors on one side and 1 on the other, why would anyone buy one of those lol

 

[Cartunes]

I wonder what their reasoning is? Are there tax breaks for that body-style or something, as in Russia (if I remember correctly)? I know the market in Russia has a bunch of weird looking hatchback-to-saloon models, including the Peugeot 206. I wouldn't Google it, it's hideous.

I know that saloon cars are more widely viewed as a status symbol in the Chinese market. That paradigm is slowly reversing though. I suppose, by churning out a few decades of ridiculous saloon cars has damaged the saloon's peceived superiority. The 70's Passat is king of the Taxi world in the Middle Kingdom, even though the Chinese Government facilitated the introduction of thousands of VW Caddy Taxis in time for the 2008 Olympic games - they never really caught on - maybe they should have slapped a boot on it.

Cue @Rocko photo-chop (please)

 

[Überdub]

those Hyundais with 2 doors on one side and 1 on the other, why would anyone buy one of those lol

Mini estate is the same but if you buy the rhd version, you let out the kids into the path of oncoming traffic. That's what happens when the Germans buy up our brands - they try to kill us off!

 

[Überdub]

It's probably worth pointing out what we all know if we think about it - things aren't made because they are necessary, they are made because the manufacturer believes they can sell enough of them to make it worth their while.

The situation with Audi and BMW has become a bit of a joke - your whole street could buy into one of those brands and no two households would have the same model. Tempting to go to a dealer and ask if they offer a 3-door SUV sportback diesel V12 hybrid with occasional fwd, occasional rwd (activated by voice command) and privacy glass on the sunroof only.

 

[Ben]

The opposite seems to be happening with some manufacturers. Alfa Romeo only have the Mito, Giulietta and now the 4C. The 159 has been gone since 2011 and the replacement won't be out until 2015. The 166 wasn't replaced and I don't think there are plans. Fiat didn't replace either its Coupé or Barchetta.

The MiTo replaced the 147 and the Giulietta replaced the 159.

 

[Odhran]

Seems to be a considerable market in the south for saloons. The saloon corolla was very popular in the south and is still available to buy new to this day. Also the Avensis saloon is far more popular than the hatch. Have even seen a Saloon Mk5 Astra in the south. (Not many of them about though- unsurprisingly)

 

[Paul.]

The situation with Audi and BMW has become a bit of a joke - your whole street could buy into one of those brands and no two households would have the same model. Tempting to go to a dealer and ask if they offer a 3-door SUV sportback diesel V12 hybrid with occasional fwd, occasional rwd (activated by voice command) and privacy glass on the sunroof only.

But how would you react when the salesman gives the briefest of nods, followed by "with a very reasonable finance package"? Stranger things have happened.

@Cartunes: That's seriously interesting to find out. I hadn't imagined there would be many '70s Passats still kicking around, and I must admit seeing Tokyo Drift and all the other big-budget films set in Japan had me assuming that the Toyota Crown was king of the Asian taxi shopping list.

 

[davey21]

I just find it odd how some seriously ugly cars are so popular in other countries. That in itself probably doesn't help the car manufacturers when designing cars, cause they are looking around trying to please everyone.

 

[Überdub]

The MiTo replaced the 147 and the Giulietta replaced the 159.

I belive the MiTo replaced nothing (isn't it Alfa's car on the Fiat 500 platform?) and the Giulietta replaced the 147. The 159 replacement is going to revive the Giulia name apparently.

The new Spider will be an Mazda MX-5 variant.

 

[Überdub]

Forgot to mention the Vel Satis since someone brought it up: it wasn't an unnecessary model; it was the replacement for the Safrane (which hardly anyone in the UK bought). The Avantime might be seen as a bizarre machine being sort of an MPV coupé. The Twizy and the Wind are two that I don't think have any direct competitors either. I suppose the Wind is sort of a latter day StreetKa. The Clio V6 could be argued as unnecessary but I wouldn't argue against it.

 

[Big Jon]

I belive the MiTo replaced nothing (isn't it Alfa's car on the Fiat 500 platform?) and the Giulietta replaced the 147. The 159 replacement is going to revive the Giulia name apparently.

The new Spider will be an Mazda MX-5 variant.

MiTo is on the Punto platform. The 147 was still in the range when the MiTo came out as the MiTo was only ever available as a 3 door hatch. The Giulietta replaced the 147 as stated.

The next Alfa Spider may be on a bespoke platform or at least a version of the Giulietta platform. The rumour is the MX5 based car will either be Fiat or Abarth badged.

 

[Gavlar]

Audi at it again....TT Sportback Concept

http://jalopnik.com/this-is-what-the-audi-tt-sportback-concept-will-look-li-1638912056

 

[surprising_skoda]

In saying that, car manufacturers nowadays no doubt design their chassis' and wheelbases just so that they can platform share and spin off numerous models. In one way, it's good for the consumer - it gives us huge choice compared to 20 years ago. And there's savings for both the consumer and manufacturer through this sharing and economies of scale.

Morris/Wolseley/Austin/Sunbeam/Riley were doing this back when VW still hadn't figured out the engine goes in the front.

Having a corporate face/shape ... and a Peugeot 205/309/405 all looked suitably different from one another

The Peugeot models you mention all looked exactly the same at the front, precisely because this was their corporate face. This ain't no new thing.

IMO you can blame the "white goods" fraternity for the niche upon niche unnecessary models. back in the seventies, you bought a Ford because you'd always had a Ford. Your Cortina had a 1.3 or a 1.6 - if you wanted a bigger engine, you bought a Granada to get it. Nowadays people will go to a different brand if the dealer won't throw the mudflaps in, or if it has Dolby surround sound and a microwave in the boot but no ipod connector built in it's off to see if the 308 does have one.
In order to stay afloat, and to snap at every sales opportunity, manufacturers will make literally anything. They're paranoid about losing sales because they don't offer a car with 75mm ride height or a folding back seat, so they make everything possible, and the easiest way to do that is to re-hash what they've already got into a new package.
Like the 2-series thing. What then happens is they satisfy the immediate short term goals, but fail (as nearly all multi-national and national large businesses are doing at the moment and for the past few years) to secure their long term futures. Diluting the brand in such a way mean these car companies which are trying to offer a "premium" brand as an alternative to the lower end market options will lose their premium status.
That's when Triumph and Horch will potentially make a comeback, filling the gaps that BMW and Audi have so readily and hastily vacated in their insatiable desire to fill every carpark with dross instead of sticking to the quality/prestige market which made them.