Which Famous Car Badge Has Lost The Plot The Most?

Some car badges and model names have lost their original meaning over time. For instance, the BMW M badge, which used to signify a unique engine and performance tuning, is now applied to multiple levels, including M Sport, M Performance, M Competition, M CS, and M CSL. The Mitsubishi Eclipse, once a sport compact car with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive, is now a rebadged electric crossover with no connection to the original. Similarly, the Chevy Blazer, which used to be a body-on-frame SUV, is now a unibody crossover, and the Dodge Hornet, once a performance-focused car, has lost its original meaning. The GTI badge, which stands for Grand Touring Injection, is now used on electric cars, such as the VW ID. Polo GTI and Peugeot e-208 GTi, which have no fuel injection system. These examples raise the question of which automotive moniker has lost the plot the most. The original meaning of these badges has been watered down, and they no longer promise what they used to. The Eclipse, for example, used to be a genuinely fantastic value in the sport compact market, but now it’s just a rebadged electric crossover. The Blazer, on the other hand, used to be a rugged SUV, but now it’s a unibody crossover with no off-road capability. The Hornet, which was once a performance-focused car, has lost its original meaning, and the GTI badge, which used to signify a cheap front-driver with a fuel injection system, is now used on electric cars with no fuel injection system.