GRAHAM ROBSON BADGE ENGINEERING

Way back in the 1970s, when the classic car movement was in its infancy, quite a few traditionalists began to complain about Badge Engineering – where one car would be lightly facelifted, given a different front grille and a new badge, before being launched as a new model. Austins became MGs, Jaguars became Daimlers and Sunbeams became Singers in this way – and they all sold well.

Even so, some of the loudest to complain never really realised that this trend was not new, nor earth-shattering, for