There’s always a temptation to relive past glories in the car industry, which is why we have seen an increasing trend in recent years of famous name plates being resurrected on new models. The latest to confirm they will be going down this route are Opel and Vauxhall, with the classic Manta badge set to be used on an all-new electric car due to be launched by the middle of the decade. Here we took a look at some of the other famous badges that were retired and put out to pasture… only to make a dramatic comeback on an all-new model years later.
Ford Puma
One of the more successful badge revivals of recent times has been that of the Puma, the Ford crossover that has become an increasingly common sight on our roads. And yet eyebrows were raised when the idea was originally mooted. The original Puma, on sale from 1997-2002, had been a popular, affordable coupe that was genuinely appealing to drive and offered attractive, flowing looks. The prospect of a supermini on stilts promised neither. But Ford has nailed it with the new Puma; there’s an acknowledgeable likeness to the original, it handles well and sales and awards have been plentiful. Job done.
Ford Escort
If there was one vehicle that was synonymous with Ford in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, it was the Escort. The small family car was a massive seller, with more than 4.1 million finding homes over its 33-year lifespan. And there were some true icons produced during that time, such as the wonderful looking – and thrilling to drive – Escort Mexico, built to celebrate the car’s success in Rally Mexico in 1970, plus much lusted after performance versions like the XR3, RS2000 and RS Cosworth. The axing of the badge, seemingly for good, in the year 2000 prompted genuine sadness for many. So, there was a degree of bafflement when it was confirmed that the name would be resurrected for a compact hatch based on an old version of the Focus for the Chinese market in 2013. For such an integral name in the company’s heritage to return in such low-key fashion seemed almost disrespectful.
Vauxhall Viva
Just like the Escort symbolised the 1970s for Ford, the Viva saloon was a hugely important car for Vauxhall, selling strongly, if not quite winning the same affection as the blue oval motor. Its alliterative badge was undeniably a strong one, hinting at a real zest for life. So, it seemed to make sense when Vauxhall started dropping hints in 2014 that it would return on a city car, although the justification – “the name has no preconceptions” – was puzzling and didn’t suggest total confidence in the move. Naming the car Viva did offer the bonus, though, of not having to call it the Karl, which was the badge worn by the Opel version (after one of founder Adam Opel’s sons). The diminutive Viva didn’t last long, though, and was discontinued in 2019.
Jeep Grand Wagoneer
Another blast from the past that has been pressed back into service in 2021 is the Grand Wagoneer, Jeep’s mammoth new luxury SUV for America, which was last seen in showrooms in 1991. The original Grand Wagoneer (launched in 1984) was a true trailblazer, and based on the Wagoneer of the Sixties and Seventies that some argue was the first model to truly embrace the concept of a luxurious 4WD SUV. With its wood-clad exterior panels, the original Grand Wagoneer was a dominating presence and Jeep is no doubt hoping the new version will have the same impact. Explaining the return of the badge, Christian Meunier, Jeep CEO, said: “We've been out of the market for more than 30 years after basically inventing the premium American SUV. We listened to our customers. They asked us to bring it back.”
Fiat 500
Reviving a badge – and a design – as iconic as the 500 comes with an element of risk: there’s a legendary legacy to live up to, and fans will always have strong opinions on what you produce. Plus, the return of the 500 in 2007 came with added pressure, as it was timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Nuova 500, the tiny rear-engined four seater that became a symbol of Italian urban driving. But Fiat struck the perfect note with the new 500, producing a car that effortlessly referenced its predecessor while managing to look great alongside more contemporary rivals. An endless slew of special editions and trendy paintjobs contributed to massive sales, and an indicator of its success is that it continues to be offered in showrooms, 14 years after launch. The perfect example of how to revive a classic badge, unlike…
Volkswagen Beetle
The potential pitfalls of resurrecting a legendary name from the past were ably demonstrated by Volkswagen’s attempts to breathe new life into the Beetle in 1997. While the original was one of the world’s most recognizable cars ever and acknowledged as a bona fide classic, the updated model couldn’t repeat the trick. Although obviously a Beetle, its retro-themed styling didn’t wholly convince and neither was it a particularly entertaining car to drive. The fact the new car was front-engined also alienated fans. A second version of the ‘New Beetle’ was released in 2011, promising a bit more attitude, but it didn’t get the recipe quite right either and the famous badge was put into cold storage again when the axe fell on the reborn Bug in 2019.
Toyota Supra
Bringing a renowned badge back can be a bit of a minefield, as Toyota has found out with the Supra. Alongside the likes of the Honda NSX, Mazda MX-5 and Nissan GT-R, the Supra became very much a definitive car for its maker and Japan as a whole. And so, there was understandably great excitement when a concept appeared in 2014 that hinted at the return of the much loved sports car. But excitement turned to suspicion among hardcore fans when it emerged that to keep costs to a manageable level, the new Supra would be heavily based on the BMW Z4, sharing a platform, 3.0-litre straight six engine, gearbox and more. Could it be a true Supra when it so closely resembled a rival? The jury is still out on that, but there can be no disputing the new Supra is a great looking car and the return of the badge adds unquestionable lustre to the Toyota range.
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Reviving a respected badge on a decent car is no guarantee of sales success, as the Giulia has demonstrated. Alfa’s current BMW 3 Series rivalling compact executive arrived to general acclaim in 2015, thanks to its sultry looks and an excellent driving experience, particularly from the high-performance Quadrifoglio model. Even cabin quality – not always an Alfa strength – was acceptable, if not quite matching the polish of German competitors. The Giulia badge was a nod to the company’s history of characterful cars, having first been used on a smart saloon in the sixties, but despite all these winning ingredients, the new car has remained a relatively rare sight on the road and with Alfa sales slumping across the board, a new boss has been parachuted in to address the slide.
Keyword: Car names that came back from the dead