How Rebadged Cars Are Targeting the Key Youth Marketplace

Rebadged Cars aka Clone Cars Tap Into the Generation Z and Millennial Zone

With the cost of new cars increasing nearly 30% in the past decade the need for car companies to reduce expenses in the development of new models is of paramount importance.

In the car business, new possesses special significance. The recent models of cars are all the buzz. Especially if they are particularly stylish, have exciting performance, super amenities, premium interiors and cool tech gear.

To cap spiraling costs and create the latest models more automakers utilize variations of existing designs and established factory production lines from other car-makers.

Youth Oriented Specialty Models Are Ripe for Rebadging

Significantly, these so-called rebadged cars explicitly target millennial and Generation Z buyer prospects. They are sexier, smaller, fun to drive and relatively affordable. 

Take, for example, the all-new 2020 Toyota Supra, the intro with the most deafening media buzz of 2019. It is mostly a coupe version of the BMW Z4 Roadster built at a Magna-Steyer contract factory in Austria. 

Initially, the badge was spun off the Toyota Celica Supra, with the more aggressively sporty Supra launched in 1986.

In 1998 Toyota retired the Supra. Then in 2001, the car became Hollywood gold after being featured in breakout hit film Fast & Furious, now an eight movie franchise.

The resurrection of the Toyota GR Supra and the hype surrounding the intro last spring drove retail prices of the $55,000 base-priced vehicle as high as $200,000.

Millennials and Generation Z car buyers, hip to tuner-car culture, are the target market for the Toyota Supra.

Beyond The BMW Z4 Based Toyota GR Supra

A quick survey of recent intros serves up many examples of this rebadging trend. For example, the Infiniti Q30 targeted to younger consumers is the same vehicle as to the Mercedes Benz GLA, another upscale brand courting a younger audience.

The Kid Racer Toyota 86 Sport Coupe is virtually the same car as the Subaru BRZ, also aimed at a younger performance and style-conscious demographic.

The Mazda Miata MX-5, a 30-year roadster success and natural platform for the revival of the Fiat 124 popularized from 1966 -1974. The carefree affordable two-seater sports car is perfect for young car buyers and the young at heart!

These well-informed buyers know what they want. Additionally, the latest crop of rebadged cars clearly suggests they're motivated by a passion for cars.

Younger Audience Car Buying Must-Haves

However, even a love affair with a hot new vehicle doesn't supersede overlook these savvy consumers fundamental car buying must-haves!

These skilled shoppers grew up with screens and search engines. They're looking for meaningful, hassle-free online research. Webrooming, coined to describe the nearly 9 hours the average millennial and Generation Z consumer researches vehicles on the internet.

Therefore, to make sure this process is productive Dealership websites must be clear, straight-forward and easy to navigate. For maximum efficiency, mobile-first architecture is key to guiding young buyers from webrooming to the showroom floor.

Therefore, the quality of the User Experience and User Interface (UX /UI) is essential in capturing younger buyers. For example, nearly half of all visitors to a dealership site leave immediately if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load.

Information about vehicle pricing, payments and additional expenses like insurance, extended warranties, and CarFax reports must be clear and transparent.

Who's doing it right?

This is where the 321 Ignition gold standard web platform comes in at the right time for auto dealerships. 321 Ignition makes the difference between average performance and spectacular sales. As auto dealership pros know, the customer profile of a successful dealership requires a solid generational component.

In conclusion, don’t buy into the fiction that younger generations aren't interested in buying cars. There are plenty of younger buyers in the marketplace. The combined millennial and Generation Z demographics combine to be bigger than the OK boomer generation.