"Turbo" and other unnecessary badging
Discussion
I am wondering what peoples opinion is regarding Mercedes fitting Turbo badges to some of their models?
Take the A35/45 and CLA versions for example....Mercedes fit a Turbo badge with 4matic underneath it to both front wings. Now apart from spoiling the finish of the paintwork and making it more difficult to clean.....a Turbo badge means absolutely nothing on a modern car because with very few exceptions they all are!!
Turbo badging should be confined to the 80's when it actually meant something significant, but all it says to me now is boy racer.
Also why does Mercedes feel the need to advertise by a badge that the car has an automatic gearbox? WHO CARES.....why should this be in any way significant?
Its not only Mercedes that fits Turbo badging though.....Vauxhall do it with their Astra and Insignia models with a big chrome TURBO badge on the rear.
Take the A35/45 and CLA versions for example....Mercedes fit a Turbo badge with 4matic underneath it to both front wings. Now apart from spoiling the finish of the paintwork and making it more difficult to clean.....a Turbo badge means absolutely nothing on a modern car because with very few exceptions they all are!!
Turbo badging should be confined to the 80's when it actually meant something significant, but all it says to me now is boy racer.
Also why does Mercedes feel the need to advertise by a badge that the car has an automatic gearbox? WHO CARES.....why should this be in any way significant?
Its not only Mercedes that fits Turbo badging though.....Vauxhall do it with their Astra and Insignia models with a big chrome TURBO badge on the rear.
Ron240 said:
Doofus said:
The Porsche Taycan BEV comes in Turbo and Turbo S guises
Sorry I do not know whether you were deriding my post or agreeing with me.I do know that the electric car you mention is not even on sale yet.
Doofus said:
I was agreeing with you, and even though it's not on sale yet, there will beTurbo and Turbo S versions.
Apologies. 
Yes its not the first time Porsche have used Turbo and Turbo S badging, although admittedly the Turbo part of it did have relevance due to some engines in the range not being turbocharged.
Regarding the Taycan though I am not sure where the "Turbo" relevance is?
Ron240 said:
pologies.
Yes its not the first time Porsche have used Turbo and Turbo S badging, although admittedly the Turbo part of it did have relevance due to some engines in the range not being turbocharged.
Regarding the Taycan though I am not sure where the "Turbo" relevance is?
Throwaway answer, it's marketing bollix. Longer answer, it's to do with the overboost capabilities of the motors, and marketing bollix.Yes its not the first time Porsche have used Turbo and Turbo S badging, although admittedly the Turbo part of it did have relevance due to some engines in the range not being turbocharged.
Regarding the Taycan though I am not sure where the "Turbo" relevance is?
Although if you want truely pointless I saw a vauxhall mokka with a turbo badge on it. Without wanting to be judgemental, would the average owner of a poxhall mokka know what a turbo is or care what it does or have any concern if they have one? I'd bet more owners who notice it think it's a trim level.
Teddy Lop said:
Although if you want truely pointless I saw a vauxhall mokka with a turbo badge on it. Without wanting to be judgemental, would the average owner of a poxhall mokka know what a turbo is or care what it does or have any concern if they have one? I'd bet more owners who notice it think it's a trim level.
Yep Vauxhall are another prime offender of the superfluous Turbo badge....and yes I agree with you it is little more than a trim spec these days.andym1603 said:
Never understand why the stick an i badge on diesels. Never yet seen one that is carburettor fed.
Yes, again completely agree.....so it comes down to a marketing decision in that if car badging has an i on the end it will be seen by the general public as something to be desired. Ron240 said:
andym1603 said:
Never understand why the stick an i badge on diesels. Never yet seen one that is carburettor fed.
Yes, again completely agree.....so it comes down to a marketing decision in that if car badging has an i on the end it will be seen by the general public as something to be desired. Doofus said:
This began when direct injection became a thing. The I, usually accompanied by a D or a DC denoted a more modern, more sophisticated technology than the previous indirect injection.
Strange that Mercedes in recent years have dropped the CDI in favour of a simple 'd'. Im all for it, but doesnt fit with Merc's own 'overbadging' marketing ethos.I saw an E Class yesterday that had BLUETEC HYBRID on the right hand side of the bootlid, a ridiculously huge badge that took up almost half the bootlid.
Whilst the OP points to genuine OEM badging, it's not a recent phenomenon and car enthusiasts are as much responsible as the manufacturers... eBay badges, and before that every motor factor had a range of badges one could add to inform the world what equipment your car had. Remember the Volvos had the badge to denote a lambda sensor? We had a Fiat that carried badging to inform the world that its 45bhp engine had electronically-controlled fuel injection.
I used to see a MK2 Focus ST which had huge vinyl graphics down each side to explain the car had a 5-cylinder 2.5 turbocharged engine. The chap was obviously very proud and felt a cut above the 2.0 4-banger drivers.
I used to see a MK2 Focus ST which had huge vinyl graphics down each side to explain the car had a 5-cylinder 2.5 turbocharged engine. The chap was obviously very proud and felt a cut above the 2.0 4-banger drivers.
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