# Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?!



## Rento (Aug 16, 2006)

I searched... and never found an answer..... But why do Omnis look exactly like MkI Rabbits/GTIs.... I can't make it out....
Omnis/GLHs can be modified like CRAZY and be just as fast as a VRT MkI Rabbit or sadly.. faster....
Here's a Comparison...
All I find different is a few trim pieces that aren't identical but the GLH hatch seems ripped off... and they decided to chuck in a Turbo.... so weird...
*MkI Rabbit/GTI* 

































*Dodge Omni/GLH*


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## vr6fanatic (Apr 5, 2003)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (Rento)*

Read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Omni


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## Rento (Aug 16, 2006)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (vr6fanatic)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vr6fanatic* »_Read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Omni

I have a while back, but why did they have to copy us T_T.... I mean VW and Dode are my top two favorite car companies... but.... Why!? Not just fuel economy....


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## vr6fanatic (Apr 5, 2003)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (Rento)*

The reason why the Omni looked like a VW Rabbit is because the car was developed by Simca, a French division of Chrysler Europe, before that company was sold to Peugeot, which was back when I was 5 yrs old...lol (1978)


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## robr2 (May 5, 2005)

The reason why it looks so much like the Rabbit is because the original Rabbit was the benchmark - it was a pretty successful vehicle because it was introduced during the gas crisis. It was a piece of junk just like most cars in the early to mid 70's, but it sold because it was economical.
Also, it was the 70's - all styling was pretty much the same at the time - very boxy and squared off.


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## 88cabbygti (Mar 25, 2006)

*Re: (robr2)*

theres an omni that sits in a driveway down the street and i always have wondered why it looked so much like a rabbit


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## Blue Golfer (Feb 4, 2003)

*Re: (88cabbygti)*

You don't suppose a second-generation Omni would have looked a Golf 2, eh?


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## VWDave88 (Jan 21, 2003)

*Re: (Blue Golfer)*

they look the same because they are the same just like today many car companies share the same platform such as GM and isuzu and so on 
a vw engine will bolt up in an omni and so on it is the same car with trim differences


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## Polar Foil (Sep 26, 2006)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (vr6fanatic)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vr6fanatic* »_The reason why the Omni looked like a VW Rabbit is because the car was developed by Simca, a French division of Chrysler Europe, before that company was sold to Peugeot, which was back when I was 5 yrs old...lol (1978)

Thanks for quoting Wikipedia, but I still don't get why the Omni looks so very much like the Rabbit. Simca and Peugeot have nothing to do with Volkswagen as far as I'm aware. The Omni had a VW engine and tranny...but that's it. There must be a connection otherwise it seems like they're so similar VW could sue Chrysler for "look and feel" infringement or something.


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## Dr Dub UK (Oct 9, 2004)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (Polar Foil)*

As mentioned before, the Mk1 Golf (Rabbit) was hugely succesful here in Europe. So of course every manufacturer jumped on the band wagon to make a clone version of it.
The Dodge Omni was originally a Talbot Horizon over here. 








The main reason the Omni looks like a Rabbit is because of the US spec headlights and bumpers.
If you put a Horizon next to a Euro Mk1 Golf, they look nothing like each other.
The Renault 14 was another clone.










_Modified by Dr Dub UK at 11:18 PM 11-5-2006_


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## vanaguy (Oct 18, 2002)

*Re: (VWDave88)*


_Quote, originally posted by *VWDave88* »_they look the same because they are the same just like today many car companies share the same platform such as GM and isuzu and so on 
a vw engine will bolt up in an omni and so on it is the same car with trim differences

*No*.
VW supplied many of the original engines for the Omni. That's it. They do not share a platform.


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## 56-okrasa (Nov 27, 2001)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (Rento)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Rento* »_I searched... and never found an answer..... But why do Omnis look exactly like MkI Rabbits/GTIs.... I can't make it out....
Omnis/GLHs can be modified like CRAZY and be just as fast as a VRT MkI Rabbit or sadly.. faster....
Here's a Comparison...
All I find different is a few trim pieces that aren't identical but the GLH hatch seems ripped off... and they decided to chuck in a Turbo.... so weird...
*MkI Rabbit/GTI* 









*Dodge Omni/GLH* 









The Japanese had their "improved clone" of the box type unibody design made popular by the VW and Dodge. 
1978 Mitsubishi Mirage


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## Polar Foil (Sep 26, 2006)

*Re: (VWDave88)*


_Quote, originally posted by *VWDave88* »_they look the same because they are the same just like today many car companies share the same platform such as GM and isuzu and so on a vw engine will bolt up in an omni and so on it is the same car with trim differences

Dude, invest in a comma or period once in a while...


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## sciroccohal (May 4, 2005)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (Rento)*

Chrysler was sued at the time for patent infingement.....they ended up kissing and making up when Chysler bought the engines from VW for the TC-3/GLH/Omni/Horizon!
*If you're going to copy...copy from the best!*


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## SteveMKIIDub (Nov 6, 2003)

Wow.. they put the 2.2l engine in that? Was that the same POS the Shadows had?
I'd keep the VW engine..


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## Blue Golfer (Feb 4, 2003)

*Re: (SteveMKIIDub)*

VW tried to capitalize on the Omni/Horizon's appearance in Rabbit ads, with the srt collector declaring, "Why settle for a mere copy, when you can have the original?" 
Escpet that VW's critics noted that the Beetle was a car that couldn't be copied, now in the late seventies Volkswagen had a car with no edge that couldn't be copied quickyl by the competition. 
I buy the former argument. If you buy a Dodge, you get a Dodge. If you buy a Volkswagen, you don't.


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## honkey (Dec 5, 2003)

*Re: (Blue Golfer)*

i thought it was due to the fact that VW sold the plans or something like that to dodge for the omni. thats why they look a like.


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## The Doc (Jun 23, 2004)

*Re: (******)*

That was my understanding. At the time Chrysler was just about out of business and did not have the money to develop a vehicle. They paid VW for the Rabbit design, and basically scaled the dimensions up. I believe they bought VW 1.7 engines and transmissions for the first model years. I know they contracted Kelsey Hayes to make the brake calipers and drum brakes, which I believe VW later used on the Westmoreland Rabbits.
-David


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## honkey (Dec 5, 2003)

*Re: (The Doc)*


_Quote, originally posted by *The Doc* »_That was my understanding. At the time Chrysler was just about out of business and did not have the money to develop a vehicle. They paid VW for the Rabbit design, and basically scaled the dimensions up. I believe they bought VW 1.7 engines and transmissions for the first model years. I know they contracted Kelsey Hayes to make the brake calipers and drum brakes, which I believe VW later used on the Westmoreland Rabbits.
-David

thats what i thought. i believe that dodge only used the bottom end of the motor and developed the head themselves. if you've ever seen an omni head you can see that they are very different from the vw head.


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## Blue Golfer (Feb 4, 2003)

*Re: (******)*


_Quote, originally posted by ******** »_i thought it was due to the fact that VW sold the plans or something like that to dodge for the omni. thats why they look a like.

First I've heard of that!


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## Blue Golfer (Feb 4, 2003)

*Re: (The Doc)*


_Quote, originally posted by *The Doc* »_That was my understanding. At the time Chrysler was just about out of business and did not have the money to develop a vehicle. They paid VW for the Rabbit design, and basically scaled the dimensions up. I believe they bought VW 1.7 engines and transmissions for the first model years. I know they contracted Kelsey Hayes to make the brake calipers and drum brakes, which I believe VW later used on the Westmoreland Rabbits.
-David

First I've heard of that!


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## honkey (Dec 5, 2003)

*Re: (Blue Golfer)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Blue Golfer* »_
First I've heard of that!









i'm allmost positive that thats the way it went down.


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## mk1g60gti (Dec 2, 2003)

*Re: (******)*

they dont look the same to me, they are just both early 80s hatchbacks


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

*Re: (******)*


_Quote, originally posted by ******** »_
thats what i thought. i believe that dodge only used the bottom end of the motor and developed the head themselves. if you've ever seen an omni head you can see that they are very different from the vw head.

EDIT apparently, I'm wrong, Wikipedia says the engine has a bigger CHrysler-designed head!
As for this business of VW selling Chrysler the design ideas for the Rabbit, did anyone notice the Omni came out in 1978? They co-exsisted for 6 years! The Rabbit still had round headlights back then (looked nothing like the Omni). Interestingly, the Omni had the square headlight look first, the Rabbit got it 2 years later. Who's copying who now?










_Modified by VDub2625 at 11:42 PM 11-17-2006_


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## Hannebauer (Jul 28, 2005)

*Re: (SteveMKIIDub)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SteveMKIIDub* »_Wow.. they put the 2.2l engine in that? Was that the same POS the Shadows had?
I'd keep the VW engine.. 


I am just gonna ignore that one for now, as a shadow and vw owner, and a bit of a gear head as well as an optimist.
I was wondering if anyone has some experience putting a 2.2 GLHS engine in a rabbit? because i have a 2.2TI converted to a 2.2TII in my shadow that i would be interested in putting in one of my Rabbits. I even have a spare 2.5 block in my shed to build to high HP if i could get the 2.2 in. How does 321hp and 341lb sound?
Pics for clicks.
The Receiver








The Giver








The Daily


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## Fastsquirrel (Jan 18, 2006)

*Re: (Hannebauer)*

I got this off Allpar.com 
_Quote »_
The Horizon was built as a replacement for the Simca 1100 (called the 1204 in the States, 1968 - 1972). The 1100 and its variants were made through 1985. 
In the early 1970s, VW was having problems reproducing the success of the Beetle. Squarebacks were well received, but never performed as hoped. Vans and trucks had a limited market. All models were rear wheel drive and had air cooled engines. 
VW then created a sharply styled hatchback, without a noisy air cooled engine. They used front wheel drive, rack and pinion steering, front disc brakes, a four speed, and a four cylinder engine on 13 inch tires. The car became a worldwide hit. By 1978, it and its new bretheren displaced all Beetle production in Germany. 
The Simca 1100 was front wheel drive with a four cylinder engine, rack and pinion steering, optional front disc brakes, a four speed, a four cylinder engine (1.2L), and a hatchback. It came in four door, five door, and wagon versions. It spawned a mini camper, and pickup in Europe/North Africa. It looked like a rounded box with single headlights and side strip running from headlights to tail-lights on 13 inch tires. If you square the edges, you get ....(suprise!) a Horizon. 
As to the engine, Chrysler had a long relationship with VW in Europe, and several old Chrysler designs from France and the U.K. ended up as VWs in South America. (The last Avenger was sold to VW by Peugeot in 1981 and was sold through the 1980s in Brazil.) When the car was finally approved for North America, they had problems legalizing the European Chrysler engines. None had been imported to the U.S. since 1973, and the all-new engines were not ready yet. Chrysler could have used their European 1.6, if they had not been selling their profitable European operations to Peugeot to get cash to cover losses in the States. 
Enter VW, with an excess of legalized engines. Chrysler fit its own manifold and carburetor to buy time. After Chrysler finalized the deal in Europe, Peugeot supplied the 1.6 to Chrysler as part of the deal. A year later, the 2.2 was ready. The 1.8 version of the 2.2 was never built. 
The public assumed Chrysler was copying VW outright. It's hard to redesign your model when someone has copied it, and Chrysler didn't say otherwise. Car magazines wrote that the Omni used a Peugeot engine when writing about the 1.6 - technically true, but it was really a Chrysler Europe design!
The comparison actually helped their sales by implying the cars’ purpose in life to the right audience. To detail the lineage of the Horizon/Omni would have highlighted the failure of the Simca 1204 and the bungling of senior management [and brought up the [poor quality of the 1204]. Even Consumers Report insinuates it in their 1978 report. Of course, they could have checked their own 1968 import test where the Simca 1204 GLS defeated the VW Squareback, Opel Kadett, and Toyota Corolla.
The Horizon was a success worldwide, in spite of its makers. Peugeot did not want to evolve the model, and Chrysler saw it as a temporary entry level car. It still ran for 7 years (1978-1985) in Europe and 12 (1978-1990) in North America. It was roomier, bigger, and in some versions more economical than the Rabbit. The European Horizon had flush headlights, different interior treatments, a turbo version, a diesel version, and a GTI/GLS. The Horizon did not change drastically over its run, and the body especially was never revamped for the reasons stated above. So why does a 1983 Rabbit/Golf/Polo look more like a 1978 or 1982 Horizon than a 1975 Rabbit? If the Horizon had been a copy, shouldn't it be the other way around? [/img]


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## Hannebauer (Jul 28, 2005)

*Re: (Fastsquirrel)*

old info thx, but i allready have it http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## MontoyaF1 (Apr 6, 2004)

*Re: Umm 80s Dodge Omni and MkI Rabbits... why do they look the same?! (Rento)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Rento* »_
*Dodge Omni/GLH* 










That thing is sweet.


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