The depth of brand image

[Frankschtaldt]

I've done some searching on brand image and reputation and read through a number of threads but I haven't been able to find an answer to my question so....

Will brands be able to develop reputations for specific layouts or styles or will the reputation system be purely focused on performance/reliability/cost etc.
To clarify that a little further I'm talking about things like BMW having a rep for never making FWD cars (a rep which they're about to ruin) or being well known for their really sweet performance I6's.

There are so many examples of real world car companies developing and nurturing these kinds of reputations.
There are also lots of examples of these same companies breaking away from these images and suffering for it, at least in the short term.

[Killrob]

Both brand image and platform reputation will be a thing. If this in parts is going to be a simple "yay" or "nay" thing remains to be seen, but we are planning on making stylistic switching difficult as you describe. If for instance your car company Pörsché is known for its mid- to high-range sports cars, then they'll have a bit of a backlash when they try to market something like an SUV called Chili.

[Frankschtaldt]

Thanks for the answer! I gathered that much from the other threads I read but it's not quite what I'm asking.

I'm more talking about (to use the same company as an example) having a reputation for making rear engined sports cars but then releasing a front engined sports car that is every bit as good and aimed at exactly the same market (ie 924/928) but coping a backlash from the "true fans" of the brand because you're betraying them for "making a car that isn't a true Porsche".

There are many examples if this kind of thing happening in real life. Ferrari refused to call his first non-V12 a Ferrari and released it under the brand name "Dino" because he was afraid of this happening to him. People were complaining about the E9x M3 going V8 and now they're complaining about the F80 going turbo because "real M3's are natmo I6's".

I could understand if this level of detail would be too difficult to program in but I think it'd be really cool to benefit from focusing on a certain engine type or drive train or aspiration or whatever but then be faced with the difficult decision of harming that image in order to make it possible to expand into different markets or adapt to changing technology.

[Killrob]

Yes, I did understand what you were asking for, but I cannot answer how deep we will go in that aspect just yet. This will probably make it into the game to some degree.

[Frankschtaldt]

Fair enough and no worries.
Thanks for the info =)