This practice of anonymity is more common in Europe. It is often done for reasons of humility. For instance, a wealthy executive has just spent €156,000 on an extravagant V12 Mercedes S600. He might not want to flaunt the premium he paid to get a top engine in his vehicle. Therefore he might wish to have his badge removed as to deceive some that he only bought the "entry-level" S Class for €80,000.
While some in the US debadge their car for the same reason above, many like to deceive people for the opposite reason. They want others to think they paid more for a higher variant. By not having any designations on their vehicle, the person viewing their car doesn't know that it is actually the "cheap" model they are seeing.
Most offensive though is the addition of false badges. Some owners will add to their car letters and numerals that denote a higher specification. Common additions include M, AMG, V8, V12, Turbo, Supercharged or even changing the model number around to fool people.
Also common is the desire to just have a cleaner look. To some, having badges can obstruct the lines of the car or be overly fussy.
In Europe, many automakers offer a no charge badge or model designation delete option. Very few manufacturers bring this option over to America. This highlights the difference in popularity between the two consumer populations.
Despite their best efforts, any respectable car enthusiast can tell if there is a false identification. Exterior clues such as exhaust tips, rims, aprons, grilles and other designators are easy giveaways. Enthusiasts can also identify the distinction between a package and a completely different variant. It can even be extremely satisfying to know you see right through their motives.
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