Tim,
Good analogy. If I might make a small analogous contribution: Few people would mistake a Ruger New Model Blackhawk for a Colt SAA. However, shooters looking for a stronger, safer, more dependable, less expensive and virtually maintenance-free version of the SAA likely would opt for a stainless Blackhawk-and one could even call it a ".45 Colt" if it were chambered in .45LC. The Colt has the name, the looks, the feel and the "clickety clickety" sound; the Ruger has the attributes listed above. Is one "better"? Depends on what you want to do with it. A collector might turn up his nose at the Ruger but I think it's safe to say that serious shooters burn a lot more powder through their Blackhawks than their Colt Single Actions. And then, of course, there are the Freedom Arms guns... So if it just has to say "Colt" on the barrel: Fine; the choice is simple. Just decide how much the name is worth and go ahead and impress everybody by paying as much for a gun as you might for a car-and then don't shoot it because it's too valuable! On the other hand, if you're less concerned with the name than you are with performance and "bang for the buck", there are some excellent alternatives.
Oh yeah...what I've NOT seen at gun shows is some guy jumping up and down going "Yeah, but this is a Colt!...Yeah, but this is a Colt...". We know, we know...
The Ruger and Freedom Arms detractors, usually those who don't shoot very much, tend to slant the picture to their liking.
Lowell