Index: archetype-common/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/archetype/old/DefaultOldArchetype.java
===================================================================
--- archetype-common/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/archetype/old/DefaultOldArchetype.java	(revision 934691)
+++ archetype-common/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/archetype/old/DefaultOldArchetype.java	(working copy)
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
     {
         Map parameters = new HashMap();
 
-        parameters.put( "basedir", request.getOutputDirectory() );
+        parameters.put( "outputDir", request.getOutputDirectory() );
 
         parameters.put( Constants.PACKAGE, request.getPackage() );
 
Index: archetype-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/archetype/mojos/CreateProjectFromArchetypeMojo.java
===================================================================
--- archetype-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/archetype/mojos/CreateProjectFromArchetypeMojo.java	(revision 934691)
+++ archetype-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/archetype/mojos/CreateProjectFromArchetypeMojo.java	(working copy)
@@ -142,8 +142,12 @@
      */
     private Boolean interactiveMode;
 
-    /** @parameter expression="${basedir}" */
-    private File basedir;
+    /** 
+     * Directory where the project is generated. Defaults to <code>${basedir}</code>.
+     * 
+     * @parameter expression="${outputDir}" default-value="${basedir}"
+     */
+    private File outputDir;
 
     /**
      *  @parameter expression="${session}"
@@ -167,7 +171,7 @@
             .setArchetypeGroupId( archetypeGroupId )
             .setArchetypeArtifactId( archetypeArtifactId )
             .setArchetypeVersion( archetypeVersion )
-            .setOutputDirectory( basedir.getAbsolutePath() )
+            .setOutputDirectory( outputDir.getAbsolutePath() )
             .setLocalRepository( localRepository )
             .setArchetypeRepository( archetypeRepository )
             .setRemoteArtifactRepositories( remoteArtifactRepositories );
@@ -222,7 +226,7 @@
     private void invokePostArchetypeGenerationGoals( String goals, String artifactId )
         throws MojoExecutionException, MojoFailureException
     {
-        File projectBasedir = new File( basedir, artifactId );
+        File projectBasedir = new File( outputDir, artifactId );
 
         if ( projectBasedir.exists() )
         {