I used to be just lately in China for the Beijing Auto Present. Having roamed across the New Delhi Auto Expo a number of occasions, the Beijing present is a nice shock within the sense that it’s housed in about one-fourth the world of the New Delhi present. On the similar time, Beijing has 4 occasions the number of recent cars considerably bettering the new-cars-per-square-inch rating pajero sport 2021.
Whereas Delhi is all about looking for a brand new car launch, Beijing was all about looking for an authentic new car design. Sure, the Chinese language are nonetheless as authentic as Boyzone and respect IPRs as a lot as Pyongyang respects Washington. The entire occasion was a terrific showcase for copycats, or to place it succinctly, modern copycats. So we had copies of BMW X5s, powered by Mitsubishi diesels, made by ShuangHuan Auto and badged as SCEO. The company additionally had SUVs that combined and matched the entrance and rear ends of the Nissan X-Path (Greatwall Sing), Chevrolet Colorado and Land Cruisers (Dadi Shuttle). And that is simply the tip of the iceberg.
The Chinese language additionally make the Electric Car Metropolis Good which by the way seems similar to the Good ForTwo. Fortunately, it has now been discontinued, studies Automotive News Europe. The highest brass at DaimlerChrysler will surely have heaved a sigh of relief.
There are extra. The Hongqi Limousine is an inexpensive knock-off on the Lincoln Towncar whereas there’s a Rolls Phantom look-alike masquerading because the Purple Flag. Hyundai just lately acquired a style of its personal medication in China when Haunghai Vehicle unveiled an SUV with the top of the brand new Santa Fe and the tail of the Sorento. That is what you name a double blasphemy. There may be additionally the Laibao SR-V, a body double of the final era Honda CR-V.
And the copycat business extends past cars too! Whereas the BYD Auto brand seems like a distorted BMW, Geely had made unsuccessful makes an attempt at swiping Toyota’s brand after which Laibao has swiped half of Audi’s 4 rings.
Maybe the largest rip-off has been within the type of the Chery QQ, an in depth copy of the Chevrolet Matiz. GM fumes and wrings its arms and Chery produces one other half-a-dozen rip-offs on the identical platform.