Copycat car design is in the news once again, as Land Rover threatens legal action in response to a suspiciously Evoque-alike product unveiled at the 2014 Guangzhou motor show.
The LandWind X7 appears to be the automotive equivalent of a fake Rolex, in that it looks more or less like the real thing but hugely undercuts it on price.
The new X7, unveiled in the past week, will cost roughly the equivalent of £14,000 in China, compared with around £40,000 for a genuine Range Rover Evoque. Yet the two look all but indistinguishable (see lead image in our gallery).
What does Land Rover have to say about the Evoque-apeing LandWind X7?
Given the importance of Chinese sales to Jaguar Land Rover’s financial health, the company is, unsurprisingly, quite cross. JLR has invested substantially in a joint venture with domestic manufacturer Chery to gain a more permanent foothold in China.
In a further twist to the story, Land Rover’s hackles were further raised as it was displaying its first Chinese-built Evoque at the very same show. Fortunately, the LandWind stand wasn’t adjacent to Land Rover’s, but it’s still understandably peeved.
Land Rover CEO Dr Ralph Speth has said that he plans to raise the issue with Chinese officials, suggesting that such blatant copycat design undermines the credibility of the country.
China replaced the UK as JLR’s largest market in 2012, and in 2013 the company sold more than 90,000 vehicles in China. No wonder LandWind has been tempted to break out the measuring tape and tracing paper.
The side profiles of the X7 and Evoque are breathtakingly similar. Can you tell which is which?*
* Answer = the Evoque is above left, the X7 is on the right. Or was that the other way around…
Of course, the LandWind X7 isn’t the first new product from the Chinese automotive industry to raise the odd eyebrow and cause a few late nights in Western carmakers’ legal departments.
Which got us thinking. Here’s our greatest hits list of automotive cover versions. If you’ve got more suggestions, add them in our comments below and we’ll add them to this story.
Geely GE
Rolls-Royce’s lawyers began hurriedly thumbing through their intellectual property textbooks when the covers came off the Phantom-aping Geely GE at the 2009 Shanghai motor show (above). Complete with an imitation Spirit of Ecstasy atop its familiar-looking upright grille (only leaning forward rather than backwards) and a bizzare throne-style single seat for the rear passenger, the GE was designed with a retail price closer to £30k than the £250k you’d need to get into a real Phantom. It subsequently underwent a comprehensive redesign after Rolls-Royce stated it was ‘taking a serious look at it.’
Shuanghuan CEO
It’s safe to say that, from the rear in particular, the Shuanghuan CEO bears more than a passing resemblance to the first-generation BMW X5. So much so that BMW took to the courts and had the CEO banned from sale in Germany after the Shuanghuan had the impressive gall to display the car at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show. It did make it to market in Italy, however.
Lifan 320
If imitation is the highest form of flattery, the designers of the new-era Mini must have felt well and truly complimented when the Lifan 320 turned up. Or perhaps not. Presciently, though, it was designed as a five-door from the outset. It’s since been facelifted, with a new grille and headlight design apparently cribbed from the Fiat 500 instead. A company spokesperson was once quoted as saying: ‘I think that perhaps the management of Lifan and Mini shares some ideals that have drawn them to this very classical and fashionable shape.’ It wasn’t revealed whether they said it with a straight face.
Shuanghuan Noble
Another entry from Shuanghuan. Not content with aping big German cars, the company’s clearly a fan of small ones too. Quite apart from exernal (and internal) similarities to the Smart ForTwo, the Noble was promoted in the Greek market with the slogan ‘smarter than the rest.’ Talk about sailing close to the wind…
BAIC X424
BAIC’s off-roader hedges its bets by borrowing a few bits of Wrangler here and the odd element of Cherokee there. Either way, there’s a definite Jeep theme going on here.
Great Wall Kulla
Great Wall has decided that anything the Renault Twizy can do, it can copy. Hence an ultra-narrow pure electric vehicle with tandem seating and no real doors. Comparisons with the Twizy are inevitable, though the Kulla is a concept rather than a production car for now.