Producing imitation branded items seems like a bread and butter business in China so it should be no surprise if Chinese automakers also shamelessly rip-off the designs of western automobiles, in this case, the Land Rover Evoque, and re-brand it as their own.
The LandWind X7 which, like all good imitation products, is a remarkably close approximation of the real thing that goes for a lot less money. The original Range Rover Evoque, sells for 40,000 pounds (RM210,000) Autocar reports, while the Chinese version will retail for only 14,000 pounds (RM73,500).
Seemingly unhappy, Land Rover chief executive officer Dr Ralf Speth has announced that the British manufacturer will lodge a complaint to Chinese officials about this copyright issue. Dr. Ralf Speth commented,
“The fact that this kind of copying is ongoing in China is very disappointing. The simple principal is that it is not something that should happen; the intellectual property is owned by Jaguar Land Rover and if you break that IP then you are in breach of international regulations that apply around the world.
As a company we have invested heavily in China with our joint venture partner Chery. That commitment is based on a clear business plan, that allows us to hit our sales targets at clear prices. Anything that damages the potential profitability of our plant damages the integrity of those plans.
I will talk to our officials and I will talk to our partners at Chery to find a way around this situation. I cannot imagine Chinese officials will be happy at any actions that undermine the credibility of the country. What we have seen today is not correct.”
Source and images: Autocar via Autoblog
