Are Chinese carmakers copying Western models?

Chinese car firm Zotye has just released details of its SR9, which you might think looks quite a lot like a Porsche Macan. Obviously, we couldn’t possibly comment.

The Chinese car industry has a talent for spotting cars it likes the look of and then… well, judge for yourself. You probably won’t need to read the copy to guess what’s meant to be what.

Lifan 320

At the 2008 Beijing motor show Lifan released this 1.3-litre supermini called the 320. It was facelifted in 2013, at which point it stopped looking like a Mini and started looking more like a Fiat 500.

Land Wind X7

You can understand why Chinese domestic market customers might have liked the idea of a Range Rover Evoque well under half the price of a real one. Land Rover wasn’t quite so keen on £14,000 Land Wind X7, but despite their representations it went on sale.  

Shuanghuan SCEO

Can't decide between a Lexus RX and a BMW X5? Let Shuanghuan ease your pain with its SCEO, which closely resembled both these popular SUVs depending on which angle you were looking from. BMW managed to block its sale on the German market.

CH Auto Lithia

From the front or rear you wouldn’t necessarily get the connection between the rather nicely styled electric Lithia and Audi’s R8 supercar – but you probably would from the side.

Geely Beauty Leopard

A blast from the past when Hyundai’s Coupé was attracting many positive comments about its styling. Geely’s version looks a bit wonky somehow but you can forgive a lot in something that glories in the name of Beauty Leopard.

Youxia Ranger X

In China, The Hoff’s Knight Rider is known as ‘Youxia’. This Tesla Model S looky-likey doesn’t just make use of the Knight Rider name, it even has KITT’s strobing light effects.

Shuanghuan Auto Noble

Smart Fortwo, anyone? Not a bit of it: the Shuanghuan Auto Noble is entirely different in that it has four seats. Budge up in the front!

Dojo Pioneer

Remember the Aston Martin Cygnet, a primped-up Toyota iQ with an inflated price tag? This 37mph Chinese EV harks back to that venture between Aston and Toyota.

Yogomo S325

See one of these coming up in your rear view mirror and (if you need specs) you might think ‘Evoque’. Allow it to overtake you and you might revise that initial impression to ‘Daihatsu YRV’ from the year 2000. JLR is not thought to be overly concerned about the Yogomo S325.

Yogomo 330

Kia might be a little more concerned by the Picanto-ish 330 than JLR was about the S325.

Geely Merrie 300

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but maybe Mercedes-Benz wasn’t feeling all that flattered when this C-Class front-ended saloon came out.

Some of these Chinese creations do look awfully familiar.