Welcome back to Auto for Dummies, the column that opens Pandora's box of the secrets of the car world. Last week we told you about car clones, copies of successful models that try to shine with the reflected light of the cars from which they take inspiration. Today we go one step further, with the 5 copies of the most sensational Chinese cars (and not only) of recent years. Ready to be amazed?
Martin Motors Bubble, for the Chinese the copies of the smallest car, the Smart
Let's start with a bang on our journey among the copies of Chinese cars with the only car on this list also sold in Italy, the Martin Motors Bubble. Born as Shuanghuan Noble (a name we mentioned last time, with the CEO copy of the BMW X5 ...), as you can guess from the title the Bubble was a true carbon copy of the Smart fortwo, precisely of the restyling of the first series.
If from the front the similarity is not that important, it is the rear that arouses the most criticism in the West: it is simply identical to that of the Smart fortwo. The little Bubble was produced in China from 2007 to 2012, just as the first Smart series was replaced. In China, no problem: the copy was from an older model, so it was not a direct copy of a model still in production. The problems came when the Martin Motors, Italian company that brought Shuanghuan models to Italy, decided to present the Bubble at the 2007 Bologna Motor Show. “Absolutely not”, thundered Mercedes-Benz, owner of the Smart brand, so much so that the ban on presentation and sale of the model was requested and obtained in the Supreme Court.
Martin Motors, however, did not give up, and after a lawsuit won in Greece he went on the safe side by adding to his Bubble ... a rear spare wheel. No, really. To distinguish it from the Smart, Martin Motors installed a metal stand with an external spare wheel, like on an off-road vehicle. A seemingly crazy solution, but one that allowed it to stand out enough from the original Smart. As you can imagine, however, the similarities between the Bubble and the Smart were only aesthetic. The interior, although taking up the central trend of the dashboard and the Smart fortwo vents, was spartan and made with poor quality materials.
The engine wasn't rear, and the chassis wasn't Smart's brilliant Tridion either. Instead, it was the shortened platform of the Suzuki Alto, produced in India, with engine and front-wheel drive. The engine then was the 1.1 4-cylinder petrol / LPG 60 HP from Suzuki WagonR +, and the gearbox was 5-speed manual. The big difference was the presence of four seats. Despite Martin Motors Bubble was only 27 cm longer than the Smart fortwo, barely exceeding 3 meters (however it reached 3,27m with the spare wheel ...), offered 4 places. Behind there was also a surprising amount of space, with the possibility of accommodating adults up to meter and 70. The trunk, however, was non-existent with 4 people on board.
To have a minimum load, it was necessary to fold down at least one seat, e to get to the trunk the sequence is tragicomic. To access the cargo area, it was necessary turn off the car, take the ignition key e unlock the outer metal bar with it holding the spare wheel. Once that was done, it was then necessary open this huge bar (with much pleasure from those who are parked behind you) and then open the boot in two steps, just like that of the Smart. All this effort only to discover that the space with 4 people on board was reduced to zero, and that to load more was necessary fold down at least one of the two seats. Not surprisingly, it wasn't exactly a sales success. Despite the price of 10.500 euro (including the LPG system), the sale lasted only two years, from 2010 to 2012, without having heirs.
Lifan 320, the copy (failed ...) of MINI
Unfortunately, the cars on the Italian market end up here. However, this does not mean that the embarrassment rate of these Chinese copy cars does not increase anymore, on the contrary. Today's second model is a surprise in many ways: the Lifan 320.
This compact 5-door utility car is produced by Lifan, one of the most popular Chinese houses on the People's Republic market. Lifan was actually born only 30 years ago, in 1992, as a manufacturer of motorcycles, a market where it is still a leader in China thanks to its models Hongda. No, it's not a typo. Lifan has been producing for years copies of the most popular Honda models, calling them… Hongda. It is therefore not surprising to find that even in automotive production they were no longer original.
After the first classic and unexciting sedans, Lifan entered the compact market with the birth of the 320. Yes, we know what you are thinking: it is the failed copy of a MINI first series R50, of which among other things we made an AnniversAuto a few days ago. The references to the MINI are a loti, starting from the front with the round headlights but with a strange protuberance at the bottom, the grille reminiscent of that of the famous Cooper up to the vertical windshield and the black pillars that make the roof, squared and painted in contrast, visually suspended. Also behind the look of MINI is taken up with the headlights, squared and with a design similar to that of the English, and the squared rear window.
Inside, however, the clearest reference to MINI is the two-spoke steering wheel, clearly of English inspiration. TO 5 doors aside, it seems, quoting Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear, "that someone described a MINI on the phone and the person on the other end drew it following those directions." A real tragedy. And to think that the Lifan 320 was also sold in Russia, as Lifan Smily, and in Latin America, where its real problem was discovered: the safety.
In the tests of the LatinNCAP, much less severe than the European ones, the Lifan 320 scored well 0 out of 5 stars. The South American entity described how "Incredibly unlikely" the possibility of getting out alive from an accident in one of these cars. Reassuring, isn't it? The chassis of this fake MINI is the same as the bigger 520, but shortened and made more "cute". The driving experience will therefore not be as joyful and fun as on the original MINI, but in reality there is one thing in common: the engine.. Under the hood of the Lifan 320 there is in fact a 1.3 with about 90 HP, derived from the 1.6 bhp 116 of the Lifan 520. And do you know what engine that 1.6 is? Just him, the Tritec developed by Chrysler and Rover for the MINI first series. At least one thing in common they have it in the end.
La Lifan 320 is still in production today, but at his side there is one “totally new” version, the Lifan 330. The mechanics are the same as the 320, and a central round radio has appeared inside, just like that of the new MINI F56. Outside, however, if the rear has remained almost identical, the front has changed a lot. From being similar to that of MINI now it incorporates the round headlights and the "whisker" mask ... of the FIAT 500L. Now it looks like the unwanted fruit of a night of love between a MINI and a 500L ... Fortunately, we will never (or almost never) see it on European roads.
Mahindra Thar, a Jeep Wrangler al garam masala
Against all odds, it's time to get out of China's nearly 10 million km2, because even far from the Great Wall we have our trusted “counterfeiters”. Where is it? In another country with over a billion inhabitants: theIndia. Although in our latitudes Indian brands are "stuff" for a few, in terms of numbers, the Indian manufacturers are enjoying increasing success. La Tata it had a moment of popularity with the small Indica car, which also spread to Italy (thanks also to engines of FIAT origin), and today it produces very robust and resistant SUVs and crossovers.
At the top of sales, however, there is a brand that we also know well in Italy, Suzuki. Although in fact it is a Japanese company, since the 80s, it has been producing its models in India under the name of Maruti-Suzuki. In addition to cars also sold in Europe such as the Swift, Alto or Baleno, Maruti Suzuki produces specific models for the Indian market, resulting in the House with the highest sales in the country in recent years.
But we have not forgotten the perhaps best known brand in Italy, Mahindra. Always specialized in off-road and 4 × 4 hard and pure, with robust pickups and SUVs with frame with side members and a lot of reliability, Mahindra is starting a process modernization. Party with theacquisition of Pininfarina e with the landing in Formula E, Mahindra is trying to become a modern and multinational company, but without forgetting its origins.
For those who do not know, in fact, the Mahindra & Mahindra was born in 1947 as a licensed manufacturer of the Willys CJ, the first version of what became known as the Jeep. Mahindra in fact built the Jeep CJ under license in India, what today has become the Wrangler, starting from the 50s to the present day. Mahindra has in fact produced the old Jeep CJ7, which went out of production in the 80s, until 2010 with different names, such as MM620 or Thar, selling it with discontinuity also in Italy. Since 2010, however, the license has expired, leaving Mahindra the freedom to sell its Thar only in India and in some selected markets. Although Mahindra had in fact by now begun to produce the Thar with several modifications from the original project, different engines and components made in India, the design era almost identical to that of the classic Jeeps of the 70s and 80s.
With the arrival of more stringent safety and emissions regulations, however, the old Thar (sold for some time also in Europe) had to go into pension. Mahindra has even tried to re-propose its Thar in America, producing it in Kit in the States, as a non-street legal vehicle for off-road use, and calling it Roxor. After a few years of dispute with FCA, from 2022 Mahindra will be free to sell its Roxor in America and Canada, but it didn't go as well for the new Thar. In fact, in 2020, Mahindra totally revised its flagship off-road vehicle, which for the first time is totally detached from the Willys Jeep design of the 50s.
The problem is that this new Thar is incredibly similar to the penultimate generation Jeep Wrangler, the JK, produced between 2007 and 2018, while the rear is identical to the new Wrangler, the JL, produced from 2019.. On paper, the new Thar uses a all new chassis, two brand new engines made in Mahindra (a 2.0 petrol and 2.2 turbodiesel) and it is quite a lot smaller, less than 4 meters long. Kind of a Jimny rival but identical to Wrangler in practice. The Thar was presented in India on August 15 last year, Independence Day in India. Since then, this off-roader has been successfully sold in India, under a badly concealed nuisance from FCA, today Stellantis.
If therefore in India its presence is "tolerated", when Mahindra tested the waters and declared plans to bring the Thar to Australia, Jeep went on the counterattack. The issue is very fresh, as the statement on the Australian Mahindra site of Thar's imminent arrival among the kangaroos came earlier this year. That didn't stop Jeep, however, which sued Mahindra for copyright infringement and plagiarism. For the Roxor's victory in America, Mahindra seems close to having to confine her Thar to India alone. It will be like this? We hope not, because thanks to its compact size, robustness and pleasant (albeit "inspired") aesthetics, this Thar could also be successful in Italy ...
Zotye SR9, among the Chinese copy cars she is inspired by Porsche Macan throughout
After this little trip to India, from curry we return to bao and our beloved China, for what it is perhaps among the Chinese copies of European cars the most sensational and, paradoxically, the most sold. We are talking about Zotye SR9. The name may not tell you much, but as you can see from the cover it is nothing but the exact copy of the Porsche Macan. Yes, you heard right: in China you can buy a similar car in all respects at the Macan at a quarter of the price. In fact, if Macan in China starts at over 70.000 euros, you can have an SR9 for around 14.000. But what lies behind this almost identical aesthetic?
Obviously, the mechanics are not in the least comparable to the Porsche. The Zotye SR9 is longer than the Macan, reaching around 4,77 meters, and the chassis lacks the dynamic capabilities of Porsche and the engines are not as powerful as the German ones. Under the hood, however, there is not the sluggishness that one might expect. At the base of the range is a 1.5 turbo-petrol engine with around 150 HP. At the top of the range, on the other hand, there is the legendary engine Mitsubishi MIVEC 4G63 2.0 turbo petrol with 190 HP, the same (weakened) of the Lancer Evo. In 2019, even a version arrived plug-in hybrid, la HEV, with 190 CV.
But how does it cost so little? Simple: in Zotye they have saved on design, shamelessly copying from Macan. The front is really a drop of water: identical mirrors, wheel arches, hood and bumper. The grille is obviously different, and there is no Porsche logo, but the front Macan and SR9 are very similar. Lat the same time, the proportions are exactly the same, with the same line of the windows. The only difference is that Zotye is more practical, with the stock roof bars. Finally, in the queue, we find headlights that are very reminiscent of those of Maserati Levante, but otherwise we are point and head with the front.
Same rear wing, same bumper, same rear window. Change the position of the license plate, which passes from the bumper on the Macan to the tailgate on the SR9. Aside from these small details, however, we have a real one copy of Macan. And inside, the matter becomes even more impressive. If with the outside in Zotye they have changed at least a little bit, inside, the level of detail is almost fascinating. The steering wheel is almost identical, apart from the central logo and the very different quality of the steering wheel controls. The seats are perfectly identical, as is the dashboard, with vertical air vents around the central infotainment screen, which also allows for a larger diagonal than Porsche's.
In Zotye they then copied the central tunnel to perfection, starting from the shape of the gear lever to switch to the double row of buttons, even passing through the position and shape of the electric handbrake button. The only tangible difference is the instrument cluster, which has the speedometer in the center and not the tachometer. Available with both manual and automatic double clutch transmission, the Zotye SR9 has become in a few years the best-selling model of the Chinese house. The appeal of a model with a European aesthetic, excellent performance and an entry level price have made their way into the hearts of hundreds of thousands of Chinese, who have continued to choose it since its launch in 2016.
Due to the very lax laws on Chinese plagiarism, Porsche has not yet managed to fix it as it was for the Landwind X7 we talked about last week. In order not to risk it, Zotye has made a partial external restyling of its SR9, which however is still very similar to the Macan. Will Porsche be able to avoid the rise of the SR9? Judging by the presence in the Zotye range of copies of Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7… the challenge is really difficult.
Yogomo 330, a Chinese micro-car copy of the KIA Picanto
We could close our journey among Chinese copies of Western cars with the Great Wall Peri, a small city car "freely inspired" by the FIAT Panda, which was blocked from sale in Europe in the early 10s. Or we could close with one of the Zotye mentioned before, really striking. Instead, we close with a kind of car present exclusively in China, that of LSEV, Low Speed Electric Vehicle. It is cars equipped with very weak electric motors, similar to our light quadricycles but with more generous dimensions. They are very cheap cars, with prices starting from 2 up to 6 thousand euros, which in addition to the very low price enjoy other tax advantages.
However, these LSEVs cannot be driven on the motorway, also due to the power which cannot exceed 8 kW (about 11 HP). They also often have very rudimentary batteries, sometimes still with lead-acid technology used on our classic 12V car batteries. Equipped with autonomies between 80 and 200 km, have been a 'idea of the Chinese government to alleviate the demand for fossil fuels and reduce local emissions in the huge Chinese cities, where a car with 10 HP allows you to move independently without depending on public transport.
However, these LSEVs are still quite expensive to make despite the very simple technology that composes them. This means that the manufacturers, where they can, try to cut unnecessary resources. How to do? Simple: by making copies without any shame the bodywork of small foreign cars, perfect for being small electric towns. Together with cars with a very particular aesthetic in this category, we have the Weikerui V7, one of several Chinese copies of a very popular car in Europe, Volkswagen Up!, but never made it into production, and the last car of today, the Yogomo 330.
It is useless to go around it: is the perfect copy of the second generation KIA Picanto, produced between 2011 and 2018. The front is identical, except for the mask (obviously Tiger Nose) which rather provocatively bears the Yogomo logo. On the side, the differences are nil, while behind the handle for the trunk it is made of plastic. Also missing are the KIA logo (obviously), rear window wiper and third brake light. But the performance is very, very different. Yogomo offers three levels of "power": 5 HP, 7 HP and 10 HP, with lead-acid batteries. The maximum speed of the most powerful? 60 km / h.
Inside, at least Yogomo used his imagination, more or less, with a very banal dashboard but different from that of Picanto. There's even a digital instrument cluster… take this, KIA! The price for such great quality? Between 30.000 and 40.000 yuan, or between 4.000 and 5.800 euros. And what does KIA say? Well, Picanto is not sold in China, so there is no plagiarism for the Chinese government. In theory…
What is the shameless copy that surprised you most?
And with today's less discreet one, our journey through the most striking Chinese copies (but not only) of successful cars, European and non-European, ends. Last time we analyzed how the oriental car market is full of copies, Chinese and non-Chinese, of cars, thanks also and above all to very soft and permissive legislation. Certainly, Chinese copies of successful cars are not the best business card for a country that is alive and increasingly open and modern, also from the point of view of the car market.
The Chinese market, and also the Indian one we briefly talked about, it is full of beautiful original products, such as the new electric ones Aiways, or the renewed brand Borgward, passing through Anglo-Chinese MG, which is preparing an important offensive in Europe. Thanks to the know-how learned over the years also through these games of mirrors and "poetic licenses", China is making great strides in the world of cars. A sign of this is the fact that BMW has chosen to produce its new electric iX3 for the whole world in China, in Shenyang. In our opinion, this trend will soon fade, and not because the government will begin to punish those who copy. The reason is another: Chinese houses, increasingly avant-garde and modern, will soon no longer need it. And who knows, maybe we will be the ones to take inspiration from the next Aiways, or from the new Geely or Chery.
For now, however, we can still analyze a trend that for the moment shows no signs of diminishing, to the delight of all the curious in the car world. Now the ball passes to you: what do you think? Have you ever seen a clone car? And instead would you ever buy a car "made in China"? Let us know below in the comments! See you next week for a new installment of Auto for Dummies! Hi!
Discount
The Chinese Dictionary. Chinese-English dictionary, ...
- Zhao, Xiuying (Author)
Chinese for Italians (Vol. 1)
- aa.vv. (Author)
