If you think Malaysia’s state of piracy is bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet. China is where Uncle Ho got his MBA in Piracy. They can pirate anything and nothing’s stopped them for doing it. Proton ripping off Alfa’s grill for the Perdana V6 and Alfa’s sport rims design for the Proton Gen2 is nothing compared to what Chinese car manufacturers are capable of.
1. Laibao SR-V
This car by Shuanghuan Motors. It’s a complete blatant rip-off of the Honda CR-V although only in exterior design. The interior is damn chapalang the last time I saw it. Couldn’t find photos of it for this post. The engine’s using a very old Toyota engine, probably old stocks. Shuanghuan also ripped off Audi’s 4 rings to use as it’s logo. It’s using 2 rings instead.
Both Honda and Audi have gone after Shuanghuan with lawsuits. Honda was asking for 100 million yuan as compensation but so far nothing has resulted probably because of protection by the China government.
2. Geely Merie
This has gotta be the most bold rip-off of all time! Most of the Geely cars are based on the old C-class and E-class Mercedes Benz designs. Even Ssangyong does it, although theirs was a proper legal transfer of design. But I’ve never seen such a bold attempt at ripping off the latest C class.
Check that out, it’s the latest peanut-eye Mercedes C class. Wait, it’s not a Mercedes?! It’s a GEELY MERIE! Sheesh, just looking at it really makes me feel geli, or should I say it makes me feel “Geely”?
Even the back is the same. I wonder what the Chinese translation for Kompressor is. Maybe they’ll just rename it to Kopier instead? Kopycat?
Yeah, take the body design of a car designed with a sporty look and comes with 16 inch rims (17 inch on the C32) and you stick 13 inch rims on them. Look at the size of the wheel arch compared to the relatively small 13 inch wheels they put on it. The people at Geely are too cheap for 16 inch rims and tyres. Oh wait, the wheels have gone through their Kompressor(tm) technology… must be.
3. Chery QQ
The Chevrolet Spark, or known by it’s nickname Chevy Spark was designed solely for the China market, designed for city driving – fuel economy and easy parking. But not even a year after the Spark was introduced, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp released a model that looked suspiciously strikingly similiar called the Chery QQ. WTF? Chevy = Chery. ROTFLOL! A GM spokesperson said: “If you didn’t have the name tags on the car, you couldn’t tell them apart. It’s such a knockoff that you can pull a door off of the Chevy Spark and it fits on the QQ – and it fits so well that the seals on the door hold.“
These two models are going to be available in Malaysia so you can see China’s excellent piracy skills with your own eyes. Chevrolet just starting bringing the Spark into Malaysia and Naza wants to bring in the QQ. The Spark will cost about RM40,000 but rumours are saying that the QQ would cost almost 10K cheaper, although they are just rumours.
Others
I have strong suspicion that the car above called the “Deer” by GreatWall Motors is actually a ripped-off Toyota Hilux. The fact that it’s called Deer when Toyota trucks and MPVs in Indonesia are called Kijang makes me even more sure.
What else?
Sing SUV – Nissan X-Trail
Geely – Ripped off Toyota’s logo
Hongda (wtf? Big Red?) – Ripped off Honda
What are you waiting for? Go get your MBA in Intellectual Property Piracy from any university in China today!
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
eww, i wanna barf. gawd sometimes chinese could be so bloody annoying (for pc reason, that's an understatement, k?) *barf*
The C-Class : That's a good one. Funny stuff! An eye-opener indeed.
Some of their names, besides their looks, also sound the same. The original brands don't sue, do they ;p It's a silly thing to do though. Obviously they're downright copy-cats.
i couldnt tell it wasnt the maseli peanut eye from afar.. it looks exactly like maseli..identical
esh esh esssshhh… and i thought Bolehland was numero uno in piracy tim. oh wait, we piracy in vcd hor… cars not yet reach dat level.
the name "laibao" had me rofl
eye opener indeed. I was astonished and really entertained by this post. Cayalah China!
Hi Paul! Great story about the cars! I think my readers will enjoy it, so I hope you don't mind I've linked to it!
Paul & Readers: The Chery QQ is coming to the USA! I posted the story on my blog if you care to take a look!
ok this post is brilliant … lol .. d chinese ish jz .. eish .. mebe when they can clone ppl, they gonna fake sum1 and sell it in d chinese market T___T huwahahah .. anyway cool post!!
The Chinese auto industry is nothing compared to the Chinese defense industry. The Chinese Army is producing a vehicle identical to the General Motors M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HUMMER) and the Chinese Air Force has a design damn near identical to the F-22 Raptor (US version costs 250 Million apiece).
Hummer – http://img44.exs.cx/img44/3283/chinesehummer.jpg
F-22 Raptor – http://www.centurychina.com/plaboard/uploads/2003…
Click the photo "China's newest domestics"
@ the address below:
http://info.detnews.com/photogalleries/autosgalle…
You'll see photos of the "Great Wall Hover",
a blatant steal of the Isuzu Axiom's design, along
with many other derivative Chinese designs.
the Deer actually is based on Toyota Hilux with permission from Toyota.
Not a copycat product
evn though QQ also mentioned with cooperation agreement with Daewoo (now call GM Daewoo).
Laibo and Geely are copycat products, but cheap at all
Laibo only MYR35k with Toyota 2.2 engine or Ford 2.4 engine
Geely is using Toyota 5A 1.3 L
engine which Toyota make in China for Daihatsu Charade 1.3.
chong: Chery has no cooperation agreement whatsoever with GM Daewoo. they ripped off the design and they were sued in the court by GM Daewoo, but lost because the china govt protected them.
ahahaha…yea no joke. There are some real blatant rip offs here in China. I remember reading an article a year back about how the auto giants was trying to sue these China companies for copying their designs. Seems like it's not doing any good. I still see them on the streets of Shanghai everyday.
i dunno whether i should be impressed or depressed. the sad truth is i can only afford china's models. either that or back to my (t)rusty proton.
Paul,
I believe the c class is not Meirie, but it is
http://www.geely.com/auto/ziy/zy_index.htm
hahahah! don't telling me all of us Malaysian NEVER using pirated software! hahahhahah!
Thief laughs on the thief?
stealing is stealing, from small to big also call stealing! wake up thief Malaysian!
"Geely – Ripped off Toyota’s logo"
nonononono!
it was not!
It will be ripped off BMW's logo and SKODA's logo!
BYD – ripped off BMW's logo
i cant imagen that could happen to china
think if they ciplak our proton car whats the name? phen tan or phor tong ha ha ha
"Hongda (wtf? Big Red?) – Ripped off Honda"
Hongqi or Hongki (from FAW) … is mean "Red Flag"
Wow this is sad. I hope the WTO does something about this.
II believe they have the rights to copy cat it since there's no authority to say it is a wrong doing. Sadly, everybody loves to take an advantage from someone else accomplishment. It is not a good practice eventhough the name is changed. Please…don't create anymore problems in this world…we have enough actually.
I hope this cars will arrived at Philippine soil, so that Filipinos can acquire cheap cars hehehe! we dont have any problems with durability or brand or of its immitation, Filipinos are resourceful and can fix almost everything hehehe! specially loves cheap items hehehe!
It will sell like HOT Tamale in in The Phils… go China! heheheh!
i also have chinese brand motorcycle (imittation engine) and i dont have problem with it since i bought i 3 years ago!
Well…China telecom ripped off Toyota's Logo as well.
The pix is still with me….
WTF?All the vehicles,especially the Geely Merie,are all totally muther fukking craps.If these vehicles are sold in the USA and the UK,i am sure that the motor journalists will sure whack khao khao one,GUARANTEED!
"“Geely – Ripped off Toyota’s logoâ€
nonononono!
it was not!
It will be ripped off BMW’s logo and SKODA’s logo!"
I know who are ripping toyota logo………………I think it is BRILLIANCE ZHONGHUA!!!!!!!! but good idea and good reason to rip!!!!!!!!!!!!
china product cheap maaa….
I can accept myself driving proton, i still can say i am supporting national car, i cant accept myself driving china car, yeah they can make the milo tin looks really beautiful and tough. But nobody would be able to reconize you if you ever bang on something. And heck, it is the thing under the hood that counts. Very funny if people complaning proton providing outdated engines and then buy china car.
China cars.Like honda=crv also can. why not buy China car. Much cheaper.Why car about quality. You can buy three car instead of one. Ha ha ha.
i prefer the sr-v than cr-v.. just a lil bit of touchup from kedai potong.. then.. ding… there u ar a crv… hehehe
wft? diz fellas all 2 much la
china cheap…always cheap, forever cheap and cheap head… will become like russian auto soon.
In an ideal world, there is justice, fair play, equality, the lot. In the real world, everybody, every company, every country is after their own interest. When I think about that, what the heck, I like to have a look alike Mercedes for a change
that is just awful and suck…….
teruk btul la car copying kat china ni…..i hate it very much.
Japanese and Korean also copy / imitate other country's design during their initial stage of the development of car industry. It happens to every country.
American copy German's V2 rocket before they can develope Saturn V to send man to moon. Microsoft copy Apple's GUI before they can come up with Windows.
Please don't ask people to run before they can walk.
All of this from a race of people who brought us pasta, the original stick match and fireworks. The communist government is so oppressive, they don't have any original ideas of their own. Once other governments around the world get tired of all this copying, it will probably be too late.
geehhh..both malaysian and chinese car maker sucks! but on the other hand, it’s pretty cool…see, these chinese car is a lot cheaper compared to its rivals..and i hope some of this model enters the philippine market, especially the SR-V!! i'll be the first one to buy that car, and have its engine change by a real honda CR-V engine and improve its interior so it wont look cheap..by the way..i hope this car makers imitates the philippine jeepney, that'll be the collest imitation around! peace out…
Good job! *PUKE*
whateva we do,china cant be stopped in piracy..n i dun know why malaysian local car manufacture want incopate with those pirates..naza n proton..i think they are SIFUUUUU.
i guess they have misunderstood the word COPYRIGHT.
FUCK U
CHAINA
poor them ..got nothing to be proud of
"made in china"
xD
now we laugh at them.. i believe, sooner we will praise them. same happen to japanese car industries before.
Everything made in china is complete crap.By buying it you are championing mediocrity,pollution and exploitation.