In China there are vehicle manufacturers that analyze and study the European models that reach the market to make almost exact copies – at least in terms of aesthetics – of them and sell them in their country. Although it may seem somewhat far-fetched to us, the truth is that these imitation models are in high demand in that territory. However, they have never reached Europe, because they do not comply with the safety regulations of the European Union (EU).
On some occasion, even the original manufacturer has filed a plagiarism lawsuit against the Chinese firm , winning the sentence and thus preventing the copy from being marketed. Despite everything, the list of models that these Chinese manufacturers have copied is not short, precisely. The most surprising thing is that Chinese copies of cars are sometimes sold alongside the original model without posing a problem.
However, it must always be borne in mind that, although aesthetically these copies are very similar to the originals, technically and mechanically they leave much to be desired. The engines of these Chinese versions are always well below those of the European models. In addition, the complex driver assistance systems or other technological elements such as touch screens that they incorporate do not exist in the knockoff models . This explains the difference in price between them, which can sometimes be very significant. For example, a Porsche Macan costs about $ 83,000, while its copy, the Zotye SR9, can be purchased for as little as $ 24,000. For this reason, the demand for this type of car is very high in the Asian country, as they allege that the brands of the original product sell it at too expensive a price. Be that as it may, and no matter how cheap these copies are, the security offered by OEM vehicles is priceless.
Next, we show you a selection of the twelve copies of Chinese cars that are most similar to the European models they imitate (note: the images correspond in all cases to European models)
