When someone mentions the words ‘knock off’ you might automatically think of football shirts, handbags and jewellery. But what about cars?
Some car designs are so eye-catching and iconic, it seems some other manufacturers can’t help but borrow their ideas. From the body shape to the front-grille, the interior and even the badge, all are hot spots for plagiarism.
Although many car copies have triggered legal boxing matches, we can’t help but marvel at their hilarity. So, here is a rundown of what we think are the most scandalous examples of blatant copycat cars.
Suzhou Eagle Carrie (Porsche Cayman and Ferrari California)
The Suzhou Eagle Carrie is a bit of an oddity. Glance at the front-end and you may think it’s a Ferrari California. But catch a look of its behind and the Porsche Cayman might spring to mind.
This Frankenstein-esque concoction of a supercar featured at Auto Shanghai 2015 and is littered with familiar design traits. Even its badge looks ridiculously similar to Porsche’s.
Although it might be a copy and look a bit silly in this green paint job, the Eagle Carrie has some pretty tasty performance figures, boasting a 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.8 seconds.
Geely GE (Rolls-Royce Phantom)
There’s been a whirlwind of contentious activity surrounding the Geely GE.
Due to its similar appearance to the Rolls-Royce Phantom – and a lot of other Rollers for that matter – Rolls-Royce voiced its annoyance, urging Geely to reshape the car, giving it a more rounded look.
Even after a makeover, the Geely GE is still a dead ringer for a Roller, with its large bar grille, luxurious limousine interior and pseudo-Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament.
Shuanghuan Noble (Smart ForTwo)
This is another model that sparked a legal tennis match. Mercedes-Benz’s diddy city car has become as synonymous with traversing the concrete jungle as mopeds and Fiat 500s.
When Shuanghuan released a car with a very similar design, Mercedes filed a lawsuit against them. However, as the Noble resembled a Smart model that was no longer being manufactured – due to it being replaced by a newer-generation – it was allowed to go on sale.
A lot of city cars look similar, but the Noble’s two-tone paint job, stumpy rear-end and miniature headlights just ooze Smart car styling.
Lifan 320 (MINI Hatch)
Oh look, it’s a Min… wait a second. This is the Lifan 320, a large supermini that hails from China. Lifan has only been making vehicles since 2005 and its 320 model is easily one of its most recognisable designs – mainly because it looks very similar to the Mini 5dr Hatch.
The Lifan 320 makes use of a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine developing just under 100bhp. It is also capable of hitting a top speed of 155mph.
It’s the bulging headlights, stretched nose and two-tone roof that are notable though, giving it its undeniable MINI look. The 320 is even being advertised in the same highly-recognisable bright blue colour scheme as the MINI Hatch. But those with a keen eye will notice that the MINI Cooper 5dr is actually 237mm longer – clearly.
Land Wind X7 (Range Rover Evoque)
In our opinion, this is the Holy Grail. Just look at it. If the Land Wind X7 was to zip by you on the street there is no way you would be able to tell it apart from a Range Rover Evoque. It’s actually harder to spot the differences, rather than the similarities between these two models.
To make matters worse, the Land Wind X7 was unveiled at the Guangzhou Motor Show, an event where the Range Rover Evoque was also starring – in a nearby hall.
Getting technical though, the X7 is ever so slightly bigger and has an underpowered 2.0-litre petrol engine when compared to the Evoque.
