A Hongqi (Red Flag) HQD sedan is displayed during the Fourth China Chungchun International Auto Fair held in the capital city of northeast China's Jilin Province August 14, 2005. China's First Automobile Works (FAW) Group Company was making efforts to forge a luxurious limousine image of Hongqi.
“Chinese technicians have become so skilled at reverse engineering that their western counterparts have to look closely to tell the difference. This could be good news for consumers, bringing the prospect of half-price vehicles. But it’s bad news for the car companies that have invested time and money establishing brands only to see them duplicated.”
General Motors has been one of the worst victims, as evidenced by what the Times describes as an “attack of the clones,” when China’s Chery Automobile simply ran blueprints for the Chevrolet Matiz through a photocopier to come up with its QQ. A Matiz door can fit on a QQ and a QQ bonnet fits on the Matiz, a GM spokesman said.
“The Hongqi (Red Flag) HQD, a cheap rip-off of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, was unveiled at the Chinese motor show last August. Although only a concept car, a production model is predicted to cost about 130,000, compared with 216,950 for the Phantom.” Other copycats include the Shuanghuan Laibao SRV, which appears to be a recycled version of the Honda CR-V, but at less than half the cost of the Japanese original. Its badge is startling like Audi, minus two of the German brands rings.
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Originally Posted by TVR IS KING
