Top 10 Blatant Chinese Knock-Offs

They’re coming, gathering menacingly on the periphery of Europe’s automotive industry like a flock of knock-off iPhones. It’s the Attack of the Chinese Clones...

Tom Harrison

18 May 2015

10: Geely SC7 RV

Somehow, the SC7 manages to be even even uglier than the Bentley concept it emulates. Probably those laughably small wheels...

9: Shaunghaun SCEO (X5)

BMW got its lederhosen in a bunch when Shaunghaun launched this, the SCEO, in 2007. So angry were the Germans, they took Shaunghaun’s European importers to court, alleging SCEO had ripped-off its first-gen X5. Right they were, too. It’s there, Hofmeister kink and all. Though BMW won its case in Germany, it lost the battle to bar sales of the SCEO in Italy and France, as well as China.

8: Lifan 320

A four-door mini Mini is, oddly, a niche BMW has yet - yes, 'yet' - to fill itself. Still, doesn’t make Lifan’s 320 clone any more acceptable, right?

7: Laibao SRV

Knock-offs are supposed to emulate luxury goods - Louis Vuitton handbags, Rolexes and the like. Not Hondas. Seriously - it's like buying a fake Timex, completely pointless.

6: BYD F8

A literal mash-up of a Mercedes CLK (we wouldn’t be surprised if those headlights were interchangeable…) and Astra TwinTop, Megane CC, or any other fat-assed folding hard-top. Just say no, folks.

5: Chery QQ

Take one Daewoo Matiz, remove the badge, et voilà! You’ve got yourself a Chery QQ my friend...now go stand in the corner and hang your head in shame.

4: Dongfeng EQ2050

If Arnie ever runs short on cash, he can rest safe in the knowledge that there's a cheaper, crapper Hummer out there waiting for him...

3: Geely GE

Great idea: replace the Phantom of Simon Cowell with one of these, and see how long it’d take him to notice...Not long, considering in place of a conventional rear bench, the GE contains a full-on single throne fit for any one of the politburo.

2: JAC 4R3

Ford’s top brass put a swift end to JAC’s ambitions to launch the 4R3 (catchy) earlier this year. Rightly so, too. Bet the Raptor was quaking on its heavy-duty shocks… This thing would’ve been an absolute monster, with - wait for it - 108bhp.