Is this the most shameless Chinese rip-off?

It is a Zotye SR9, obviously shaped to look like a Porsche Macan

1y ago
40.6K

The ugly truth about intellectual property is that it lies in the technicalities and that, evidently, makes it very difficult for car manufacturers to trademark the shapes and design of their cars. And that means that, while you can't call your new car the "Macan" or your new brand "Porsche", it appears you can get away with building a shameless Porsche Macan knock-off.

We've seen this sort of thing a million times before. It's nothing new. Car manufacturers have repeatedly tried to sue Chinese makers over blatant copies of their vehicles and they never really got much in return. This is the Zotye SR9, first introduced about four years ago and it's still here, well it's technically there because the car is only sold in China.

It is powered by a 2-litre turbocharged engine hybrid with 190 hp and an all-electric range of about 80 km (50 miles). The power is sent through the front wheels only via a 5-speed manual or alternatively a 6-speed DCT automatic is also available. Even the interior looks exactly the same as the original. It's almost comical.

It's all a bit farcical but I guess we can at least see the logic because the Zotye is very cheap, prices start at around YUAN 109k, which is about €14,000. Bargain, eh?!

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Comments (107)

  • You could put Porsche badges on it and normal people wouldn't know its fake

      1 year ago
    • that is alarmingly true. And for several different reasons

        1 year ago
    • You’d know as soon as you started driving it. The interior won’t match up to Porsche either

        1 year ago
  • I honestly do not know how to react.

      1 year ago
    • Zoyte also makes a SR7, which looks like a Q3. Tbh I suppose they aren't half bad cars but just aren't that cool or don't have great performance.

        1 year ago
    • 2-litre turbocharged I4 engine hybrid with 190 hp and an all-electric range of about 80 km (50 miles) is the engine. not that great compared to the Macan S' 3.0 liter V6 producing 348 hp

        1 year ago
  • is this the most shameless Chinese copy ever? @tribe

      1 year ago
  • IT WOULD COST 14K AND ANOTHER 14K FOR THE PORSCHE BADGES

      1 year ago
  • As imaginative and creative as the original Porsche Macan. They saw an overcrowded marketplace and said 'Me too!'.

      1 year ago
107