China Automobile almost kicked out of Frankfurt show

[AConn]

According to UK-based media service Headline Auto, one of the hot rumors flying around the Auto Messe in Frankfurt earlier this morning was that China Automobile, the German importer for Chinese automaker Shuanghuan, was going to get booted out of the exhibit hall. The controversy stems from some bad blood brewing between Shuanghuan and the mainstream manufacturers whose designs it blatantly, unashamedly copies. On display in Frankfurt are the Shuanghuan UFO and CEO SUVs. UFO is a Toyota RAV4 clone, and CEO is a 95% copy of the BMW X5. (We say 95% because Shuanghuan apparently elected to copycat Mercedes-Benz for the CEO's front end design.)

In the end, China Automobile Deutschland got to stay at the show, but Shuanghuan still faces potential trouble ahead, as BMW is considering legal action against the company.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/12/r...rankfurt-show/

[Urthman]

Wow...I can't believe they would do that.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Not a good way to start an unveiling, I think...c'mon China, use some of that lead, and creativity - you can do it...

[DGthe3]

Don't you know that China can't engineer anything on their own? Sure they can copy things they buy from others. Anyone can do that. But all of their recent 'engineering breakthroughs' have been done by germans under contract. From the maglev train to the three gorges dam to the buildings for the 2008 summer games, they have done nothing but pay the bill. Super power my ass! At least the soviets desigined their own power plants and rockets durring the cold war. . .

I will stop my rambling now before it gets too political. I just don't like China

[Dark Knight]

So basically they copied an ugly car and made it even uglier.....way to go china!! You have outdone yourself and obviously toyota and mercedes

[Eisenhower]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Don't you know that China can't engineer anything on their own? Sure they can copy things they buy from others. Anyone can do that. But all of their recent 'engineering breakthroughs' have been done by Germans under contract. From the maglev train to the three gorges dam to the buildings for the 2008 summer games, they have done nothing but pay the bill. Super power my ass! At least the soviets designed their own power plants and rockets during the cold war. . .

Also, the Clinton administration ended up authorizing the sale of U.S. rocket technology to the Chinese, and you guessed it- they copied it. Yeah , that countries' got some issues. Don't the windows look longer on that BMW knock off?

[Mr. Wyndham]

It's really sad. historically, we - the United States - have designed and invented virtually everything. Then ask China to build it, and they copy it - and screw us over...i.e. Electronics...

[Rock36]

Yeah I think it is kind of disgusting in General. These cars might sell inside China (we know there is a big enough population to supply), but they can't expect to appeal to the rest of the world.

They should have been kicked out.

Even if they weren't kicked out, I don't think China will get away with this. The Germans won't put up with someone ripping off their designs.