10 copycat cars from China: Rolls Royce Phantom to Toyota Innova Crysta

Chinese manufacturers are pretty infamous for copying designs of successful cars and motorcycles from around the globe. Many Chinese car manufacturers have blatantly copied some of the most famous cars of modern times. Here are as many as 10 copycat cars from China.

Geely GE vs Rolls Royce Phantom

The Rolls Royce is easily among the most revered and even the most iconic car manufacturers in the world. No surprise, then, that the Chinese have come up with a sedan that imitates the last-gen Phantom. We are talking about the Geely GE, which has surely taken truckloads of inspiration from one of the most luxurious cars of recent times. Geely GE carries a similarly large grille, similar headlamps and even a clone of the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’. While the Geely GE looks a lot like the Phantom, it’s nowhere as powerful. The last-gen Phantom came with a huge 6.75-litre V12 motor but the GE makes do with a 3.5-litre V6. That’s half the number of cylinders and almost half the cubic-capacity. Well, what else did you expect from a Chinese clone?

Yema B11 vs BMW i3

Yes, the Chinese have even copied the BMW i3, the famous electric hatchback. The i3 has received a lot of rave reviews from across the globe, which seems to have pushed Yema, a Chinese car manufacturer, to come up with a clone of this city hatchback. The Yema B11 looks a lot like the BMW i3. However, while the i3 gets an electric powertrain, the B11 offers an all-electric as well as an electric-hybrid powertrain. Also, the B11 doesn’t look anywhere as premium as the i3.

Changan Lingxuan vs Toyota Innova Crysta

Well, all those who thought that the new-gen Maruti Ertiga looks too much like the Toyota Innova Crysta should have a look at the Changan Lingxuan. The Innova Crysta has been one of the most successful premium MPVs of recent times, which is probably the reason why the Chinese decided to clone this Japanese MPV. The Changan Lingxuan looks too much like the Crysta but costs significantly less. The side profile looks almost exactly like that of the Crysta. Even the front-end has hints of the Innova Crysta.

Jiangnan TT vs Maruti 800

The Maruti 800 is the first-ever superhit small car of India. The 800 has been cloned by Chinese car manufacturer Zotye, who has been infamous for cloning many cars. However, Zotye has acquired the required permissions from Suzuki to use the design. The 800 has been discontinued in most markets it was available in but Zotye continues to sell a highly similar vehicle under the TT moniker in the Chinese market.

Geely Merrie 300 vs Mercedes Benz C-Class

Geely has copied a previous generation of the Mercedes C Class, one of the most affordable cars from the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer. Thanks to the high brand image that the C Class enjoys, Geely has thought it only apt to clone the famous German sedan. Known as the Geely Merrie 300, this clone is much cheaper than the original sedan. The Chinese sedan looks too much like the earlier C-class, which means you get a mostly similar looking car without having to pay as much.

Diablo VT vs Lamborghini Diablo

Yes, the Chinese have even copied a Lamborghini. That’s not all, as the company that has copied the Lamborghini Diablo is called ‘Diablo’. Diablo makes a car called the VT, which looks much like the legendary Lamborghini Diablo. The Chinese car manufacturer claims to be the first-ever supercar manufacturer of China. To the untrained eye, the Diablo VT can easily pass off for a Lamborghini Diablo. The Diablo VT is powered by a Toyota-sourced V8 engine that outputs 450 Bhp.

Victory S10 vs Cadillac Escalade

The Cadillac Escalade is one of the most famous American luxury SUVs. It’s a highly comfortable model that offers plenty of street presence. Thanks to the high popularity that this vehicle enjoys, the Chinese, who have a thing for cloning famous vehicles, have even copied the Escalade. Known as the Victory S10, this clone looks a lot like the Escalade. However, unlike the huge engines that power the popular Cadillac SUV, the Victory S10 gets a pretty humble 2.0-litre engine that outputs 116 bhp.

Sozhou Eagle Carrie vs Porsche Cayman

It’s not just the Lamborghini Diablo that has been the victim of getting copied by the Chinese. Even the Porsche Cayman, which is another popular performance car, has been imitated by the Chinese. Called the Sozhou Eagle, this Porsche Cayman-like car looks somewhat like a Ferrari up front and like a Porsche Cayman when seen from the side and rear. This car uses an electric powertrain. The Cayman has been cloned to such an extent that the company has even copied the Porsche insignia!

Huanghai Aurora vs Ssangyong Rexton

The last-generation Ssangyong Rexton is the only product from the Korean car manufacturer to go on sale in the country. Actually, the Rexton made it to India after Mahindra and Mahindra bought the Korean brand. The Rexton has been cloned by a Chinese car manufacturer called Huanghai. Named as the Huanghai Aurora, this SUV looks too much like the Rexton.

Huanghai CUV vs Hyundai Santa Fe

Another SUV that Huanghai has cloned is the earlier generation of the Hyundai Santa Fe. Named as the Huanghai CUV, this SUV looks a lot like the Korean SUV when viewed front on.

Image source – 5, 8