BMW goes to war against Chinese carmaker - part 2/2

While authorities in Beijing promise to crack down on counterfeiting, Germany's premium carmaker BMW is suing China's Shuanghuan for cloning one of its models and selling it at a lower price.

Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Jeep: All the major brands were on display at this year's convertible and SUV (sport utility vehicle) fair in Paris. But the biggest attraction was Shuanghuan. The Chinese carmaker was already the talk of the town at last year's Frankfurt salon, when BMW accused it of having copied its X5 model.

Imposing yet comfortable, the Shuanghuan CEO has all the characteristics of a top-of-the-line SUV, except the price. The basic model is listed at just 26,000 euros, about 25% to 30% cheaper than the competition, according to Benoit Chambon, marketing director for China Automobiles France. Shuanghuan is aiming for sales of 30,000 vehicles in Europe this year, 10% of those in France.

Shuanghuan, which aims to gain market share in Europe in the coming years, has to face BMW's charges. The Chinese CEO and the BMW X5 appear to have the same basic design, but the CEO has a Mitsubishi engine while the BMW one of its own. Inside, both brands offer a comfortable five-seat cabin.

BMW did not hesitate to sue Shuanghuan. "We think they have plagiarised the design of the X5," said Nicolas Wertans, chief executive of BMW France.

The French distributor of the CEO, China Automobile, believes there is nothing to worry about.

It's hard to predict whether BMW has any chance of winning its plagiarism suit, even if Wertans seems confident. "Just because China is big and strong, that doesn't give them the right to do just anything," he says. "They have to respect the law."

"It would probably be different inside China," he added. "But abroad, they must learn and understand that there are laws that everyone has to obey."

As they wait for the outcome, the Chinese hope to conquer the market with a new concept, selling a "luxury low-cost" car.

BMW France's Wertans disparages the idea as a "marketing gimmick, to get people talking".

Some consumers may wonder about the safety of cheaper cars, but the Shuanghuan CEO has performed well in crash tests. Nevertheless, motorists may remember the failure of the Brillance BS6. Made by another Chinese carmaker, the car split in two during tests and had to be recalled from the market in Belgium.

Original video:
http://www.france24.com/en/20080607-beyond-business-china-bmw-car-shuanghuan-...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• china
• carmaker
• SUV
• Toyota
• BMW
• Mercedes
• Jeep
• Shuanghuan
• China
• Automobiles
• France
• chinese
• auto
• 双环汽车

[blahbla6666]

@baijx1382 U are living in the middle ages dumbass

[Anthonykurten]

The only they should do is Chinese Food, NOT CARS.....

This people make me sick!!! 

[Tanahwei]

@baijx1382

be careful of the term "all chinese". I dont think overseas non communist chinese would prefer CHINA cars over japanese or european cars.

[putterosk]

Great grammar down there.

[baijx1382]

law can not protect U because law is for people to break.

important thing is all Chinese would like to see their can produce the same things what westen produced.And they like to buy it,coz its cheap.Japanese Car doing well in China ,coz it`s saving gas.

westen car may run faster,driving comfortable,or... but since they 3X or 10X more expansive than the Chinese made,all those advance means nothing.

westen Car only success to gain Chinese woman`s love,coz only weath man can buy it.

[HDsharp]

@animesis

Europeans developed their own style of a compass but the original concept of a compass was still original chinese. Historical inventions debate aside, yes admittedly the car shape rip off here is a bit obvious, but U know what, i've seen the smart car being ripped off by citroen too, its almost identical with a different badge. So other people R doing it too but not in the scale the chinese r doing it. What goes around comes around considering history but im not saying its right.

[animesis]

@HDsharp

this has gone way off the point

Europeans have never denied China helped influence the west, thats why i mentioned the four great inventions -that was the west giving credit to China

however we dont completely rip off on Chinese work by copying a design that takes a lot money experience and reputation to build, like the BMW

Europeans didnt copy the Chinese compass They developed their own

China uses a 350 year old "four great" concept that is largely out of date hence the uptodate one

[HDsharp]

@animesis

Yes, we know about europe,s modern inventions, and credit is given where is due, but still, at the end of the day, europe's development was initially influenced by the chinese, its an undeniable fact... The compass we had was a workable concept copied by europeans, you can shout about up grades, but the concept is where is at.

[HDsharp]

@animesis

The ideas was copied from china, do you think we want other people taking our ideas without our consent..nah

In that case the same can be said about ideas curent chinese have copied, just becos you make up copy right laws dosent mean the ideas werent spread to china naturally through trade, right?

[HDsharp]

@animesis

Taking ideas is not much different to ripping off ideas, whats the difference? they both serve the same purpose its to acquire somebody else's invention without their consent. We had it all, all the things the west envy at that time, and we only fell behind becos what the west did to us, that hampered the development in china.