Chinese Car Maker Says it is Not Copying German Rivals

Aug. 29, 2007
DaimlerChrysler and BMW have threatened legal action against Shuanghuan Auto for allegedly making copies of their own models.

A Chinese car company, Shuanghuan Auto, on Aug. 29 rejected accusations that it had copied DaimlerChrysler and BMW models, insisting authorities in China had approved its vehicles. The German car makers have threatened legal action against Shuanghuan Auto for allegedly making copies of their own models, the Financial Times reported.

DaimlerChrysler reportedly said it would consider unspecified legal action if Shuanghuan Auto showed its Noble, which the German group says resembles its Smart Fortwo, at next month's Frankfurt motor show.

BMW also said it was considering legal action against the importer of another Shuanghuan car -- the CEO -- which it claims resembles a previous version of its X5 sports utility vehicle that was discontinued last year.

"Noble and CEO cars, approved by the Chinese government, are legal products," a spokesman with Shuanghuan Auto based in northern China's Hebei province told AFP. "The media is hyping things to make their stories more exciting."

The spokesman, who declined to be named, said the Noble was currently only sold on the domestic market, while the CEO was being exported to countries in Africa and Southeast Asia. He said his department had not received any notice from company management that Shuanhuan was going to have a presence at the Frankfurt motor show next month.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2007

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!