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Get a Huansu C60!https://www.topgear.com/car-news/suvs/cant-afford-lamborghini-urus-get-huansu-c60 There was a time when it was easy to poke fun at the Chinese car industry, seeing rather too many of its models as blatant copies of designs familiar in Europe. The Range Rover Evoque-aping Land Wind X7 is a classic example. Recently, though, it’s been fair to see China as a developing threat for manufacturers on this side of the world. But now the Huansu C60 has been revealed. While it’s not a total rip-off of a Lamborghini Urus, it’s fair to say there’s more than a passing resemblance, particularly around the front. The headlights and intake shapes are all eerily familiar, though with only a little 2.0-litre turbo engine to keep cool (rather than the Lambo’s 641bhp V8), some of the grille has been turned into daytime running lights. Continue around the car and you’ll find a window line and sculpting seemingly modelled on the Urus, though the C60 looks taller and less aggressive. Whatever you make of the Lambo’s styling, it’s fair to admit the Huansu is less cohesive in comparison. Its designers have put the rear door handle in a much neater place, though…

If you are to buy a chinese made and chinese made only, which will you buy and why? Chery , Geely or Haifei, only the makes that are here now. Thanks!

In 2013, China produced a whopping 18.7 million cars. That equates to 22.7 per cent of global car production. But while many of these models were from companies we’ve never heard of, some look very similar to those produced by their European counterparts. Does this look familiar? Check-out the copycat cars below, alongside the models they seem to have drawn inspiration from... JAC A6 and Audi A6 While some companies won’t let on just which car they might be imitating, it seems that JAC was quite happy to own up when it badged its latest release the A6. Yes, that’s right, the A6. Not only does it have the exact same name as the Audi A6 saloon, but it looks very similar to the original model. It’s the grille and stepped headlights that really give the game away. Copied: Audi A6 Copycat: JAC A6 BAIC X424 and Jeep Cherokee Another model that looks more like a merging of two cars than just a single copy of one. The BAIC X424 has a hint of the Jeep Cherokee at the front with the large grille openings, while the side profile is clearly taken from the rugged Wrangler model. Perhaps the company felt that customers wouldn’t be happy with just one Jeep and instead wanted the best of both. Copied: Jeep Cherokee Copycat: BAIC X424 BYD S7 and Lexus RX While some imitations are fairly obvious at a glance, others are disguised a little better. The BYD S7 may not have the look of the Lexus RX from the front, but there’s no hiding the similarities towards the rear, with the same curved windows, small spoiler and tail-lights. BYD has done a decent job of keeping this quiet, but not good enough. Copied: Lexus RX Copycat: BYD S7 Geely GE and Rolls-Royce Phantom Fancy the luxury of a Rolls-Royce Phantom, but don’t quite have the £305,000 to cover the costs? Well the Geely GE might just be the thing for you. It’s got the big chrome grille and even an imitation Spirit of Ecstasy on the bonnet. Just make sure nobody gets too close to see what it actually is. Copied: Rolls-Royce Phantom Copycat: Geely GE Lifan 330 and MINI The round headlights, that front grille and the cheeky hatchback shape... the Lifan 330 has more than a hint of the second-generation MINI Cooper about it. When it was launched at April’s Beijing Motor Show, even the press release hailed the car as fashionable, artistic and with ‘mini’ temperament. Lifan was just ahead of the British brand with the five-door bodystyle, however, but that’s no excuse. Copied: MINI Copycat: Lifan 330 Chery Riich M1 and Toyota Yaris The Chery Riich M1 is a small hatchback designed for inner city commuters. While the front end is ugly enough to not really resemble anything on UK roads, the curvaceous side profile and rear of the car look like a direct lift from the Toyota Yaris MkII. Fortunately for Toyota that’s where the similarities end, and it’s unlikely to ever be any real competition to the established – and far more attractive – hatchback. Copied: Toyota Yaris Copycat: Chery Riich M1 Zotye T600 and Volkswagen Touareg The large SUV, revealed at April’s Beijing Motor Show, is a doppelganger of two models from the VW Group. Take the Audi Q5 and VW Touareg, mix a few of the parts together and this is the result. On the show stand the Zotye T600 was even glistening in the same shade of brown as the VW. Surely more than a coincidence? Copied: Volkswagen Touareg Copycat: Zotye T600 Brilliance V5 and BMW X1 Brilliance is the partner of BMW in China, and the X1 compact crossover went on sale in the country through the partnership. So, it’s interesting to see that Brilliance launched its very own rival to the X1, dubbed the V5. It’s probably one of the closest copies we’ve ever seen. Of course, this version is cheaper than the BMW model, but is only sold in China. Copied: BMW X1 Copycat: Brilliance V5

Figures taken from "Cost (S$) For Cars Registered in June 2009" from LTA the left figure is for basic car cost inclusive of ave omv,arf,custom tax,gst,COE. the right figure is the dealer selling price with COE. are china cars THAT cheap? let the figures speak for themselves... of course conti makes the profit margin is higher...but for budget car? hmmm CHERY A5 1.6 MT 30,143 50,999 --> 20k profit CHERY QQ 0.8L MANUAL 24,335 35,999 --> 10.5k profit CHERY T11 1.6 MT 33,731 55,999 ---> 22k profit CHEVROLET AVEO 1.4MT 34,709 48,199 --> 14k profit HONDA CIVIC 1.6L 5AT 68,665 82,800 ---> 14k profit HONDA JAZZ 1.5L A 68,485 80,100 ---> 12k profit KIA CERATO FORTE 1.6(A) 44,499 50,499 ---> 6k profit KIA RIO 1.4 AT 2WD 5DR 35,853 42,499 ---> 7k profit MITSUBISHI LANCER 1.6 CVT SPORTS GLX 42,911 50,988 ---> 8k profit NISSAN LATIO 1.5L AT ABS D/AIRBAG 2WD 4DR 54,207 65,500 ---> 10k profit TOYOTA COROLLA ALTIS 1.6 AUTO 51,768 67,988 --> 16k profit

Hi, I would like to see if any china car owners could do some feedback on your ride. What car do you own? How and what breaks down? The most expensive repair you did. How long did you own this ride? Whats your take on the ride? ......

After completing the Volvo takeover, the guys over at Geely have become much more optimistic and ambitious with their goals. The Geely group intends to grow more than ever this year, with a clear goal to become one of the top 500 companies in the world. "This year we will expand Geely's production capacity to over ten trillion units, enough to be one of the world's top 500 enterprises," said Yang Jian, president of Geely Holding Group, according to a report by Gasgoo.com. As for the auto branch in particular, Geely expects sales to have good growth in the next few years as the Volvo product range will be launched both in the domestic markets and in other unexplored regions. The company wants to double its market share in China, with sales to reach 2 million cars per year by 2015. More than 40 new models based on 15 platforms with be launched by its core brands in China such as Emgrand, Gleagle and Englon. To cater for the projected increase in sales, the dealership network will also be increased, with new stores to deliver not only models sold under its Chinese brands, but also vehicles wearing Volvo's badge. Geely reminds me of the Hyundai group in the 1980s. However, I believe Geely has a more uphill task than Hyundai in establishing its branding overseas due to its Chinese roots, which is infamous for unscrupulous manufacturers of tainted milk powder and harmful toys.

In its latest crash test, Euro NCAP tested a China made vehicle for the first time, the Landwind CV9. Although the Chinese maker claims it has revamped the car to meet the strictest European safety standards, the mid-sized MPV only managed a two star rating. However, Euro NCAP noted that the CV9 came close to meeting the three star threshold for adult protection, hence there is still hope.Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP's Secretary General, commented: "It is clear that vehicles from China, India and other emerging countries will in the next few years become commonplace on European roads. Euro NCAP will ensure that consumers know what levels of safety are offered by these vehicles. By highlighting differences in safety performance, we aim to drive the safety of all cars towards and beyond the high levels we see from more well established manufacturers. We are confident that Landwind and others will rise to this challenge". In 2005, Landwind tried to attract European buyers with the X6 SUV, based on Isuzu Rodeo/Opel Frontera underpinnings. However, it failed miserably after ADAC conducted a crash test and rated it with zero stars. For non-European reader

Spyker has its sights set firmly on the blooming Chinese auto market. According to a report from the China Car Times, the company plans to produce and market a road-legal version of its GT2 racer just for the People's Republic. Supposedly, the car will be both longer and wider, and will feature a host of creature comforts to help bridge the gap between the racetrack and public streets. The car is set to be launched in October of this year and this means that development of the vehicle must be almost complete. China Car Times also mentioned that Spyker is planning to build a larger four-door model just for Chinese customers as well. Both vehicles will feature design elements that have been specifically crafted just for the new market. Eventually, Spyker hopes China will become the company's second largest market after the United States. With all of the money floating around the Asian country's economy at the moment, this goal may not be too much of a stretch.

China is now the world's largest auto market and GM's biggest market by volume. GM posted record sales in China for the first half of 2010, with a resounding 48.5 percent increase in sales over the same period last year. GM sold 1,209,138 vehicles it builds in concert with its Chinese partners in the country for the first six months of 2010, compared to unit sales of 1,069,577 in the United States. GM sales were buoyed by the popularity of models such as the Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Cruze and new Chevrolet Sail. GM's Buick is also one of the fastest-growing brands in China. GM now ranks second in China, behind Volkswagen, in unit sales. China is also now VW's largest market. Last year, China overtook the United States as the world's largest vehicle market, albeit, after the U.S. experienced a precipitous drop in car sales due to the financial crisis of 2008-2009. For the first five months of this year, vehicles sales in China were 7.1 million compared to 4.6 million in the U.S. Therefore, it is not surprising to find players such as Porsche customizing engine options for the Chinese market, as mentioned in my earlier post.

Mercedes has teamed up with China car manufacturer BYD to create a whole new automotive firm for the Chinese market. Though the name hasn't been cast in stone yet, it is by no surprise as to why Mercedes has chosen BYD to be their partner in China when you see the cars that BYD has produced so far. They look almost identical to the cars the Merc produced in the late 1990s! Not only do their cars look identical, their logo is 'inspired' by BMW as well. However, the main partnership between Merc and BYD will be focused predominantly on building cost effective electric cars, and as we all know by now, China is the best place to start looking for 'cost effectiveness'. Apparently, despite the fact that Mercedes spends millions of dollars a day on Research and Development, they haven't found ways to produce an electric car in the cheapest possible way and thus explains their decision to direct their problem to China, where they have found their solution. BYD's Lithium-Ion and Mercedes' Li-Tech battery technology will be combined in the process of manufacturing the new car. Both companies will be sharing their resources and the result will be a car which is cheap to own and will probably do 300,000km since keeping a car for any longer than that is just not the way to go in China. And I think thats true. Mercedes has definitely gone to the right people when they decided they need to learn how to do things cheaply, and in about 3 years time, the world will be able to see the first Mercedes-BYD electric car. Let's see how good, or bad that's going to be.