Chutzpah is a Yiddish word that’s worked its way into the American vernacular. Simply put, it describes the gall it takes to do something unbelievably, jaw-droppingly arrogant and nervy. (The classic example involves a man who kills his parents and then asks the court for mercy because he is an orphan.)
Which brings us to the Geely GE concept. Looks familiar, doesn’t it? As they say, if you’re going to steal, then steal from the best. It is at once sad and infinitely amusing that the Chinese auto industry is notorious for, well, appropriating existing designs from other manufacturers, and to hell with international copyrights.
If it had been produced and sold at a projected price in the neighborhood of $50,000, it still would not have been not the world’s most expensive three-passenger car; that distinction belongs to certain of Mr. McLaren’s offerings. Nevertheless, the GE boasted what must be the most ridiculously over-the-top interior ever produced. Two-thirds automobile and one-third throne room, the rear seat passenger was cossetted in an elevated, leather-covered cocoon of a chair flanked by two cabinets. A glass partition isolated said passenger from the relative penury of the front compartment.
When the GE concept debuted at the 2009 Shanghai Motor Show, its resemblance to the Phantom did not go unnoticed by the press, public, or the good folks at Rolls-Royce, who were not amused and promptly contacted their attorneys. As a result, the GE concept did not see production; however, Geely wasn’t finished with the idea of an outrageous limousine as a halo product.
Fast forward to the Bejing Auto Show, one year later. The newly minted Emgrand division of Geely Motors unveils the Emgrand GE concept. The new styling no longer copied Rolls-Royce, but certainly owed a deep bow to Bentley (Perhaps Emgrand thought VW would be more lax than BMW when it came to enforcing its copyrights).
Actually, the new concept looked like the product of a Rebel Yell-soaked threesome involving a Buick, a Bentley, and an S-Class, and sporting very Cadillac-like badges on the trunk and steering wheel–which is suspiciously Caddy-like as well. Ah, the ripoff is strong with this one.
The weird three-seat setup remained, but a newly available dual-rear seat configuration was on display at Bejing. It boasted an (admittedly beautiful) pair of recliners that look to rival The Perfect Chair for sheer comfort, separated by a center cabinet with burled wood inlay, and–are you ready–airliner-style pop-up side tables. All that’s missing is a drop-down oxygen mask and a Sky Mall catalog.
Oddly, the new incarnation of the unusually large and heavy concept debuted with a plug-in hybrid powertrain featuring a 2.4 liter, four-cylinder engine whose power output, according to Emgrand, was on par with a V8. OK, whatever you say. One must wonder why Volvo owner Emgrand/Geely didn’t simply appropriate one of that brand’s engines for the GE. As they say, it ain’t easy being green. Or logical.
In the end, the GE did not see production; however, several Emgrand-badged models, including EC7, EC8, and EC9 sedans, and the X7 SUV were produced and sold before the division was folded into Geely in 2014. Since then, no other Rolls-like or Bentleyesque concepts have turned up in Beijing or Shanghai, and presumably Geely’s fascination with the sybaritic has been indulged, at least for now, in Volvo’s luxurious S90 sedan. Still, who’s to say there’s not another ne plus ultra concept on the way? And it’s a safe bet that when the world is finally ready for a pseudo-Tesla or mostly Maybach, China’s carmakers will be first on the scene.
Cheap knockoffs aren’t unique to the Chinese; The 2009 Chrysler Imperial concept is equally guilty:
Top pic: what the new Lincoln Continental should have been, minus that ridiculous 3-seat interior of course.
This is different from Lincolns designs of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s how?
Even a big coach isn’t safe. The blue coach is the original, a Neoplan Starliner. The silver Chinese copy is called Zonda A9.
Ummm, not sure as it could be the pictures, but I think I would prefer the Oriental copy.
It’s worth remembering that the big criticism of Japanese cars in the 50s and 60s was that they were copies of American and British designs.
There’s a difference between “a design inspired by” and a shameless copy of a product.
BTW, Neoplan won the design patent infringement lawsuit in China against Zonda. The Chinese company just couldn’t come up with enough evidence that their A9 coach was the result of their own research and work.
Wonder if they’ve heard from Horacio Pagani’s lawyers about that name?
Its also worth remembering those Japanese/British cars were results of agreements with the parent companies they werent knockoffs,
I’m talking about cars like the 60s Datsun 510 that’s often criticized for “ripping-off” the Ford Cortina…even though both appeared at the same time. Or something like the late 60s Datsun Fairlady 1600/2000 roadsters that were accused of being “copies” of the MG B. And the Datsun 240Z that was accused of looking a bit too similar to the XK-E coupe.
My original comment was not a defense of the Chinese copying of designs. But let’s face it, in today’s car market, there are few truly original designs. Companies that do try to produce something “different” usually get hammered in the marketplace.
Given China’s, uhm, “unique” design aethetic, I can understand the desire to crib Western designs.
Mr. Martin Shkreli, your car is ready…
Well, this might be the least politically correct comment I ever make here, but whenever I see one of these posts featuring a Chinese vehicle I’m reminded of a moment about 6 years ago.
Bensonhurst Brooklyn (a neighborhood familiar to more than one poster here) has in recent years transformed from a predominantly Italian ‘hood to a more and more Chinese dominated area. The main shopping corridors of the area are chock full of One-Dollar-And-Up type stores selling a vast array of goods from….well…guess.
So while living there, where rents were certainly NOT One-Dollar-And-Up we tried to economize in little ways by patronizing several of these places, which to be fair had some of the friendliest and accommodating proprietors in the area. The problem was…and yes, I know you can see it coming…nothing EVER f*&%ing worked the way it was supposed to. $5 window blinds came unraveled, dropping their slats all over the floor, $1 ‘Happy’ (not Glad) trash bags either had 2 open ends or had both ends sealed shut (which was fine in the long run, as you’d still get use of 25 out of 50 bags for $1, as long as you were willing to cut an end off every other bag to make it usable), and $3 dust brooms shed all of their bristles within the first half dozen uses, forcing the cleanup of 1000 little nylon strands in every nook and cranny, kind of defeating the intended purpose. But the one that really got me, and finally became the straw that broke the camel’s back was the $9 “whistling” tea kettle…that didn’t friggin’ whistle! It was a small thing, but it put me over the edge and resulted in a loud and profanity laced decree that we would NEVER buy another thing in any of those places.
And so when I see this shiny Rolls Royce Wannabe, with its sumptuous leather interior and its lavish woodgrain cabinetry all I can think of is that shiny, sleek, pseudo-art-deco styled “whistling” tea kettle. And that’s all I have to say about that.
When I was younger, those cheap appliances and doo-dads just came from other countries, like Japan, and then Taiwan. There’s always been a market for cheap junk. There’s nothing un-PC about your comment. The Chinese are capable of building things every bit as good or better than we are, but they cater to the low end too. Probably not much longer, as their wages are going up. Soon the Chinese will be buying cheap stuff made in Vietnam, or Africa.
In the late 70s all the heavy lifting tackle was replaced at the place I worked at, all tested equipment so it had to be up to spec nobody wants a 45 ton turbine rotor falling from a crane, A Chinese company won the tender and supplied all the required equipment it was duly load tested and no faults found and immediately pressed into service with no failures, These countries can produce good gear or cheap junk it all depends on price, if you pay the right money their gear is good if you want cheap disposable crap they can build that as easily as anyone in the west
According to my Chinese engineer friend, China is capable of producing anything, since all its tech is purchased brand new, mostly from Japan. The problem with quality is the business culture. Unless company quality is scrupulously watched by some outside authority, corners tend to be cut so pockets can be lined. Corruption often costs more than labour on big jobs.
That’s what I heard too. Good examples of what they can produce can be seen on the railways, perhaps because if you skip on quality punishment –
as in respect of anything which is government-owned – can be severe. Chinese Railways has some of the most reliably thrash-able diesel locomotives anywhere.
According to my heavy diesel fitter son, the Chinese can also produce absolute rubbish when it comes to locomotives. He’s had the misfortune to work on some that were purchased on price rather than quality and against the recommendations of the maintenance staff. As Canucklehead says, it all comes down to the business culture of the company in question – ours as well as theirs.
Agree with that sentiment completely.
My personal proof is the 2008 Jinan Qingqi 150cc scooter that I used for commuting for three years and 10,000 miles. Although cruder than a comparable Honda or Yamaha (air cooled vs. liquid, carburetors vs. fuel injection), it served the purpose very well and I remember the bike fondly.
Our dealership carried the line for 4-5 years until the local distributor started having problems getting new inventory. It was our way of having a less than $1000.00 scooter on the floor for those customers to whom a Honda Ruckus or Metropolitan was too expensive.
On the other hand, one of our store managers had the bright idea of bringing in Lifan scooters, as he could get them straight from the docks rather than dealing with a local distributor. Absolute disaster, we sold 3-4 or them and they were all replaced within weeks with a Qingqi. Two of them even caught fire from electrical problems.
My experience with the Qingqi has me awaiting the first Chinese made and branded cars to be sold in the states. Unlike a lot of other posters on various auto blog sites, I don’t necessarily see them as cheap junk.
About those low quality Chinese made products, you get what you paid. Very often they were made to sell cheap. Note China experiences increase of labor cost and raw material cost. They are doing anything to produce these cheap consumer products as long as they can. Sadly to say, there are no many companies and labor that can produced low end consumer product. I was told most of US army boots are made in China. Even more sad, the places like Wenzhou and Diagon where these stuff were used to make, shops are closed down, labor lost thier job, environment is continimated. The shop owners find using thier little money to speculate in real estate and stock market are more profitable, are these familiar to the folks in rust belt?
Back to talk about car, we should realize China is today’s largest auto market, there is very little report in its industry except its infamous copies. Does anyone note the next Ford Focuse from China? China is capable to make sophisticated products from iPhone, high speed train and ICBM (this one has not foriergn involvement).
Products resemblance is common, just looked current Ford Explorer and Range Rover, Ford Edge and New Jaguars SUV, Honda Insight and Toyota Pirius.
Geely is wasting money to produce the super limo in China. The newly rich crowds prefers established bands from West to show off, and daily usage vehicle is Buick minivan, which labels as business purpose vehicle. Government official uses Audi A8L, A6L or copy of Toyota Coaster, the famous FAW Hongqi QH, a giant Progeut 403, is used for state function only.
We can laugh at Geely for whatever reason, its purchase of Volvo was directly saving Ford from bankruptcy in 2009!
…”We can laugh at Geely for whatever reason, its purchase of Volvo was directly saving Ford from bankruptcy in 2009!”…
And look how both Volvo and Jaguar-Land Rover are flourishing under the wings of their current owners, respectively Geely and Tata. Exit FoMoCo just in time.
If only one of them had bought Saab as well!
Bejing Auto wanted to buy Saab, but GM stopped fearing China got the know-how to build a morden internal combustion engine. For me the fear is groundless, with internal combustion engine increasing obsolete soon, letting China buy Saab like letting them buy a CRT plant in 1990s. More Saab was not a complete auto maker in my view, it did not have its own chassis in morden days. Strangely for unknown reason Beijing Auto these days makes the last Saab model and sells them in Bejing area — China auto market is very regional, Shanghai Auto controls its region and sells VW and Buick, Guangzhou region is for Honda, Toyota and its own band etc, etc. Only full scale auto maker Chinese bought is Rover Car Group which included engineering print and human resource for every thing to build a automobile. But so far we have not seen anu new products yet. I guess Rover was so weak then there was nothing left. BYD is the one we should take note, it has own battery and auto groups, its taxi, size about a new Collora used in more liberal economics Shenzhen has very good result, it has a range 300 km, not bad.
It’s the race to the bottom. Pretty soon that’s all you’ll be able to buy from these dollar stores, and all anybody will be able to afford with no good-paying jobs left, and Walmart will seem high-end. It’s happening up here in Canada too.
China will ascend to dominance without firing a shot.
Times have changed in Canada for sure, and making a good living requires a whole set of skills that were not needed, say, 30 years ago. If you are skilled, or want to work hard, you’ll make a fine living indeed. I am nobody from nowhere, and I am doing great. I don’t get the doom thing.
But you cannot do it without a skill. Want to make good money? Trades are doing extremely well, for example. Want to be a CPA? My wife has been offered a job in a major accounting firm in her third year of university.
Without a trade, certification or degree, you are consigned to work at Canadian Tire.
Worth watching…much said about copyright infringement.
Part One: https://www.topgear.com/videos/jeremy-clarkson/jeremy-and-james-china-part-12-series-18-episode-2
Part 2: https://www.topgear.com/videos/jeremy-clarkson/jeremy-and-james-china-part-22-series-18-episode-2
The Hongqi HQD from 2005 also borrowed liberally from the Phantom, but also featured a particularly hideous grille and headlight treatment.
But that never went into production, and instead they built the L5, which features retro aspects of the classic Hongqi from the 50s-70s.
The Chinese figured out quickly that copy-cat high end cars are bad news.
That looks like one of those ungainly Austin cars from the ’60s.
Yep, the Chinese finally got around to copying the Austin 3 litre. I said it would happen one day! Er, no I didn’t…..
What this article didn’t really make clear is that these concepts never went into production because wealthy Chinese rather prefer the real thing too. Knock-offs may work in the lower end of the market, but not at this price level. It’s all about the brand. A lot has changed in China in 10 years. The copy-cat era is largely gone. Japan, Taiwan and Korea all went through the same stages of development in their design capabilities.
So did the US. Charles Dickens once toured America. Quoting from a BBC story about the trip, “In 1842, there were no international copyright laws so Americans could read Dickens’s works for free in pirated editions.Once Dickens saw how popular he was in the US, he realised he could virtually double his income if his American fans started paying a going rate for his work. “I am the greatest loser alive by the present law,” he complained in letters home.”
The more mainstream makers such as Geely may no longer be cloning, but it’s still going on with smaller outfits:
Porsche Macan:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tychodefeijter/2016/12/15/how-a-chinese-automaker-can-clone-porsche-and-still-get-away-with-it/
Range Rover Evoque:
http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/land-rover-sues-chinese-evoque-copycat
If you overlook the copying of the outside, you have to give the Emgrand designer kudos for making the back seat exactly what a chauffeured Chinese executive would want. The single rear seat, with all amenities, makes perfect sense for how it was going to be used. If I am not driving the car, I would love to be the pampered occupant in that one rear seat, with my chauffeur silently taking me to my next appointment.
If I could only overcome the shame in getting out of the cheap knockoff once I arrived, that is.
But there’s no room for a companion! For business or for pleasure, surely a powerful person wants to enjoy the company of another person. Traveling alone like that seems sad.
That was exactly my thought! It would be like dinner for one at some expensive restaurant followed by a night alone at a 5 star hotel. I would rather have a nice long ride in a back of a Camry with someone I really like.
I understand your thoughts, but the single occupant in the rear would more likely have a chef at home making that same meal, without having to go to a restaurant and sit with “common people”. The same for the 5 star hotel, your companion for the evening would probably not be going back to your home and separate conveyance would be likely.
Some people like to be surrounded by others, some enjoy their own company without having another nearby. Alone does not always mean lonely. And those at the top often stay isolated by choice, as they suspect anyone of only trying to get close to enrich themselves at the other’s expense. Lonely is the head that wears the crown stuff, but it happens.
While you guys seem to like rubbishing Chinese built stuff, Ive been conducting my own testing four years ago I replaced the front brake rotors and pads on my Citroen, I bought Chinese made replacements, why you ask? Well quite simply they were half the cost of French made parts and made on PSA tooling shipped from France as part of a joint venture between DongFeng and PSA and after four years plus of daily use the pads again need replacing, rotors are fine and still within roadworthy thickness, I dont have a problem with Chinese parts, they can make eyebolts to BTH/AEC spec forty years ago and they seem to be able to produce car parts just as well, I used pirated Italian rear brake shoes in my car and they still work fine too.
Everyone loves Italian shoes.
The Emgrand GE concept looks like a badly exaggerated ’51 Nash.
It is not just the Chinese who hav products that make one wonder. How about this for brand name and restriction – not to be used for children under 5 years of age. OUCH!
Sure looks like something that would come out of China! There’s a web site devoted to foreigners’ hilarious attempts to make use of the King’s English – it makes for some interesting products:
http://www.engrish.com/
There’s a skeeter on my Peter, whack it off.
For our friend in Bensonhurst – or formerly in Bensonhurst – was this product in one of those dollar stores? Incidentally, Bensonhurst in the first eight decades of the twentieth century was known for its friendly people.
There’s a “sports” drink sold in Japan, or there was when I visited in the mid 80s, called….POCARI SWEAT (sp?). I never saw a commercial on tv for it, but it was advertised in magazines like we would advertise Gatorade.
Not sure what a POCARI is, but NEVER wanted to drink the sweat of any animal and/or any person.
Ha ha! I had a Pocari Sweat today after a long bike ride. And I have to admit, I buy it partially because the name is funny. It’s basically a Gatorade without as much sugar or flavoring. Does the job and makes me laugh. Apparently “Pocari” is a completely made up word, and the “Sweat” was because it replaced what you lose when you sweat. Coca Cola makes an identical drink called Aquarius. Better name, technically. But I still buy Pocari Sweat.
Bensonhurst people are indeed friendly, based on my limited exposure to the area during my trips to New York.
However, there was this one bus driver…
No, that product would be a new one for me. The store below was one of the many discount stores on 18th Avenue while I lived there though. It had changed names the last time I was there.
Even the Emgrand name itself is a cheap knockoff, from Nissan’s Elgrand, a luxury passenger van that’s quite popular here as a used import.
Improbably in “production” since 1993:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q93mqoqUPRo
Jay Leno likes a Hongqi!
Me too.
1978 Hongqi CA770
Get back, Hongqi cat,
Am I the only one here who would like to take a cross-country trip sitting in that reclining leather throne?
That throne makes the Cadillac Talisman seem quite practicle.
No, you are not. The fact that you have a driver means you are not really alone unless you want to be, and some of us enjoy a bit of me time. Imperial Me time.