It looks very much like a high-end German model, but it is the latest creation from the Chinese manufacturer SAIC

There is no doubt that there are many differences between the Western and Asian mindset, and more specifically the Chinese one. A clear example of what we mean is that while on this side of the world copying a design created by another person or company carries a clearly negative connotation, in China they seem to look at it through very different eyes.

That is the only way to explain the latest model just presented by the Chinese manufacturer SAIC, clearly developed taking as inspiration a popular vehicle from a renowned German manufacturer based in Stuttgart.

The new SAIC Z-7 has been developed under the umbrella of the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), a collaboration between SAIC and Huawei. Both companies do not seem to have had any qualms about using the Porsche Taycan as the model for their new creation. The overall silhouette, the front daytime running lights, the vertical air intakes in the bumper and the aerodynamic details directly recall the German model.

So much so that even the wheels chosen faithfully evoke the iconic design that debuted with the Mission E prototype and that was ultimately put into production under its current name, Taycan. The Z-7 range will consist of a saloon and an estate version, the Z-7T, which is the one you can see at the beginning of this post, bearing a clear resemblance, in this case, to the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo.

Nobody gives more for less

The SAIC Z-7 and its Z-7T variant will be officially presented in China on 31 March, with the clear aim of taking some ground in the Chinese market from Xiaomi’s popular SU7. Its price in that market will, however, be very different from that of the German model. According to various local sources, the Chinese model will have a starting price of between 250,000 and 350,000 yuan. That works out to roughly between 36,000 and 51,000 dollars.

The Z-7 is based on an 800-volt platform. The most powerful version, with all-wheel drive, will deliver 517 hp and 700 Nm of torque, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. As for the range of this model, with the 100 kWh battery, according to the manufacturer, it will exceed 700 km under the particularly optimistic CLTC homologation cycle.

This launch illustrates better than any other the fact that some Chinese brands take advantage of premium design references from Western manufacturers, to offer performance and advanced technology at much more affordable prices. Both the Z-7 and the Z-7T will arrive in the Chinese market to contest leadership in the accessible sporty electric segment, even though their appearance could fit perfectly into a far higher category.