Land Rover wins a lawsuit over the Chinese 'copy' of the Evoque

Jaguar Land Rover wins the trial over the Chinese ‘copy’ of the Evoque. The ruling points to the Landwind X7 having 5 features identical to the SUV of Land Rover.

Land Rover has won the lawsuit over the Chinese ‘copy’ of the Range Rover Evoque. It concerns the Landwind X7 and, for the first time, Chinese courts have ordered the local manufacturer to pay Jaguar Land Rover for plagiarism. The latter filed a complaint with the Chaoyang District Court.

The Chinese copy of the first generation of the Range Rover Evoque can no longer be manufactured, but it will not be sold either. Following the impact of this version, the Chinese brand developed a new facelift in which it ‘differentiated’ itself from the SUV of Land Rover. Even so, Jianfling Motors must compensate Jaguar Land Rover because this update can continue to be sold.

Landwind X7, five features identical to the Evoque

The Chinese court’s ruling states that the 2014 Landwind X7 “had five unique features copied from the Range Rover Evoque, which caused considerable confusion among consumers”. “The law is being implemented appropriately to protect consumers and defend their rights so as not to create confusion”.

The shape of the compact SUV, the roof, the sharp windows, the rear lights and the side lines are the aspects that were taken into account when passing judgement.

This is not the first time Jaguar Land Rover has filed this type of complaint, as it had already tried to halt sales of this Chinese SUV. It is important to note that the Landwind X7, best known as the Chinese copy of the Range Rover Evoque, had become one of the brand’s most in-demand models. Its price was 17,100 euros, a figure far removed from the starting price of the Range Rover Evoque, which approaches 50,000 euros.

Jaguar Land Rover is not the first Western manufacturer to file plagiarism complaints in China. BMW, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and the brands that make up FCA have also been caught up in such legal proceedings. The similarity of these five Chinese SUVs to their European equivalents is truly striking.

Keith Benjamin, head of legal affairs at Jaguar Land Rover, has stated that “this decision is a clear signal that the law is being implemented appropriately to protect consumers and defend their rights so that they are not confused, while also protecting business investment in design and innovation”.

Michael Dunne, CEO of ZoZoG, a consultancy based in Hong Kong, has pointed out that “for years, foreign companies have taken Chinese rivals to court for stealing designs and have lost”. “The ruling is highly significant”.

The new Range Rover Evoque will arrive in China in April

In April, Land Rover will launch the new Range Rover Evoque in the Chinese market. This new version of the compact SUV has a very clear objective: to improve on what is already there. It will also launch a version with a hybrid engine.