Well, wait a minute, where do we know this little car that the Chinese are trying to patent?
As Jeremy Clarkson once pointed out, China has a slightly different understanding of intellectual property rights. People there are slightly more free when it comes to ‘gaining inspiration from others’. Especially if it concerns a Chinese brand. In some cases not very illogical. Their car industry was still in its infancy 25 years ago and has to learn from something.
Look where they are now. The new batch of Chinese cars are particularly impressive when it comes to technology and design. Of course, there will probably be some things to say, but both technically and in terms of design they are developing at a bizarre speed.
Chinese patent Mini?
That’s why we had to scratch our heads a bit when we saw these drawings. It is an ‘idea’ of Beijing Estek Technology. ‘Their idea’ was to design a small electric car and then patent that design for a while. It’s too bizarre for words, but this was remotely thought to resemble the original Mini. WHAT? Oh no?
And not a modern interpretation of it, but almost the same car, including the rain gutters that we actually don’t use anymore since, yes, the original Mini is gone! It used to be the same: a Western manufacturer sued the Chinese manufacturer in court. And then he judged that it doesn’t look like it at all.
What does the court think then?
The motor is mounted in the front and drives the front wheels. We’ve seen that before too. Only now it is an electric motor. Even the fuel cap is still present, or at least the cover in front of it. There is a good chance that the loading opening is now there. But now we ask ourselves: how do people in China view it now?
Because time does not stand still there either and judges can now see that some cars look alike. As it turns out, that’s right! BMW, the owner of this design, thought it looked too much like a Mini and so did the Chinese judge, according to the Chinese Car Home.
Now you think it’s a logical decision, but actually it’s quite remarkable. Because in many cases, copies of well-known cars are seen as ‘new’ designs. At Carscoops they call the Ora Ballet and ora Punk Cat.
Those are cars that ‘in the distance’ look a bit like New Beetles. A big difference is that the Oras are clearly inspired by it and largely copied. This while the Mini-that-isn’t-mini from Beijing Estek Technology is really a direct copy.
Read more? These new EV car brands are coming to the Netherlands!
This article Chinese patent very recognizable car appeared first on Autoblog.nl.
#Chinese #patent #recognizable #car