What happened to the Brilliance A3 (X1 clone) at Shanghai?

[Mark]

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What happened to the Brilliance A3?

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Hopefully right now, most of you are asking yourselves, "What is the Brilliance A3?". This is a good thing.

Just to fill in the gaps, Brilliance is one of the larger China based auto manufacturers. The company produces a panoply of its own branded vehicles but is also partnered with BMW on a few projects. For one, Brilliance is in a long term agreement with BMW to produce high volume 3 and 5-series sedans for the Chinese local market using Brilliance production facilites. In addition to producing standard series 3 and 5 series sedans, they are also in bed with BMW on more future looking projects such as a 5-Series plug-in electric hybrid vehicle.

This is the stuff that solid long term relationships between equals are built on. Or so one would think?

In late March, Brilliance released a few renderings of a new small SUV concept, called the Brilliance A3. The vehicle immediately raised quite a few eyebrows in the BMW world. The car is a near carbon-copy of the BMW X1, right down to the paintwork.

As a passive observer of automotive events, I was surprised but not shocked by this car. This type of lifting of automotive styling trademarks happens all the time. What was surprising was that it was being done by a company that is ostensibly BMW's partner. The best analogy I could think of would be as if Apple's manufacturers started creating iPhone KIRFs to sell on their own. Apple wouldn't really stand for that now would they?

Heres where things get interesting. The A3 was announced and set to debut at the Shanghai autoshow this past week as one of their center-pieces. The car was a no-show at the biggest auto event in China. Not only did it not make an appearance, a large empty space was left at the Brilliance stand where the SUV was supposed to be. Rumor has it that BMW put its foot down and was understandably upset that Brilliance would try a move like this, especially since the locally produced BMW X1 has not even begun to sell yet.

Right now its all a big swirl of rumors. It is unknown if the A3 project has been permanantly scrapped or simply delayed until BMW can launch its X1 first. We know that BMW takes its brand and its styling very seriously so time will only tell where this story ends, but for now score a victory for team BMW.

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[mkoesel]

A car that looks like a BMW and has an Audi name. I am surprised they didn't slap big AMG badges on it just to cover Mercedes too.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

A car that looks like a BMW and has an Audi name. I am surprised they didn't slap big AMG badges on it just to cover Mercedes too.

[BGM]

well it's lucky that it looks like complete shit isn't it

x1 much nicer

[pyrat]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

A car that looks like a BMW and has an Audi name. I am surprised they didn't slap big AMG badges on it just to cover Mercedes too.

Haha and it looks like Buick from the headlights!


But seriously it has alway bothered me that car companies rip off shameless the designs of others. I am glad that BMW is not standing for it - and I hope the perpetrator is financially punished.

[Malbolge]

fake bags, google's cencorship cop out, "I-phones", car design knockoffs... all parts of the same chain. No respect for intellectual rights and property.

Welcome to Chinese communism with capitalism "face". You'd think a nation that invented gunpowder could do a little bit better than just copy everyone else these days.

On a side note, the X1 in comparison all of a sudden looks so good.

[positiveions]

pathetic. They are good in counterfeits; yet, they are not smart enough to "invent" new products.

[Malbolge]

Originally Posted by eatrach73

They are good in counterfeits

not in cars apparently.

[Vanity]

Wow that really makes the Chinese company look like it has no class. What a dirty move. If I were BMW I'd consider further future relations with a company that will be side-by-side on industry technologies, and ripping them off.

Mind you, BMW only needs this company for the Chinese market, and this Chinese company only has the Chinese market, so maybe partnership will continue?

Btw, let's all remember that when Japan was under-going industrialization they were copying everything left, right and center like China is doing right now. I'm sure the trend of Industrialization is that innovation comes last.

[Sisco]

Who thinks this monstruosity looks like a Skoda from the front (just to add insult to injury)?

Sisco
From Florida!

[Adj5633]

Originally Posted by Sisco

Who thinks this monstruosity looks like a Skoda from the front (just to add insult to injury)?

Sisco
From Florida!

+1

[Dackelone]

This is what BMW gets for getting in bed with Brilliance. And this isn't the first time that Brilliance has ripped off a BMW design. Doesn't anyone remember their X5 rip off design a few years back. Or was that Sangyung? I just remember BMW had an EU court order them to buy back the first batch of counterfeit cars they sold in europe (X5, rip off design) and they had to crush them! It was something like only 300 cars but still.

BMW better wake up. I know they need partners in China due to Chineese goverment laws... but they should really be more carefull. WHy doesn't BMW built/sell an e60 fivers instead of their new stuff over there?

[IS3andME]

So, basically BMW entered into a agreement with a Chinese company, and was surprised that they pulled a stunt like this? Serves BMW right, they should have known the first time when they tried to sue that other copy for the X5 clone, and the judge said, "It has a Mercedes front", and threw the case out...
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

[johnca]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

A car that looks like a BMW and has an Audi name. I am surprised they didn't slap big AMG badges on it just to cover Mercedes too.

+1

[positiveions]

Originally Posted by Vanity

Wow that really makes the Chinese company look like it has no class.

that's the thing, they don't!

[Yogijet]

hmmmmm.

[bluecoupe]

Is this a surprise to anyone? The Chinese have been ripping off everyone for a while now. It started with movies and music - now it's bigger items like autos. I watched them at the last Frankfurt show - taking pictures of every inch of several cars. How many pictures of a door handle do you need unless the intent is to copy it? This is the price of admission to produce product in the Chinese market...you want to play - you pay. Pay in risk of copying your technology, pay in losing the long term ability to manufacture after they learn how to sell without you. It's a scary proposition.

[MikeyV]

Funny thing really it's like they facelifted the X1 and removed all the ugly bits like the front end and the squared off wheel arches, now if only BMW could introduce these changes on the original.

[Sisco]

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR8494KC22Gpba9BMKkjGh3A9dVH2RtY ZDRDcdBpR5DxannYoE

This is the Skoda Yeti

Coincidence?

Sisco
From Florida!

[dmunozj]

remove this trend-topic. Nothing to compare at all. Nobody cares....

[mario486]

Originally Posted by dmunozj

remove this trend-topic. Nothing to compare at all. Nobody cares....

I agree that its largely irrelevant but leave the thread as a reminder of the clones (fakes) around. If you can wear a fake Panerai or carry a fake Gucci bag then I suppose you can drive a A3.

For me though

[pharding]

Some Chinese are intellectual thieves. They only hurt themselves with this childish behavior. My friends of Chinese descent find nonsense like this embarrassing. The Chinese government needs to do more to provide legal protections for intellectual property.