Chinese Steal Smarts

[Drew Dowdell]

Chinese Smart Car Copy Outrages DaimlerChrysler

Chinese company CMEC has begun production of a new two-seat city car that appears for all the world like DaimlerChrysler offshoot Smart's six-year-old Fortwo. And its appearance has DaimlerChrysler executives hopping mad.

Even the name of the Chinese car is daringly close to that of the original: Electric City Smart. Smart's original two-seater was christened the City Coupe before adopting the name Fortwo in 2004.

Aesthetically, there's not much separating the two cars. Only the door handles, exterior mirrors and fuel tank of the CMEC-produced car display any discernible change from the original Smart design.

[aaaantoine]

Wow...

Either the Chinese have no imagination, or they're flagrant assholes.

Or maybe they're just trying to promote efficiency by sharing parts cross-manufacturer.

Edited October 17, 2006 by aaaantoine

[regfootball]

damn.

damn.

[Flybrian]

Aren't they selling these on eBay?

[MGZ06]

Either the Chinese have no imagination, or. . .

They dont have an imagination, that's why we continue to lead china in automotive designs. . . they just copy and produce and produce and produce. . that's the sad truth.

[mustang84]

There may not be much of a difference in the way they look, but I guarantee that one of the two will end up looking something like this in an accident.

It's actually kind of interesting, because my Chinese architecture history professor (who is from China originally) always tells us that the reason Chinese civilization declined was because they considered themselves the center of the universe and therefore never opened themselves up to outside ideas. Japan, on the other hand, was stuck on a rocky island with few natural resources, so they had innovate in order to survive and flourish.

But he also said that the Japanese are known for taking existing ideas and perfecting them. Example; they took the idea of the Chinese garden and perfected it into this harmonius, all-encompassing space of meditation, whereas the Chinese gardens were more focused on wowing people with color and decoration not unlike what Disneyland does here in the US.

Edited October 18, 2006 by mustang84

[CARBIZ]

The biggest challenge the West faces in Asia is curbing the rampant plaigarism and intellectual property theft over there. They have zero respect for the rule of law. I just don't understand why GM, VW and others are falling over each other to open up shop in China when we have no substantial evidence that they aren't just going to turn around and dump our technology on us for a 1/3 of the price.

It is going to take a lot more tha crushing a few Cds in showy photo ops to stem the contempt that "entrepreneurs" show for patents, trademarks, etc. over there.

[BB_454]

What are you guys talking about, they look totaly different. Like one is red! One has more fender bulges, and the windshield wipers are different. Geez, ameatures! LOL

[jry]

There may not be much of a difference in the way they look, but I guarantee that one of the two will end up looking something like this in an accident.

It's actually kind of interesting, because my Chinese architecture history professor (who is from China originally) always tells us that the reason Chinese civilization declined was because they considered themselves the center of the universe and therefore never opened themselves up to outside ideas.  Japan, on the other hand, was stuck on a rocky island with few natural resources, so they had innovate in order to survive and flourish.

But he also said that the Japanese are known for taking existing ideas and perfecting them.  Example; they took the idea of the Chinese garden and perfected it into this harmonius, all-encompassing space of meditation, whereas the Chinese gardens were more focused on wowing people with color and decoration not unlike what Disneyland does here in the US.

206097[/snapback]

no, as a matter of fact, someone posted a video of a smart car in a high speed crackup. it fares pretty well due to the egg design. cannot crack it.

[fuel_shopper]

I don't like any chinese cars...they all suck.

[FAPTurbo]

The battery is figured to go for 60 some miles before needing a charge?!

Bull-ish.

The last time I used a Chinese calculator with a Chinese battery, it didn't even last one linear equation.

[toesuf94]

  I just don't understand why GM, VW and others are falling over each other to open up shop in China when we have no substantial evidence that they aren't just going to turn around and dump our technology on us for a 1/3 of the price.

 

It may have something to do with the potential marketing of a product to a consumer base of a billion (B) people. That and cheap labor to produce components at a third of the cost of even Mexico, it makes what we call "Business Sense". When you have eco-weenies in the US complaining about what manufacturing does to the environment coupled with unions demanding free dental for thier pets and a 15 hour work week for 80 hour pay... it is only a matter of time before companies have to seek other avenues for production. I am not saying that destroying the environment is cool and that Unions suck...I am just saying that unless you want to pay $40k for a Cobalt LS - something has to give. Combine those factors with Japanese manufacturers paying $12-17 and hour or less to their employees, and GM is in the $40's...there has to be a cost savings somewhere - as well as a market outside of the US.

And to answer your question...there is no guarantee that they will not copy what we bring over, but if we put the brick and morter on the ground and employ them, they will be less likely to copy a complete Buick. The smart is a fairly simple car (especially without the crumple zones of the German variant) so it is probably pretty easy to copy it inexpensively.

Edited October 25, 2006 by toesuf94

[Intrepidation]

Man all the Chinese are good for is building cheap crap or cheap labor for companies like Sony. They have no imagination...they either rip off an existing car or make a total hunk of crap. I hope they get their asses sued by DCX.