Is it possible to accurately copy the legendary English car brand? The Chinese can do it. After the release of Range Rover Evoque, the world saw a new approach to building cars.

The Chinese did not become wiser, and showed everyone their offspring - Landwind X7, which even to a non-professional eye will seem like a complete copy English brand. chinese land rover came out so similar to the original that critics wondered how the engineers of the Celestial Empire were able to copy the style of the car so accurately.

Exterior and interior design

Landwind X7 is unlikely to surprise with its interior. If you compare it with the original, then the usual luxury and thoughtfulness cannot be found here. The Chinese will not be able to compete with the British in terms of the quality of materials and interior ergonomics.

But the Chinese Ewok can boast of something. layout idea inner space borrowed from the RangeRover Evoque. The central place on the console is reserved for a 10-inch screen of the multimedia system. Its feature is that it is touch sensitive.

Under the screen is the climate control unit. The Chinese really wanted to repeat the filigree execution of the buttons, but small backlashes and a standard look betray the developers.

The interior used leather is not the latest quality. The tunnel has ebony inserts. The instrument panel is perfectly readable. All indicators are well written. The front seats allow you to comfortably fit both the passenger and the driver behind the steering wheel, which is also sheathed in leather.

But sitting in the cabin, the thought gradually creeps in that they are trying to deceive us. There are several reasons for this:

• although the rear sofa is designed for three people, two actually fit;
• the steering wheel is trimmed quite well, but its design is similar to the old-fashioned version;
• with all the oriental luxury, you can observe wrinkles and folds on the skin;
• there is a feeling that such ideas have already been seen, and much better.

The Chinese range rover has a completely identical exterior as the original. Only close analysis will allow us to highlight small differences between the models:

1. The reduced grille of the Landwind X7, with its own emblem of the company, which by no means fits into the English design.
2. Tapered edges of the optics, creating a "squint" of the car.
3. Unusual in shape fog lights spaced along the edges of the X7 bumper.

The rest is a clear copy, even in the photo. The Chinese evoque has the same emphasis on the slope of the roof. High window lines, reduced rear glass, characteristic spoiler and optics design give out a real mastermind of X7 engineers.

The build quality of the body leaves much to be desired. Walking around the Landwind, you can immediately see the imperfect joints of the elements. Especially - on plastic parts. Therefore, the Chinese still need to learn how to fit body components.

Specifications and comfort

Fans of stepping on the gas pedal will have to reduce their ardor. The Chinese have never been famous for their achievements in engine building. Rather, they do not have their own, high-quality motors.

This is the situation with the Landwind X7 unit. Its main parameters:

• two-liter volume;
• 4 cylinders;
• distributed fuel injection;
• power - 190 hp;
• torque - 250 Nm.

The motor has a turbine that picks it up on the bottoms and adds a couple of points to the thrust. This unit is a licensed analogue of the Japanese Mitsubishi 4G63S4T installation.

Landwind X7 buyers have a choice of two possible transmissions:

• mechanical, 6-speed;
• automatic, 8-speed.

All models are front wheel drive. Not even on the options list is an all-wheel drive crossover option.

The clone has a standard platform. The front base is represented by MacPherson struts. Rear axle has a more complex structure. Multi-link suspension contributes to the smooth running of the car on poor coverage.

The land rover clone steering gear is equipped with electric amplifier. But how calibrated and effective it is on the Landwind X7 can be understood after the first kilometers on the road.

The brake system is ordinary by today's standards. The only hint is a pair of ventilated discs on the front axle.

Car amenities include:

• climate control;
• keyless access;
• Cruise control;
• integrated navigation system;
• Rear View Camera.

The car has a good list additional options.

Features and price

Analysts have calculated that the Landwind X7 is the company's most successful model. About 70% general sales belong to this model. But this is about China.

Pricing policy is the main and obvious difference between a copy and an original. If the Chinese division of Land Rover offers a crossover at a price of $ 68,000, then the “eastern” copy can be bought for only 19,600. The buyer decides who wins. But experienced owners are unlikely to be led to a low cost.

In Russia official sales until they started. Therefore, buying a Chinese version with a guarantee will not work. But some owners managed to purchase several copies from the Middle Kingdom.

Comparison with the original

You don't have to be a professional automotive critic to comment on the Landwind X7. After a few minutes of reviewing the analog, the conclusion suggests itself - the Chinese have moved to a new level. But not auto production, but autocopying. Such an obvious and impudent copying off of English ideas is not often seen on eastern market.

We note some characteristic features:

• the similarity of the Landwind X7 with the Land Rover Ewok is simply one hundred percent, the Chinese are waiting for long legal proceedings;
• almost all the main accents of the original are preserved both in the exterior and in the interior;
• multimedia system, although it has modern look, but she does not compete with the original;
• if the Ewok, despite the specific body data, looks slim and stylish, the Landwind X7 smells of clumsiness.

No matter how hard the Chinese experts tried to transfer the idea to the Ewok, they failed to do it in full. Even their own design touches look ridiculous against the general background of the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe car.

An interesting fact: in Russian legislation there is the concept of "confusingly similar". It is this phrase that can characterize this version of the Chinese car.

Eastern operating experience

Despite the ridicule of experts, Landwind X7 continues to occupy vantage points in the eastern market. Clear advantage – low price compared to the original.

For many people, a Land Rover clone filling will do. It is fair to say here that the price corresponds to the quality. Among the main characteristics of a car that tend to buy this option, it is worth noting:

• fullness of modern technologies;
• the possibility of retrofitting the machine with the proposed options;
• good comfort;
• the car is fairly better than other Chinese clones.

Landwind X7 has all the makings to please the average buyer. Today it is impossible to choose a car only by appearance or richness of technologies - the selection process is complex. Those solutions that Landwind X7 offers allow you to turn a blind eye to obvious shortcomings.

Conclusion

Despite all the lawsuits, the Chinese are not going to stop in car copying. Therefore, the appearance of such a brainchild as the Landwind X7 after the famous Ewok is quite expected.

But to compete with English philosophy in mechanical engineering is a rather ineffective undertaking. Simple copying cannot convey the emotions and feelings that arise after the original. Many small details add up to a common fountain of impressions inherent in the real Range Rover. The only thing that is real is to enjoy the external resemblance.

To be frank, Landwind has more potential than the rest of the clones. Assembled without a hot head, it can meet the needs of customers and ensure comfortable travel. You should not expect grandiose achievements, and the developers did not pursue this. Landwind X7 will take its place among the list of Chinese copies.

At the Chinese automaker Jiangling Motor. The British accuse the company of allegedly copying the appearance of the popular range models Rover Evoque by creating its own clone - Landwind X7.

This is a rather rare step taken by foreign auto companies to deal with Chinese counterparts - the problem itself has been around for many years, and many large manufacturers have faced it.

According to a representative of JLR, owned by the Indian company, the lawsuit was filed in one of the courts in Beijing. According to him, the reason for this step was the next actions of the company, which violated copyrights and conduct unfair competition. However, the most obvious reason for dissatisfaction Jaguar Land Rover experienced a sharp drop in sales of the crossover in China with the advent of the local "analogue".

A spokesman for Landwind declined to comment.

Meanwhile, this is not the first attempt by Jaguar Land Rover ban the Chinese from releasing the Landwind X7. The previous one failed miserably in 2014. Then the PRC authorities supported their manufacturer in this matter and did not recognize the fact of theft of the intellectual property object. As a result, the British brand had to retreat.

Risk of losing face

Despite the widespread practice of imitation and often frank copying of design foreign brands Chinese competitors, global automakers try to avoid conflicts with local companies in Chinese courts.

The chances of winning against them are extremely low due to the lobbying of their interests by the government.

In addition, litigation can have a bad effect on brand perception, as the Chinese public tends to believe that foreigners are trying to intimidate domestic competitors in this way.

“If JLR does win its case, it might inspire other automakers to follow in their footsteps,” said Beijing-based lawyer Chen Jihong, who works for a law firm specializing in intellectual property law.

Inside the clone

The public noticed the similarity of these two models as soon as the Chinese introduced their “new product” in 2014. At that time, the Evoque was already actively sold in China and was in good demand. At the same time, Jiangling Motor has thrown all its efforts into promoting its own version of the crossover on domestic market. The model was demonstrated at all auto shows, including the Chinese auto show in Chongqing, one of the largest cities in the world, where the Gazeta.Ru correspondent met this car.

At first glance, these cars differed only in name and price: Chinese crossover the cost is about three times lower than the original.

Same body lines, shape rear lights and a similar grille. On special sites, special offers even appeared - Land Rover nameplates, which could be bought for $ 20 and attached to a Chinese clone. But already inside the cabin, plastic inserts under the tree, which could be reached with bare hands, were striking.

If the Chinese were quite frivolous with the design of the Evoque, then they went their own way when it came to filling. So, under the hood, the Landwind X7 has a turbocharged two-liter engine Mitsubishi power 190 HP It is paired with a six-speed "mechanics" or an eight-speed "automatic". IN basic configuration climate control, cruise control, navigation system, camera rear view, multimedia system with 10.2 inch screen. Keyless entry to the cabin is also available, and the engine can be started with a button. The Chinese also have an electronic parking brake, assistance systems at the start and on the rise. Also available as an option leather interior, heated front seats. Optionally, you can order a leather interior, heated front seats, a lane control system, a huge panoramic roof and other useful bells and whistles. In China, the car costs about $24,000.

Similar precedents

A JLR spokesperson said that the company had previously been able to get Jiangling banned from selling the X7 in Brazil. It is also reported that now the two manufacturers are in talks about the future appearance of the new generation X7. At the same time, experts agree that the litigation may drag on.

Eg, Honda motor it took 12 years to win a case in China against an obscure local automaker.

All this time, the brand copied the look of the CR-V SUV. Eventually Japanese company received only 16 million yuan ($2.43 million) in compensation instead of the expected 300 million.

Background

controversy Chinese automakers With European brands began in 2007, when imports poured into Europe Chinese cars. The first "clone" that caused the most negative response was the Noble compact (translated from English - "noble", "noble"), which is similar to another compact, but from Mercedes-Benz - smart car fortwo. The authors of this clone list the same Shuanghuan. However, it cannot be said that the Chinese did not try to cover their tracks: they slightly lengthened the “baby” and made it a four-door, in contrast to the two-door Smart.

The Chinese dealer even decided to take such a step as the presentation of this car at International Motor Show in Frankfurt. There they said that the difference in the price of the original and the "clone" is almost threefold - €19,000 and €7,000, respectively.

In response, Mercedes said it would take legal action because "the Chinese want to cash in on Smart's 'cool' looks." At the same time, they miss important factor- safety. However, the court was not required, since in Europe there were not a large number of people who wanted to change into a dubious compact even for €7,000. Not to say about the CEO. Desire to acquire cheap car, which is very similar to the super-popular X5, nevertheless appeared among the Europeans.

At home - in Bavaria - BMW achieved victory over the Chinese without any problems.

The Germans said that the CEO was just a "vulgar copy" of the BMW X5; insisting on this, they won the trial in Munich. Then in Italy, the Chinese had problems with FIAT, which did not want to recognize the originality of the Grate Wall Peri hatchback. The Italians explained in court that this car is one to one similar to a hatchback FIAT Panda, the exception is a slightly modified front end.

It got ridiculous: some parts, such as the side doors on both cars, are interchangeable. This did not stop the Chinese from denying all the accusations, saying that they made Peri on their own and spent about 300 million yuan (about $40 million) on it. Unlike the Germans, here the Italian judges went to meet their automaker.

Chinese car manufacturers have long understood the fact that it is futile to compete with British and other European vehicle designers. Therefore, they made the only right decision - to copy the developments of the most successful models. This is exactly what happened with the Landwind X7, which became the second offering in model line brand. The company works so far only in China, does not officially sell cars in other countries, but there are already several owners of this model in Russia.

The copy, according to many experts and critics, came out not much worse than the original, and in some moments even better. Of course, in the technical part, this is far from an analogue of the British crossover, but it looks very convincing. Interestingly, the Range Rover Ewok clearly did not expect such a kick from the East, because the Landwind E32, as it is called in China, has a lot of time for sales while patent proceedings are going on.

Examine appearance under a microscope

Interesting Landwind developments have already become popular in China. So far, the price in Russia of all the developments of this crossover manufacturer is unknown, but buyers have already managed to purchase a car without a guarantee. Entertaining photos that the Chinese Range Rover Ewok boasts conquer the Internet, and all potential buyers are surprised by such features of the crossover's appearance:

• the resemblance to the Land Rover model is simply incredible, it will be difficult for a Chinese brand to sue;

• the visual price of the copy is not too different from the perception of the British original;

• Landwind's styling additions are great, they make the car feel fresher;

• the X7 also has a beautiful interior that offers comfortable seats for the driver and passengers;

• the interior is also copied almost completely from the Range Rover Ewok, but has a few authentic features.

A crossover that's already got a name Chinese Land Rover, became the author of this scandal. The potential audience of the car in Russia is divided into two camps. Many support this development. automotive market Celestial, welcoming great design Landwind X7. Others say that such a transport has no future, you need to create something of your own. Both admirers and critics of X7 have strong arguments for being right.

The company's technique is a very skillful production of a crossover

If you look not only at the appearance of the Landwind E32, but also look under the hood of the car, you can be surprised at the development of Chinese technical thought. The company offers its customers a very exciting technique. There are moments in the development for the copy that the original Range Rover Ewok lacks. And if the photos are instantly sympathetic, then the technique stands out with such features:

• Chinese Land Rover received great engine 2 liters with a potential of 190 horses;

• the gearbox is represented by a 6-band mechanics or an 8-speed automatic;

• the car is based on a shortened base from the Landwind X8 - a larger SUV;

• Chinese developers have added many interesting economical features to the car;

• such features allowed the Landwind X7 to become one of the most technologically advanced cars in China.

Specialists not only from Chinese concern. For the production of X7, Japanese engineers and European designers were invited. The budget of the model is quite large, which is unusual for a corporation. It is for this reason that the price announced for Landwind X7 turned out to be not as attractive as we would like to see on the price tag in official stores.

Eastern experience of operating a crossover

If the handsome X7 gets into our country officially, he will have a lot of buyers. The price of the novelty is two times lower than that of the real Range Rover Ewok. Beautiful photos pleasing to the eye and specifications they look just great. Therefore, the company is confident in the popularity of its new product in China, especially since buyers who have already purchased a car talk about the following features of the crossover:

• the Chinese Landwind X7 turned out to be an order of magnitude better than many other models of its level;

• a high level of comfort is actually not inferior to the quality of the ride on the original;

• also in the X7 asset there are many exciting technologies that allow you to enjoy driving;

• among important functions one can note the excellent fullness of the machine with modern technologies;

• such benefits are practically not reflected in the cost, and this pleases the buyer.

The new Chinese crossovers of 2018-2019 were replenished with the Landwind X7 SUV, which has undergone a large-scale modernization. In our review, the new 2018-2019 Landwind X7 of the year - photos, price, equipment and specifications of the Chinese clone of the British premium crossover.

Having survived the restyling, the infamous Landwind X7 acquired a less similar exterior design to the Ewok, a modernized interior and the latest 163-horsepower turbocharged 1.5 GTDI petrol engine in the company with 8 automatic transmissions. Sales of the updated Landwind X7 2018-2019 model year in China have already started on price 129800-139800 yuan (about 1140-1228 thousand rubles). For reference: range rover Evoque is sold in the Middle Kingdom at a price of 453,700 yuan (3,985 thousand rubles).

Let's start our review with short excursion into history. pre-reform Crossover Landwind The X7, which debuted in the Chinese market in 2015, made a lot of noise not only in China, but throughout the world. Chinese brand Landwind under the control of Changan Auto launched on the market exact copy British Crossover Range Rover Evoque. The Chinese clone, which received the name Landwind X7, exactly copied the Ewok to the smallest detail, but at the same time it was offered at a price several times cheaper than the original. Jaguar Company Land Rover tried for several years to ban the release of a brazen fake, but to no avail. As a result, leadership British company decided to refuse to demonstrate concept cars, so that they would not be copied by Chinese manufacturers.

So Landwind X7 can be safely considered the most famous Chinese clone with a scandalous reputation, which, by the way, does not prevent the model from being sold in the Celestial Empire in solid quantities. And why buy a $68,000 Range Rover Evoque when you can buy a $19,600 Landwind X7.

In the process of updating and upgrading the X7 model of the Landwind brand, Chinese designers tried to minimize the visual similarity of the clone with the British original. But of course, it was not possible to completely get rid of the influence of Evoque. The updated Landwind X7 has got new front and rear parts bodies formed by original headlights, a false radiator grille, bumpers and stylish marker lights with sections located on the door luggage compartment. At the same time, the crossover received new hood, A wheel arches became less fluffy.

Headlights with LED daytime running lights, and taillights in the form of a chic LED garland that adorns the stern of the crossover.

• The external dimensions of the 2018-2019 Landwind X7 body are 4421 mm long, 1911 mm wide, 1631 mm high, with a 2670 mm wheelbase and 210 mm ground clearance.
• Track front and rear wheels- 1625 mm.

The crossover comes standard with 18-inch alloys. rims with 235/60 R18 tires, larger 19-inch alloy wheels with 235/55 R19 tires are available as an option.

The interior of the restyled Chinese crossover Landwind X7 has changed minimally, but innovations are present, and very interesting. The manufacturer announced new, better finishing materials (soft plastic on the front panel and door cards), more interior lighting points and makeup mirrors. New instrument cluster available with large color screen trip computer, upgraded first row seats and rear seats for a more comfortable fit.

Already in the basic configuration, the car will please with the presence of a mass of advanced equipment: frontal airbags, mounts for children ISOFIX seats, ABS with EBD and BAS, ASR and ESP, front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera, cruise control, system keyless entry into the cabin and the engine start / stop button, an assistant when starting uphill.

Also present a roof with a panoramic view with sunroof, factory anti-theft system, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, infotainment system with 10.2-inch color touch screen(navigation, friendship with smartphones), power windows on all doors, rear-view mirrors with electric drive adjustments, heating and automatic folding function, dual-zone climate control, LED daytime running lights and marker lights with LED filling.

As additional options, eco-leather seat trim, power front seats, heated driver's seats and front passenger, Surround Vision System, Lane Keeping Assist, Tire Pressure Sensors, Side Airbags and Curtain Airbags.

Specifications Landwind X7 2018-2019. The crossover is built on a modern platform with a fully independent suspension architecture (McPherson strut front, multi-link rear). The drive is front-wheel drive by default, and the system all-wheel drive not offered even for a surcharge despite technical capability (rear suspension multi-link and, if desired, it is possible to install a clutch that connects the rear wheel drive). Brakes of all wheels are disk with an electric drive of a parking brake.

most important technical acquisition The updated Landwind X7 is a modern petrol four-cylinder turbocharged engine 1.5 GTDI (163 hp 250 Nm), working in a company with 8 automatic transmissions from Chinese company Shengrui. Turbocharged engine and modern 8-speed automatic provide novelty maximum speed at 175 mph, fuel consumption according to the manufacturer with mixed driving is only 8.9 liters.
It is worth noting that new motor replaced the licensed 2.0-liter turbocharged Mitsubishi engine 4G63S4T (190 hp 250 Nm) with fuel consumption in the combined driving mode of 10.4-10.5 liters per 100 kilometers.