The broad subject of car copies, ’Frankencars’, technology rip-offs and intellectual property theft and rights infringements generally in China has been done to death before (not that that means it has gone away, of course).

Over there they are pretty adept and quick at a bit of snazzy reverse engineering (to a certain level, anyway) that can turn a Yaris into a much cheaper Florid. There’s a cultural thing that allegedly means they see it as a form of flattery and they are collectively moving away from that anyway now etc, etc. The blatant copies are overwhelmingly sold in China so the international fuss is limited – and international OEMs have been caught in a tricky position, politically. Upset powerful people in China or turn a blind eye as long as it’s fully understood that the model stays for sale only in China? 

Anyway, I did just come across this website with links to reports that do some interesting car-by-car comparisons, including pictures.

Have I seen that car somewhere before?