Fake In China: BYD To Lexus Conversion Kit, Yours For Only $95

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Everybody in the business knows that the BYD S6 SUV is a blatant copy of the last generation Lexus RX350 SUV. The rip-off is so blatant that BYD even registered a European patent for their carbon copy. If you don’t look close enough, pretty much the only parts that differ are the grille and some BYD badges. Mei wen ti! No problem!

For only 600 yuan or $95, you can buy this BYD to Lexus conversion kit in China. It consists of a Lexus grille and a set of badges that replace the telltale BYD signage.

Even the engine cover will be properly converted. According to Carnewschina, BYD dealers usually sell Lexus-badges and Lexus-grille straight with the S6, they even put it on for you.

A BYD S6 goes for between $14,000 and $20,000. A new, imported RX350 costs between $79,000 and $136,000 in China.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Icemilkcoffee Icemilkcoffee on Feb 22, 2012

    People act as if nobody ever buys fake goods in the US of A. Who are you kidding. Go on Ebay and see how many fake Bride seats you could find- there are probably 20 fake ones listed for every real one. Same with TRD or Mazdaspeed steering wheel. These are just the obvious fakes with the name prominently displayed. Generic fakes with no names is even more common. You can buy cheap copies of AMG rims or Fuch rims for Porsches. Practically every rim sold by the popular japanese aftermarket wheel makers have been copied and sold here in the US. Not to mention body kits and spoilers. 90% of the stuff you see on the road are fake copies.

    • See 1 previous
    • Jeffzekas Jeffzekas on Feb 23, 2012

      And all those fakes are made in China... which is why, not along ago, a man who manufactures kids play sets said to me, "I don't want to sell to the Chinese, cos they'll buy four or five of my units, copy them, and then sell millions, without giving me a dime of compensation."

  • Lokki Lokki on Feb 22, 2012

    Ever wonder where those fakes are made,Icemilkcoffee?

  • Fred I had a 2009 S-line mine was chipped but otherwise stock. I still say it was the best "new" car I ever had. I wanted to get the new A3, but it was too expensive, didn't come with a hatch and no manual.
  • 3-On-The-Tree If Your buying a truck like that your not worried about MPG.
  • W Conrad I'd gladly get an EV, but I can't even afford anything close to a new car right now. No doubt if EV's get more affordable more people will be buying them. It is a shame so many are stuck in their old ways with ICE vehicles. I realize EV's still have some use cases that don't work, but for many people they would work just fine with a slightly altered mindset.
  • Master Baiter There are plenty of affordable EVs--in China where they make all the batteries. Tesla is the only auto maker with a reasonably coherent strategy involving manufacturing their own cells in the United States. Tesla's problem now is I think they've run out of customers willing to put up with their goofy ergonomics to have a nice drive train.
  • Cprescott Doesn't any better in red than it did in white. Looks like an even uglier Honduh Civic 2 door with a hideous front end (and that is saying something about a Honduh).
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