Fake In China: The Suzuki Alto Gets An Identical Twin
The Chinese auto press now routinely whacks the innovation by replication that is still prevalent in the Chinese car industry. An egregious case: Zoyte copied the Suzuki Alto nearly 1:1 for the Zoyte Z100, which is expected to debut at the Beijing Auto Show in April. Nevertheless, an unrepentant Zoyte was caught by Carnewschina testing the new Z100 side-by-side with the Alto (top. The cars are not being tested on ice. It is an attempt to obscure the location where the pictures were taken.)
This is an earlier spy shot of the Z100. The car is expected to cost between 30.000 and 35.000 yuan ($4,750 and $5,550.)
This is the Suzuki Alto as made in China by Chang’an-Suzuki. It starts at 45.000 yuan ($7,130.)
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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The Suzuki Alto is already pretty cheap, I would've thought that is less of a case for making cheap substitutes here. http://cars.adzuna.co.uk/search?what_c=suzuki+alto&where_c=UK
Not sure how I'm supposed to feel, since nothing anyone says or does will do much to change the Chinese lack of regard for IP. Disappointment, in that the people who discovered gunpowder can't do any better? Bemusement, in that foreign companies can't help but give away their tech?