World's Biggest Rip-off of a Vehicle Gets a Facelift

You’ll never guess what Indian-owned, UK-based model this once looked like. Yes, the Landwind X7, arguably the closest automotive ripoff ever fielded by an automaker, no longer resembles its alleged muse.

The Chinese SUV, built as a joint venture between Changan Auto and Jiangling Motors Corporation, has received a mid-life refresh that erases some of the tell-tale cues of the model that inspired not only the vehicle, but its very name. Meanwhile, certain executives in Coventry, UK, are worried the Landwind X7 saga might happen again.

It was Roger Moore eyebrows all around at Jaguar Land Rover headquarters when the X7 debuted in 2015. The X7 wasn’t just inspired by the Range Rover Evoque — it was damn near a carbon copy of the compact SUV.

After all attempts to compel Jiangling Motor to pull the China-only vehicle from the market (and presumably start over with a clean-sheet design) failed, an infuriated JLR filed a lawsuit accusing the Chinese automaker of copyright infringement and unfair competition. It was an unprecedented move, as Chinese courts aren’t in the habit of favoring foreign automakers in such cases. (The Landwind facsimile is one of many copycat designs fielded in China.)

The case remains on the books, but as we can see in these official photos, the refreshed X7 no longer quite resembles the Evoque when viewed from the front or rear. It now sports a Ford Explorer-esque front fascia and taillights whose inspiration is anyone’s guess. Side-on, of course, the tell-tale silhouette remains.

The Landwind experience has left a lasting impression on JLR. Company brass no longer feels confident in releasing a new design in advance of a new model debut, fearing another automaker could copy it and bring it to market first. The iconic automaker has since filed new paperwork targeting Jiangling Motor.

Speaking at a new vehicle launch in mid-October, JLR design boss Gerry McGovern said the company is “wary of showing new concepts,” Auto Express reports.

“The success of Jaguar Land Rover is based partly on its unique design and engineering attributes, which we believe are worth protecting across all markets,” a company spokesperson told the publication.

Is the Landwind X7’s styling refresh the result of JLR’s litigation, or was the Chinese market just getting bored of the old design? Who knows. It’ll be interesting to see what the company does for a second generation X7.

[Images: Jiangling Motor]