German firms warn Chinese carmakers on copying
30 August 2007
DaimlerChrysler and BMW have warned Chinese carmakers that they could face legal action over copycatting, the Financial Times reported. DaimlerChrysler said it would consider taking action against Shuanghuan Automobile if the Noble - which the German company says resembles its Smart Fortwo minicar - appears at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Last year, DaimlerChrysler managed to stop Chinese manufacturer CMEC from the releasing another vehicle that bore striking similarities to the Smart minicar. Shuanghuan is also the subject of BMW's concerns. The carmaker claims that a Shuanghuan model called the CEO closely resembles its now discontinued X5 sport utility vehicle. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is currently visiting China, also spoke out on the issue, describing plagiarism and copyright infringement as "a big problem" in China.
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