There are many Chinese brands that offer a close copy of a consumer’s favorite brands. But, Jiangling took it too far when it creates an almost exact copy of the Range Rover Evoke (India’s Tata Motors brand since 2008). This car, called Landwind X7, looked exactly like its archetype, which caused it to come under Range Rover’s radar when it was launched. The brand then rightfully initiated a lawsuit against Jiangling Motors Corp (JMC) in 2016, and the case has been ongoing since then. Now, there has finally been a verdict on the matter. Range Rover has won the lawsuit against Jiangling, and this should set a firm precedent for other Chinese brands looking to make close copies.
Lawyers working for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) argued that the Evoke had 5 distinct features that made it different from other Range Rover offerings. These features were copied in the Landwind X7, along with the looks of the car. As a result, this was a total rip off. Even though there are quite a few laws in China that protect these types of copycat brands, JLR still won the lawsuit. This is mainly because the two cars had such strong similarities that most consumers had a hard time figuring out which car was which.
As the Landwind X7 was a cheaper product, it severely undercut the prices of its original counterpart. Range Rover’s Evoke was offered at a price of 71,000 USD while the Landwind X7 was offered at $25,000. Winning this lawsuit can help other brands who have been dealing with similar issues.
According to Keith Benjamin, the head of Legal at JLR, “This ruling is a clear sign of the law being implemented appropriately to protect consumers and uphold their rights so that they are not confused or misled, whilst protecting business investment in design and innovation.”
