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Lifan 320 MINI ripoff to debut at Beijing Motor Show [BMW Lawyers Standing By]
www.autoblog.com ^
| 04/18/2008
| Staff
Posted on 04/18/2008 10:27:21 AM PDT by Red Badger
The production version of Lifan's egregious MINI clone is set to debut this weekend at the Beijing Motor Show. The Lifan 320 as it's called has an 87-horsepower 1.3L underhood that drives the front wheels alone. We're sure that Lifan will point to the car's standard 5-door hatchback layout as evidence that its not a true MINI copy, but let's all be serious here. Droopy headlights, fat D-pillars and traditional placement of the extra doors don't temper the blatant rip-offedness of this Grade D doppelganger. Even the wheels are copies. On a more amusing note, who knew MINI's humorous old "counterfeit" ad campaign would wind up being so prescient? BMW lawyers are likely standing by, as is the Counter Counterfeit Commission.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Germany; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: auto; china; cooper; mini
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Cheap Chinese Knock-off...........
To: Red Badger
Yup, in looks only.
“The Lifan 320 as it’s called has an 87-horsepower 1.3L underhood that drives the front wheels alone.”
Standard Mini comes with twice that HP.
To: Slapshot68
Like those $50 Rolladex Watches......
3
posted on
04/18/2008 10:30:33 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: Red Badger
Probably has lead-based paint....
4
posted on
04/18/2008 10:47:29 AM PDT
by
illiac
(If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
To: Red Badger
My $32 Rorex works wonderfully!
5
posted on
04/18/2008 10:48:22 AM PDT
by
MindBender26
(Leftists stop arguing when they see your patriotism, your logic, your CAR-15 and your block of C4.)
To: Slapshot68
Actually sounds more like the original Mini from the 1970s. Yes, I’m old enough to remember when the Mini and the Beetle were cheap ****boxes.
6
posted on
04/18/2008 10:48:26 AM PDT
by
Squawk 8888
(TSA and DHS are jobs programs for people who are not smart enough to flip burgers)
To: illiac
7
posted on
04/18/2008 10:49:25 AM PDT
by
CJ Wolf
(Let Freedom Ping List - Ron Paul - Ron Paul - Ron Paul - Join it.)
To: Red Badger
8
posted on
04/18/2008 10:51:40 AM PDT
by
Yo-Yo
(USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
To: illiac
Probably has lead-based paint.... And melamine......
9
posted on
04/18/2008 10:54:37 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: MindBender26
You mean it’s not Ronery?.........
10
posted on
04/18/2008 10:55:08 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: Yo-Yo
11
posted on
04/18/2008 10:56:46 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: Slapshot68
Standard Mini comes with twice that HP. And nothing is free - with additional cubic displacement and higher horsepower comes lower gas mileage. The American market is obsessed with performance at the expense of economy.
12
posted on
04/18/2008 11:02:14 AM PDT
by
TexasRepublic
(When hopelessness replaces hope, it opens the door to evil.)
To: Red Badger
Cheap Chinese Knock-off...........
Not worth the morning spit from my Mini's tailpipes.
13
posted on
04/18/2008 11:03:44 AM PDT
by
paulcissa
(The first requirement of Liberalism is to stand on your head and tell the world they're upside down)
To: Slapshot68
I’m not as concerned with the power as reliability. Some of the Chinese Honda-ripoff motorcycle engines have been known to spin bearings within a half hour from new. Not necessarily Lifans.
14
posted on
04/18/2008 11:04:20 AM PDT
by
steve86
(Acerbic by nature, not nurture™)
To: TexasRepublic
But the efficiency is so crappy in the Chinese motors. I would be willing to bet that the Chinese copycat motorcycle engines get no better gas mileage than the original Japanese engines with much more power.
15
posted on
04/18/2008 11:07:20 AM PDT
by
steve86
(Acerbic by nature, not nurture™)
To: Red Badger
Mini Cooper + Yugo =
16
posted on
04/18/2008 11:11:28 AM PDT
by
al_c
(Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
To: Squawk 8888
To: TexasRepublic
The engine in the copy probably gets no better mileage than the original.
18
posted on
04/18/2008 12:06:52 PM PDT
by
ltc8k6
To: Red Badger
I also have a beautiful $80 Bleitling. Wore it into a Rolex store in Las Vegas. Salesmen went ga-ga.
They said only 1000 of these $27,500 Breitlings had been made, etc, they has never seen one before, yade yada yada.
Snobby idiots!
:~)
19
posted on
04/18/2008 12:20:00 PM PDT
by
MindBender26
(Leftists stop arguing when they see your patriotism, your logic, your CAR-15 and your block of C4.)
To: steve86
But the efficiency is so crappy in the Chinese motors. I would be willing to bet that the Chinese copycat motorcycle engines get no better gas mileage than the original Japanese engines with much more power. I agree. But if the makers of quality cars concentrated on small engines and modest horsepower, they could increase mileage. Yes, performance would suffer, but how much power do you really need to drive a tin can instead of hot rod?
20
posted on
04/18/2008 1:58:20 PM PDT
by
TexasRepublic
(When hopelessness replaces hope, it opens the door to evil.)
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