China cars

[HKS]

Chinese manufacturers have even made Pajero or Prado
Or I reckon both

[checkered]

I don't much

appreciate copyright infringements and have made that clear before. Contemporary China, though, has a tradition that might not be best suited to fully appreciate what the concept entails elsewhere and actually they're currently also forcing a change how everyone else has to view intellectual property. The issue must be further complicated by their manufacturing powerhouse status (I guess there's a 70-80% chance the microwave in your kitchen, or your printer comes from Shenzhen or a comparable area). Foreigners having Chinese to make countless copies of designs originating elsewhere can't make it easier to draw such distinctions. It will be some time, though, until Geelys, Laibaos, Cherys, Shuanghuangs and such become very prominent elsewhere.

What I'm kind of hoping is that instead of putting enormous pressure on global oil demand (and other resources), they'd recognise that on the medium to long term this just won't work - and in fact is misplaced investment even now. China is one of the places where despite the brisk industrialisation they still are in the unique position of thinking ahead and starting to design, support and produce sustainable mobility (and everything else) to begin with. I'm afraid though, that many there currently see copying as a far more lucrative business model and are making that a self realising prophecy by using the local human resources to full effect. That might come back to bite them, but I'm afraid only until a certain segment of the population has become very wealthy and doesn't have to care anymore.

It's also a mistake to think China as an entity separate from everyone else's actions either. Foreign investors (US, European, Asian, you name it) have certain ideas about China's "place" and purpose in the world, hopefully not solely on a limited and unimaginative scale. I hope that there are enough people with vision within and outside China to recognise the true possibilities of that country (the same goes for India, Indonesia and so on).

Billions of minds can come up with incredible things if given the chance; we're at a unique place within human history. We'd propably number too many at the moment considering mere biological survival odds for such a population (98% of all vertebrates on Earth by weight are humans, farm animals or pets) but on the other hand we've altered our evolution and evolutionary pressures from purely environmental and biological to largely cultural. That process is imprinted in our genes and memes inextricably and through the generations we've truly become responsible for this Earth in the (originally naïve) belief that we can be responsible for all this. Well, now it's the time to rise up to that challenge, or face pretty dismal times later on.

This requires a change in how we think about leadership, and the value of human intellectual capabilities. The latter is not a thing to waste, even if there'd seem to be an abundance of it around. China and India are World leaders in this regard by sheer numbers alone, being labeled developing nations is just details compared to their importance in global affairs. Others can help, but the fact of the matter is that they have to assume and accept a lot more responsibility if there is to be any balance in how our Earth is managed. The current shape of their car/mobility industries is a detail in all this, but accurately mirrors their (and everyone else's) challenges ahead.

There's a lot to be done. Luckily it involves using our brains, so it's not all toil, sweat and tears.

[checkered]

There seems to

be some tension mounting on the subject. China spying 'biggest US threat' - link, BBC News ... I guess everyone needs to review their position, copyright infringements and blatant spying could in fact end up hurting the very structures that many are finding so profitable right now. I hope all the talk about common interests isn't mainly lip service.

[HKS]

There seems to

be some tension mounting on the subject. China spying 'biggest US threat' - link, BBC News ... I guess everyone needs to review their position, copyright infringements and blatant spying could in fact end up hurting the very structures that many are finding so profitable right now. I hope all the talk about common interests isn't mainly lip service.

Aren't the designs patent?

Even Hyundai Sonata (Old) was a copy of Mercedes C-Class and Jaguar and the new Hyundai Sonata Embera is a copy of Honda Accord and more car (Can't recall which one )

[mx_tifoso]

In related news, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grupo_Salinas]Grupo Salinas[/url] has contracted a deal with [url=http://www.faw.com/webcontent/aboutfaw.jsp]FAW[/url] to import and sell the Chinese automobile manufacturers products here in Mexico. These $7,000dllr cars will be imported for three years, up until when FAW completes their factory in the Mexican state of Michoacan.

[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/23/business/worldbusiness/23auto.html?ref=world]Chinese Maker to Sell $7,000 Cars in Mexico[/url]

[url=http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071123/BUSINESS/311230028/-1/news]China, Mexico rev up car production[/url]

[Belatti]

Aahhh jajajaja!
Check this out:

http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/mini/iconic-mini-gets-a-clone/

This guys kill me! It´s so funny to see that!

[checkered]

Here's a direct and

completely unaltered quote from Lifan Group's (manufacturer of the pseudo-Mini featured within link provided by Belatti) website (22nd of January, 2008), titled "Lifan Culture":

Just like a person,an enterprise shall always display a kind of spirit.Therefore,we constantly remind all of our staff to remember the following ideas which were abstracted from our experience:

Pure gold fears no fire.

It is careful to be of high quality,it is half-hearted that quality is poor.

If one does not work hard,he is not Lifan people;If unhappy and wellrewarded,who wants to be Lifan people?

If Lifan wants to be success and does not lie in the fund,but lir in credit.Without improvement in variety and quality,we will be deprived of all income and wealth.

If you do not work hard today,you will seek for job very hard tomorrow.

The boss is honest and kind,the managers are competent,the staff are Professional.Lifan operates legitimately.

Lifan¡¯s deadly enemy is itself if Lifan disappoints itself.

No Famous Brand ,our motorcycles are just like a pile of scrap iron.

HONDA and YAMAHA run around,what should LIFAN people do?

There are 3 ways to gain profits;
- to monopolize we have no seat;
- to speculate is out of beat;
- to stick on R&D,we shall have our meat.

Three treasures of lifan:Innovation,Exportation,Reputation.

Career in lifan,Insurance for one.

http://www.lifan.com/en/linian.asp ... I swear, I had several "Blade Runner" and "Apocalypse Now" flashbacks while I was reading through those. Then I had visions of Mao's "Cultural revolution" and Deng's "To Get Rich is Glorious" being "the Yin and the Yang", teaming up and setting off to conquer the World.

Ciro, you should email "The Tao of Racing" to these people ASAP!