Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp., commonly known by the acronym BAIC, is one of Mercedes-Benz's partners in China. However, that didn't stop the Chinese automaker, which has acquired the intellectual rights for Saab's older 9-5 and certain 9-3 models, to rip off the design of Mercedes' B-Class for its new BC301Z five-door hatchback and to a lesser extent, the BC302Z sedan.
The styling similarities are not only concentrated on the outside with the profile line, V-shaped grille, headlamp and bumper designs, but are continued inside with the dashboard.
Fortunately for Mercedes, that's not the case with the drivetrain as the 4.038mm long BC301Z hatchback will be offered in China with a choice of two Mitsubishi-sourced gasoline engines, a 1.3-liter unit linked to a five-speed manual and a 1.5-liter powerplant hooked up to a CVT. The five-door model will be followed next year by a four-door sedan (BC302Z) and station wagon (BC303Z) variant.
Photos: Auto-Sohu
_______________________2011 MERCEDES B-CLASS______________________
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________BAIC BC301Z & BC302Z _______________________
33 Comments:
and I thought Hyundai was shameless about the copying. This Chinese company really takes the cake!
If they're a partner of Mercedes, isn't it possible that the copy was approved by Mercedes..?
...Hyundai doesn't copy anything sorry....but yes this is a blatant copy of a Mercedes obviously!
they just used a big copy machine and then uglyfies the b class a lil, there u go, an ALL NEW chinese car...
Maybe I should apply to a job in BAIC. I doubt i can design a beautiful car, but I'm sure my talents are more than enough to design an ugly but original car. At least it wont be an ugly copy.
it actually looks better.. sharper.. but thats not saying much of a B class lookalike..
and do i see a little bit of Chevrolet Cruze on the tail lamps?
I don't they uglyfied anything, in my opinion it kind a looks better, sry merc's fans..
Right down to the Benz console footwell nets
you see! this is where the hyundai/kia haters condradict themselves. if indeed hyundai/kia copies, then how do we explain this monstrosity by the chinese (mind you this is not the 1st and only chinese ripoff).....1st anon is just an example of such people
it's a B-Class with Chinese eyes
Would expect anything other than a flagrant ripoff from Chinese industry? This is a country whose industry thrives on the cheap imitation. They've not had an original idea since gunpowder.
Wow is all I have to say. They got every detail down to the turn signals.
Simply put... It is the world's mega factory... so whatever they do, no one can argue it... Pity the greedy companies that poured $ and R&D know-how into China... No doubt, China has been arrogant the past few years...
well... it`s prettier, that`s a fact:))
are you people kidding me? hyundai/kia doesnt copy? you cant be serious. all they do is take popular bodystyles and design elements that are famous on other cars, and mash them together. you guys cant be that unaware of car design.
Hyundai / KIA are the biggest copycats of the automotive industry. I'm not even going to count China in, because they are really just a joke.
KIA SOUL: http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g273/H15A5H1/ksoul.jpg?
HYUNDAI SONATA: http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g273/H15A5H1/sonata2b.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g273/H15A5H1/sonata1.jpg
I'm with Anon1. I'm not sure why so many people defend Hyundai for blatantly copying. I think maybe because those people own Hyundais themselves and are just butthurt they have an unoriginal, copycat of a car.
I don't believe that this is a copy. I think that this is a cooperation project and MB is just somehow given BAIC the right to rebatch the car. I mean GM is doing the same with the chevrolet cruze beeing the GM Daewoo Lacetti....
If BAIC would not be a partner, then I would say it is a copy.
But like this I would say it's just a rebatch with low-cost technologie (Mitsubishi engines)
What can you say, everyone is selling their soul to sell into the Chinese socialist market, and often they get bitten in the butt. Hard to feel sympathetic for the companies that consistently put the hope of a profit in front of protecting their IP.
What's that colour ??!! Matte omelette vomit yellow ?
what a shocker anther Hyundai KIA hater who owns a Toyota and lost resale values and deep insides blame it on Hyundai KIA for the better products that forced the issues of Toyota poor reliably issues to the light of day~
To the Anon who posted the pictures about hyundai/kia copying other cars..those are stupidest and dumbest comparisons I've seen to say Hyundai/kia copies other cars...some of the pics don't even work. You took components of a kia and compared them to something else..that doesn't make it a copy. THIS Mercedes and BAIC is clearly copying with slight changes. (Same frame/sheet metal..Badge Engineering) But that's common in companies that are partners.
And simply mashing something together doesn't necessarily mean copying either... don't be stupid people.
You know what's copying? Eagle Talon/Mitsubishi Eclipse..Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer...same cars with different grilles or front/rear minor changes. Like these two cars here. Like before stated..it's common among companies that are PARTNERS.
Like I said Hyundai/Kia doesn't copy.....
Did Carscoop come up and Say "Hyundai Genesis BLATANTLY copies BMW 5 Series???..no because it's not a copy..they dont even look alike.
dirty chinese
Duh, how can this be a ripoff if they are a partner of Mercedes?
"You know what's copying? Eagle Talon/Mitsubishi Eclipse..Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer...same cars with different grilles or front/rear minor changes. Like these two cars here. Like before stated..it's common among companies that are PARTNERS.
Like I said Hyundai/Kia doesn't copy....."
Kia and Hyundai are partners. Heck, the Sedona and the Entourage look identical.
Do you still have a case or are you just going to ignore my objection and call me a 'hater'?
Well, are they licensed to market it with their own brand?
"Kia and Hyundai are partners. Heck, the Sedona and the Entourage look identical.
Do you still have a case or are you just going to ignore my objection and call me a 'hater'?"
Yes Hyundai/kia are partners..did I say otherwise? And no I'm not going to calling you a hater..I just believe that people need to know the difference between a "blatant" copy and what's not. Don't you think that's why the Entourage was discontinued? And I said it was common among companies that are parterns..you just repeated what I was trying to prove a point of. In the cast with the Entourage and Sedona..sales determined that people aren't going to "PAY" a little extra more for basically the exact same vehicle. But that wasn't my point sir....my point was difference between "COPIES" and what's "NOT COPIED".
Mercury was a perfect example of what I am trying to say...and look what happened..copies never succeed. So if Hyundai's a copy then they would be unsuccessful...? you figure it out...I don't think so...
I think people use the word "copy" to make up for an excuse to hate Hyundai! He makes a good point... A KIA Soul and a Scion xB are not exactly the same so how can it be a copy? This a Mercedes with a BAIC badge on it....that's copying!
Hyundai/Kia do certainly copy. The person saying they don't copy must be some big-headed Korean in self-denial. When they do not copy, they (the Koreans) produce some of the ugliest metal on four wheels on the planet. The Koreans and Chinese really would do us a favor by keeping their stuff -- domestic.
^^^ Yea and you're really mature calling names....
I will buy if its cheap ! like $10k
I seriously see some Kia on the back, and Hyundai headlights! And ofcourse, the B-Class. Just obviously.
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