Zotye Brushes Off Porsche, Will Debut SR8 Macan Copy At China Auto Show

China’s Zotye may have changed the name of their upcoming SUV from T700 to SR8, but everything else we scoffed about their Porsche Macan clone remains, with the company to debut the car at the Beijing auto show on April 25.

A gauche le Zotye SR8 chinois, à droite le Porsche Macan : cherchez l'erreur

In fact, it’s much worse than we originally thought when we first laid eyes on the SR8 last summer through some studio shots that only showed the exterior of the prototype.

New images from China give us a first glimpse at the interior, and shockingly, Zotye audaciously ripped off the Macan’s cabin too, from the steering wheel design and trim, to the multi-button lower center console and even the clock on top of the dash!

Not that we should be surprised, but until now, Chinese clones usually refrained from copying the designs of both the interior and exterior from the same car. Apparently, the absence of any meaningful response from Western carmakers has led companies like Zotye to become even more brazen with their plagiarism.

It’s not that Western companies haven’t repeatedly tried to protect their work in China, but that they’ve been largely and alarmingly unsuccessful in enforcing any intellectual property rights.

There have been numerous disputes between Chinese and Western automakers that led nowhere, as Jaguar Land Rover found out for itself last year when it tried to take “appropriate action” against Jiangling’s Landwind X7 for “closely resembling” the Range Rover Evoque. The British company abandoned the effort with JLR chief executive Ralf Speth stating, "There are no laws, there's nothing to protect us, so we have to take it as it is."

Last year, when Porsche was asked about a report from Germany saying it may take legal action against Zotye Automobile, the Stuttgart carmaker declined to comment.

The Zotye SR8 is expected to go on sale in China in the second half of the year priced from around 170,000 yuan ($26,300 / €23,100) or less than a third than the Porsche Macan that starts from 588,000 yuan ($91,000 / €80,000). Power will come from a 190hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder sourced from Mitsubishi that can be hooked up to either a five-speed manual or a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

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This is the amount associated to the worldwide personal luxury goods market for the last year and estimated by Bain & Co. It was expected to grow – from 2014 to 2015 – only at 1 to 2 % at constant exchange rates and 13% at current exchange rates. This market should weigh for 24% of the total amount accounted of 1 044 billions €.

Personal luxury goods includes fashion, cosmetics and jewellery amongst others.

Slowing down little by little over the years even though they are still among the top in this segment, China seems to suffer from this impact on its economy.

Chinese’s preferences now went to a less materialistic way of living and are favoring traveling or spas, purchases that influences their well-being. Also, Chinese prefer to shop abroad, as the consumption tax and import tariff impede their spending and since they are willing to buy original and authentic goods that they are most likely to find outside their country.

Source : Bain & Co, Global Luxury Report, 2015

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Le constructeur automobile allemand Volkswagen a arrêté la production de son modèle de luxe Phaeton après des années de chute des ventes. La dernière Phaeton a été assemblée à l'usine de Dresde (est de l'Allemagne) ce vendredi, 14 ans après sa mise sur le marché, a indiqué Volkswagen. Cette dernière voiture partira pour la Chine.

Aucun licenciement prévu

En tout, 84000 Phaetons ont été produites. La fin du modèle ne signifie pas pour autant la fin de l'usine de Dresde. Le site sera transformé en grande vitrine de la mobilité électrique et de la numérisation. Les visiteurs pourront vivre "l'avenir de la mobilité de manière ludique, interactive et informative", indique Volkswagen.

Sur 500 travailleurs, 100 pourront rester à Dresde. Les autres seront replacés dans d'autres usines en Allemagne. Aucun licenciement n'est prévu.

Luxury car manufacturer Bentley has released designs of a concept car that features a holographic butler to service the needs of the occupants inside (pictured).

It also features organic LED touchscreens built into the cars panels and sofa style seating with a table in the middle of the cabin

Stefan Sielaff, Bentley's design director, told Car and Driver that the virtual bulter is one of the aspects it is working on to set its cars apart from others.

He said: 'Luxury is always related to service. People don't like the idea of just talking to a hidden microphone, we are thinking of how to personalise the next generation of communication.'

Mr Sielaff did not elaborate on what the virtual butler could be used for and Bentley has insisted the designs are not necessarily an intention of a definite product.

However, he added that as cars become more autonomous, luxury customers may want to have their own private vehicle while others use shared cars.

[LIRE L'ARTICLE EN ENTIER]

Business Tech, 06 March 2016

People who have a lot of money like to spend that money – and they like to invest in everything from classic cars to stamps and coins.

According to property group Knight Frank’s latest Wealth Report for 2016, the world’s ultra-high net worth individuals (worth more than $30 million) have increased spending on luxury goods by over 200% in the past decade.

Not all asset classes have grown equally, however, with super wealthy people finding favour with big buys such as classic cars, wines, coins and art over things like furniture, Chinese ceramics and diamonds.

[READ THE FULL ARTICLE AND DISCOVER THE TOP 11 PURCHASED LUXURY GOODS BY UHNWI]