We've seen this play before, and before that, but it never gets old: Chinese automakers replicating vehicles from western automakers. The latest example is JAC’s clone of the popular North American Ford F150 pickup truck called the JAC 4R3. This Chinese rip-off makes no attempt to hide the fact that it’s a styling clone of the Ford F-150.
The 4R3 will reportedly be offered with a 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that produces 108-horsepower and 177 lb-ft (240Nm) of peak torque. The 4R3 was supposed to be unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show last month but it didn't. Somehow Ford managed to keep it away from the show. Bill Coughlin, President & CEO of Ford Global Technologies and Intellectual Property Chief said:
"The Blue Oval took all the necessary steps to prevent the 4R3 appearing at the Beijing Auto Show. You need patents and they are country specific, so that you need to get patents filed in China as well, and frankly, we built up quite a portfolio in trying to protect us. You don’t see Ford being ripped off in China, Ford is very protective of its work and it immediately addressed the problem. We can protect ourselves in China, it’s not easy, but you can do it."
Chinese automakers have never shown any fear of foreign anger about any copies they made, be it BYD, Chery, Geely, or whichever Chinese brand. Even the 2012 Beijing Auto Show was full of clones. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all when a production-ready JAC 4R3 appears at another auto show.
JAC is one of the leading Chinese auto exporters with large operations in Africa and South America. The JAC 4R3 will soon join the party.. Over the years, Chinese automakers often have been accused of producing clones of foreign cars and trucks. Automakers that have filed lawsuits against their imitators have had little success in Chinese courts.
State-owned JAC is based in Hefei, in east China's Anhui province. Last year, the company sold 425,505 passenger vehicles and commercial trucks, according to LMC Automotive.
