03/07/2008 Imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery

Shuanghuan has been prevented from selling the CEO SUV in Germany after a court in Munich ruled that Shuanghuan’s CEO infringes BMW’s design rights. The CEO exterior appears to be a cloned copy of the BMW X5.

European importer China Automobile’s CEO, Karl Schloessl, told Associated Press reporters that the CEO was developed independently and that it bears no similarities with the X5 in either style or price.

Toyota has also noticed similarities between the Shuanghuan UFO and the RAV4, but has decided not to pursue the copy, since they have faith in their customers to spot the differences.

Daimler and Mercedes Benz have also initiated court action to stop the import of the Shuanghuan Nobel minicar, following its appearance at the Frankfurt motor show in 2007. The Nobel not only appears identical to the body shape of the Smart car, but China Automobile Deutschland claims it will sell the Nobel priced at around €7,000, making it Germany’s cheapest car. Cheekily, the Nobel’s logo is ‘smarter than the rest’!

In the meantime a world record was set at ‘Destination Brooklands’ which took place in Weybridge, Surrey on June 26th after 13 passengers were crammed into a smart car.

01/06/2007 M Sport added to BMW X5 range

BMW has announced that it is extending its X5 range with the addition of the "ever-popular" M Sport derivative.

The new model will be powered by a 4.8-litre engine offering 355hp, with the potential of reaching 62mph from a standstill in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 150mph.

In addition to these performance levels, the engine is also capable of achieving an economy rate of 22.6mpg and emissions of 299g/km – both of which are superior to rival products from Porsche and Audi, BMW claims.

A set of 19-inch light alloy wheels characterises the new model’s exterior, along with aerodynamic body styling and high-gloss roof rails.

Sports seats and a leather steering wheel enhance comfort on the interior and ride quality is also improved with sports suspension.

According to BMW, its X5 range is exceeding initial expectations, with demand meaning that models have been forward sold up to the end of 2007. The three-litre diesel version of the 4×4 has proved the most popular so far, accounting for 90 per cent of orders.