Chinese car clones: Aistaland GT7, Jetour Traveller, and more

Explore Chinese car clones like Aistaland GT7, Jetour Traveller, and BAIC BJ80. Learn about their inspirations from Porsche, Land Rover, and Mercedes.
In recent years, China’s automotive industry has made a powerful leap forward, introducing its own developments and technologies to the market. However, it hasn’t fully shed its past legacy—models with clear borrowings from European brands still appear on the market.One of the most discussed examples is the Aistaland GT7, which looks strikingly similar to the Porsche Panamera. This Chinese model features a modern electric platform and all-wheel drive, but the visual resemblance to the German liftback is apparent even to an untrained eye.Another case is the Jetour Traveller, perceived by many as an alternative to the Land Rover Defender. Behind its rugged exterior lies much simpler technical underpinnings, with off-road capabilities that noticeably fall short of the original.The genre classics haven’t been overlooked either: the BAIC BJ80 essentially copies the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Despite claims of reliability, the model remains controversial precisely because of its design. The Zotye SR9 became one of the most famous “clones” in its time, replicating the look of the Porsche Macan.Meanwhile, the sporty SC-01 draws inspiration from the legendary Lancia Stratos, but reimagined as an electric vehicle with contemporary technology. Today, Chinese automakers increasingly offer original models, yet these examples show that the phase of borrowing isn’t entirely over.China’s auto industry has long reached a new level, and such “copies” are more of a residual phenomenon. But they helped generate market interest and allowed brands to gain momentum, enabling them to now compete on equal footing.