Turns out, it can be. Well sort of...
Check out a few pictures of the real deal:
Just call me 'Eagle Eye'. Years of being a car fan have honed my car-spotting skills, and I can recognize many models at a glance. Last year I came across a fun find in Shanghai, a BMW Isetta. While this tiny egg-shaped car held my attention, out of the corner of my eye I also spied an attractive SUV in the same showroom. It was a Cayenne, the largest Porsche vehicle, notable for its bulging fenders and curved profile. It's not a vehicle that can be confused with anything else. Turns out, it can be. Well sort of... It wasn't until I took a close look at the badge on the hood that I realised this wasn't an ordinary Porsche. The labels had been replaced with a brand name 'Teche' and a model name 'Tech 8'. At first I thought it was a clever copy of the Cayenne, but after comparing to photos of the 2013 Cayenne Turbo S, it appears that it might be the real thing but with different badges. Most of the Chinese copies are close at a glance, but upon inspection show some differences. As far as I can tell, someone took a real Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and decided to swap the name for something unknown. There were a few custom touches, like ground effects all around, unique wheels, and some partial covers over the taillights, but it really appears to be a Cayenne. Check out a few pictures of the real deal: While I disapprove of it, I 'get' why some Chinese brands want to copy popular vehicle designs. They hope to appeal to the people that like the design and prestige of a brand like Porsche, but can't afford the models. They do this with cars, and watches, and handbags, and shoes... just about everything. What I DON'T understand is why someone would do the opposite. Why take a valuable brand like Porsche and remove all traces of it from their Cayenne, and stick on an unknown name? Is it for someone who doesn't like bragging about owning a Porsche, but still wants to enjoy the sporty and luxurious ride? Are they trying to avoid having to bring it up in conversation, but are happy with people recognizing their vehicle in the street? Is it an aftermarket parts company that wants to showcase their parts and accessories on the great design of the Cayenne? I will have to be more careful when I glance at cars in the future. Already I knew that in China you can see a fake car and think it's authentic, but now I have to be worried about seeing authentic cars and thinking they're fake!
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There's nothing wrong with being a dreamer. Having your head up in the clouds is a nice distraction from day-to-day life. For the past few weeks this has been the case for me... or at least more than usual! During a visit to the Shanghai Automotive Museum I came across a car that I had heard of but never seen in person. I change my list of 'dream cars' frequently, but it now has a new front runner: the rotary powered Mazda Cosmo. The legendary first generation Cosmo 110 coupe was build by Mazda in Japan between 1967 and 1972. Its claim to fame, apart from being a long, sleek, attractive sports car, was that it housed a unique engine under its low hood. Instead of using cylinders (or pistons) that move up and down, the Wankel rotary engine instead uses triangular-shaped rotors that spin to turn the crankshaft. Several inherent problems with the Wankel engine have kept it from becoming mainstream, but it was rather revolutionary back in the 1960s, and set the Cosmo apart from every other sports car of the era. To my eyes, the Cosmo 110 has perfect proportions. The long sloping hood is bracketed by fenders that lead into the headlights, and the rear deck hangs way off behind the rear wheels, finishing in a mirrored pair of taillights above and below the bumper. There's enough chrome to highlight the design without being overkill. The roof looks like it would lift off, though it is fixed. The curve of the front and rear windows may be common today, but certainly looked modern back in the 60s. There are obviously many fan clubs for this car, but it really is an under-appreciated and little-known classic in the grand scheme of things. Not only does it deserve recognition for the great, unique looks and excellent styling details, but also as the first mass-produced car with the revolutionary Wankel engine. Later Mazda's (notably the RX series) owe their Wankel engine and daring coupe looks to their grandfather, the Cosmo, so I'm sure most Mazda fans love this car as much as I do.
Being out of production for more than 40 years means this is starting to become one rare classic car, and the prices are certainly up in the cosmos! Still, it's always fun to learn about a 'new' old car, so I'll keep dreaming about this one a little bit longer! |
AuthorWelcome! My name is Paul, and I am an old-fashioned, low-pressure, low-buck car fan with lots of automotive stories to tell! Archives
February 2020
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