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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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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