Do you remember China's JAC 4R3 pickup truck clone of the Ford F-150 that made headlines earlier this year? For those who can't recall what happened last week, let alone in February, here's a bit of a refresher.
In January, JAC Motors presented a doppelganger of the Ford F-150 called the 4R3 to its domestic dealers, with plans to begin series production towards the end of the year. Naturally, photos were taken at the event and it didn't take long for the news to reach the other side of the Pacific.
At the time, JAC was planning to debut the 4R3 at last week's Auto China 2012 in Beijing, but as you may recall, that didn't happen. Why, you ask? Well, evidently, Ford did what it had to do to protect itself from JAC's unapologetic move to clone the F-150.
Speaking to Autoline's host John McElroy, Bill Coughlin, President and CEO of Ford Global Technologies and Intellectual Property Chief, said that the Blue Oval took all the necessary steps to prevent this from happening.
When the conversation came to China and patents, Coughlin said: "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."
Asked about JAC and the 4R3, the Ford exec commented: "There were a couple of press reports that 'oh', at the Beijing Auto Show there's going to be an F-150 clone. It didn't happen. Not going to happen."
Coughlin said that Ford is very protective of its work and it immediately addressed the problem.
"We did our job. There was good global teamwork," he said. "So, yes, we can protect ourselves in China, it’s not easy, but you can do it. Is it expensive? Not really, I mean, it would be less than filing here [U.S.]."
Photos via Pikadd
20 Comments:
Congrats to Ford for protecting their product design.
The world deserves something better than China and the Chinese people deserve something better than China. Unfortunately all to often paying a $1 less for something is a higher priority. Glad to see Ford stood thier ground, sad to see companies like MB, VW and others seeking active partnerships with this steamy poop mound of a government.
Bumping up a mid-range to compete on the high end? Good luck with that. Imagine the delight of those Cima buyers who later stumble upon images of a car elsewhere in the world that bears a striking resemblance to theirs, at a much lower price. Infiniti is going to have to up their game if they want to be taken seriously on the real high end, a very competitive field. To make matters worse, VW is reintroducing the Phaeton in some markets. The Phaeton is a much better 'knock-off' of the Audi A8, but, not easily recognizable as such, unless one is offended by a VW on a luxury name plate (to each his own, of course). I'd take a Phaeton over a Cima in a heartbeat, on style alone. Or, why not just go with an LS, an Asian full luxury with presence in the German circle?
Now BMW should do something about that K9.
Good for Ford, BMW tried it with the China X5 clone and lost.
No not all lost, at least not according to mt source, well here is the link http://www.chinacartimes.com/2011/03/30/chinese-cars-rotting-in-rotterdam/, the German authority stop all the shipment of the Chinese X5 clones from China, and as a result those cars are sitting somewhere rotting away at some port in Rotterdam.
They lost, but it wasn't in a Chinese court. It was a Greek one.
The truth is that car didn't look like an X5 if you looked at it from the front.
Of course none of this would have been possible if Chinese courts are as biased as many here like to portray.
Afghan Auto Glass is a family-owned and operated business located in Toronto, serving all of GTA and surrounding areas. We are auto glass repair professionals that specialize in windshield replacement, windshield repair, and stone chip/crack repairs. We replace vehicle glass for cars, trucks, vans, and some RVs and specialty vehicles.
100% Canadian owned auto glass company serving Toronto GTA for over 20 years with satisfied clients
We service all of your Auto Glass and Windshield repair needs in GTA including Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Scarborough, North York, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and surrounding areas with free mobile service.
Free leak inspection/exterior detail one week after installation (in shop).
Free windshield repair (in shop) after windshield installation.
Auto Glass Toronto, Toronto Auto Glass, Windshield Repair, Auto Glass Mississauga, Auto Glass Toronto Repair, Auto Glass Scarborough, Auto Glass North York, Auto Glass Repair
For more detail see our site: http://www.afghanautoglass.com
Good job, Ford. Well played.
Bit like the Great Wall Peri. Influenced by vs copied can be an interesting debate. hard to draw a line consistently
The first post-war Datsun car was a direct copy of the American Crossley (of all things) and before the war Nissan copied Graham-Paige and Toyota copied the Chrysler Airflow. Nowadays both companies would be very jealous of their intellectual property rights. Thing is, the copying by Chinese companies is lessening over time, and it will pass as the industry matures and consolidates.
If you came across a K9 in a parking lot would you mistake it for your 7 series?
Does not justify it.
I agree with Polyester..U should know the difference between the similarity and sameness
Didn't then either. I'm not justifying it but I am pointing out that its as much a product of history now as it was then. The more mature Chinese companies have more recently used Italian styling houses, as indeed did the then maturing Japanese companies. I suppose I'm really saying we are observing history repeating.
Ford did what it had to do but can't congratulate them on some quiet mystery behind the scenes doings. I have too say I find the JAC front end more pleasing and less busy than Ford's. In a sense the JAC looks like what a Chevrolet Ford would look like.
Great Wall are doing a Ranger called the Steed its on sale in the UK for half the price
learn how to read dumbass.
mad that your people keep getting owned by this "government"?
Post a Comment