Chinese automaker clones Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Chinese buyers will soon be able to buy a Evoque knock-off.

Several technical drawings leaked out of a Chinese patent office have revealed a medium-sized automaker named Landwind is preparing to launch a clone of the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

The leaked images reveal the Landwind E32 is almost identical to the five-door Evoque from nearly every angle. The replica stands out from the Evoque with more squared-off headlights, a slightly taller radiator grille, smaller wheels and model-specific badging, but the Evoque’s overall silhouette, its sculpted flanks and its pronounced wheel arches have been carried over essentially unchanged.

The difference between the two crossovers is more noticeable under the hood, where the E32 will be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 190 horsepower and 184 lb-ft. of torque. Power will be sent to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic unit. Whether a four-wheel drive model will be offered is up in the air.

Land Rover has not commented on the clone but there is very little it can say or do. As is typically the case in situations like this, all the automaker can realistically hope to obtain by taking the matter to court is to stop Landwind from selling the crossover in Europe, a vain verdict since the small Chinese firm has never manifested an interest in selling cars outside of its home country.