Mercedes and BMW angry over Chinese knock-offs

BMW feels that the Shuanghuan CEO bears a huge similarity to the last-gen X5 (pictured).

According to the Financial Times, Mercedes and BMW are both threatening legal action over Chinese-made models that look remarkably similar to their own cars.

Even the German Chancellor is getting involved: Angela Merkel recently described copyright infringement in China as "a big problem" during a speech in Beijing.

Mercedes is upset about a car called a Noble, that looks very similar to a smart, while BMW is angry about a Shuanghuan CEO which bears more than a passing resemblance to the previous-generation X5.

Western car companies are usually wary of attacking Chinese car-makers as they need joint ventures with them to enter the Chinese market.

However BMW and Mercedes are such strong brands that they probably feel more confident than most - they also have more to lose from plagiarism.

- REUTERS