Range Rover says Chinese copycats ‘cannot replicate’ its high status

Range Rover has for the first time shared its opinion on emerging Chinese SUVs with styling apparently inspired by the British brand’s design cues, while also hinting that Range Rover will pivot away to new visual signatures in the future.

Two-box Land Rover designs have been adapted by countless SUVs but there has been a recent surge in the quantity of typically Chinese rivals with styling that is, in some cases, exceptionally similar to current Range Rover models.

Commenters have dubbed the $38K Jaecoo J7 the “Temu Range Rover” due to its likeness to the $84K Range Rover Evoque, while a new wave of premium Chinese SUVs from China, including the XPeng GX, is on the way with styling resemblant of bigger Range Rovers.

‘Imitation is the finest form of flattery’ is the current attitude of Range Rover’s global bosses when it comes to considering the impact of the Jaecoo J7 and other potential mimics.

“If other brands…copy our designs (it) is a signal that within the luxury world our design seems to be inspirational… what is important for us is to stay (as) the original – that’s why we will keep evolving,” global Range Rover managing director Martin Limpert told carsales.

Ryan Miller, Range Rover global product marketing director, added: “It’s probably a bit of a badge of honour – we take it as a compliment.”

The brand’s marketing boss said, “People pay the extra money – they do to buy a Range Rover because they want the best of the best. They’re getting something different that others cannot replicate,” he said.

While visual designs are easy to reference, Range Rover says Chinese brands can’t replicate all the know-how it has built up since its first model in 1970, and that the unique status of Range Rover will be difficult to subsume.

“We are operating from a position of strength… having that British originality, design and engineering ingenuity built over more than five decades and five generations of Range Rover has specifically brought us into a position where we are thankfully synonymous with the choice of (world) leaders,” Limpert said.

Limpert said that part of Range Rover’s towering brand value can be attributed to the distinguished status of key clients – a fact that clearly differentiates it from competitors.

Anybody entering Range Rover’s global HQ must pass by imposing royal warrants that reflect a “…strong relationship with the Royal Household,” of King Charles III, Limpert said.

Range Rover sees itself as an exemplar of ‘quiet luxury’ and is expected to amplify the marketing of its inherent British qualities in future.

“Our primary focus is to control the controllables: to strengthen our brand and our products so that we remain differentiated from the competition,” added global marketing boss Ryan Miller.

“We are super-confident that our products stand alone. You can try to copy [Range Rover], but we know what goes into creating it, both visually and performance-wise, and it ain’t cheap.

“We do keep a watching brief on [the emergence of Chinese rivals] of course. The data is saying that we’re not affected by it at the moment,” said Miller.

While it seems unlikely that Range Rover’s flagship models will be toppled by challenger brands – in non-Chinese markets, at least – questions still remain about how the British brand will manage the threat on its most vulnerable flank.

Range Rover is nearing completion of the third generation of its entry-level Evoque which is closest in size and specification to the Jaecoo J7.

Sales of Jaecoo’s J5 and J7 have swamped the genuine item in the United Kingdom and Australia this year.

While Range Rover does not believe the next Evoque has to retake sales leadership, there is an understanding that the next Evoque will need to be clearly differentiated.

“It’s the entrance into the Range Rover world, and it’s something we will have to keep protecting,” concluded Limpert.

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