Multinational Volkswagen is not at all satisfied with the electric copy of the Beetle shamelessly made by Great Wall Motors

The Chinese industry has not yet abandoned some old habits, and the multinational Volkswagen was not at all flattered by the electric car manufacturer ORA, which is part of the Great Wall Motors group. The brand presented a Beetle clone at the Shanghai Auto Show. Named ORA Punk Cat, the vehicle has the same traits as the iconic VW car.

Read also

• Multinational Audi, which belongs to the Volkswagen group, manufactures a powerful electric car capable of projecting video games through its headlights
• Reduction of biodiesel in fuel could backfire and trigger industrial bankruptcy and unemployment
• The production of electric cars by the German giant Volkswagen will enter “turbo mode”
• Volkswagen ends production of the Up! at the SP factory; Gol, Voyage and Fox are also in the automaker's sights
• After Chevrolet, Ford and Volkswagen, the multinational Fiat suspends vehicle production at its factory and puts 1900 employees on collective vacation

It is possible to see that ORA was inspired – not to say that it blatantly copied – the traits of the Volkswagen Beetle in its new Punk Cat. The hood with a curved design, the rounded headlights and the rear design, complete with oval taillights, refer to the old beetle.

The interior of the ORA Punk Cat it is also reminiscent of the Beetle, as it is equipped with a three-spoke steering wheel and instruments and dials in a circular format. Despite the retro footprint, the interior offers a multimedia screen and cantilevered center console.

But the creation of this car with a “time machine feeling”, as ORA said, did not please Volkswagen at all.

Volkswagen intends to take legal action against Punk Cat

To the Carscoops website, the Volkswagen AG group said: “With regard to any utility model or design rights of Volkswagen AG, we reserve the right to take all necessary legal measures.”

We remember that Volkswagen closed the Beetle production (the real one) in 2019, with no plans to recreate it in the future. What is known is that VW trademarked the name e-Beetle, giving the possibility of a return of the model.

It is not the first time that the Chinese have created clones

Last year, the Chinese brand Wey wasted no time and 'cloned' the Ford Bronco, five days after the launch of the American brand's SUV in 2020. Wey is also part of the group Great Wall Motors, the same person responsible for creating the electric 'Beetle'.

The Chinese brand Foton Big General presented, also last year, an identical copy of Ford F-150 Raptor Pickup Truck. See 'Chinese invention' below.

After ending production of UP!, Volkswagen puts more than 2000 employees at its factory in SP on collective vacation

After the departure of the great automaker Ford from the country, excluding the EcoSport SUV and the Ka de line, the German multinational Volkswagen announced last Wednesday (07/04) the end of production of the Up! at the factory in Taubaté, and put more than 2200 employees from its factory in SP on collective vacations between May 3rd and 12th.

After ending the manufacture of UP!, the factory of the German multinational Volkswagen in Taubaté (SP), may also end production of Gol, Voyage and Fox. The vehicles are also in the automaker's sights, after many years on the road.

Until the German company decides whether it will also remove the line vehicles in Brazil and produce a new vehicle at the factory, which has not yet been confirmed by the automaker, Volkswagen's Taubaté factory will continue with the production of two models: Gol and Voyage.

In March, they were awarded 11 Volkswagen cars between Goal, Up! and Voyage, according to Fenabrave data. The Gol was the third most licensed car in the country, with 6,8 units; Voyage had 3,6 licenses and Up! only 563.