Tata Motors sues Jiangling in dispute said to be over SUV design

[MICHIGAN] Tata Motors Inc's Jaguar Land Rover said it sued Jiangling Motors Co over copyright and unfair competition. Reuters reported that the dispute is over the Chinese company's Landwind X7 sport utility vehicle that looks like the Land Rover Evoque, citing a person with familiar with the matter.

Stuart Schorr, a Jaguar Land Rover spokesman, confirmed a statement by a colleague that the automaker filed the action in a Chinese court against Jiangling. Mr Schorr declined to elaborate. Jiangling couldn't immediately be reached to comment.

When the Chinese model was revealed at last year's Shanghai auto show, JLR chief executive officer Ralf Speth decried its "copy and paste" design. Both models feature similar broad fenders, recessed door panels and a sloping roof.

The X7 went on sale in August starting at 135,000 yuan (S$28,000), less than a third of the Evoque's price.

BLOOMBERG