Volkswagen Beetle Chinese Rip-off Under Legal Investigation

China's Great Wall Motors recently unveiled the Punk Cat EV which falls under its Ora electric brand. It would be an anomaly to say that the Ora Punk Cat has just been inspired by the Volkswagen Beetle because it looks too uncannily similar to the original bug. Incidentally, the Punk Cat has now attracted the ire of the Volkswagen legal department. This is frankly not surprising given the fact that the Beetle is the most iconic vehicle in the history of the brand.

The ORA Punk Cat was recently unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show and it fundamentally looks like a Beetle, only more modern and with an electric powertrain. ORA's interpretation of the Volkswagen Beetle is, however, a four-door coupe. It is particularly inspired by the original Beetle from the 1960s. The extra length with four-doors thankfully helps it somewhat break away from the iconic silhouette of the Beetle. The rear section of this vehicle also misses out on the split rear windshield which was a signature element of the Beetle of the 1960s.

Also Read : Ora Punk Cat Unveiled - Volkswagen Beetle Clone

That said, the overall shape and profile of the car along with several design details are immediately identifiable as the Beetle, although all of that has been put together with some modern flavor. The rounded edges, flared wheel arches and the iconic sloping roofline are also reminiscent of the original Beetle. Heck, even the window line and the front and rear bumpers mimic the original design so closely.

It must be noted that Volkswagen stopped production of the Beetle back in 2019. However, Volkswagen has long had plans to revive the Beetle nameplate with an all new electric version and that could complicate things even further. Volkswagen said in a statement to Carscoops, "We check this matter with regard to any violations of a utility model or design rights of Volkswagen AG and reserve the right to take any necessary legal steps,"

Given that the Punk Cat imitates what is arguable one of the most recognized designs in the automotive world, the brand could face some serious implications if Volkswagen comes down on them heavily. Just like the original bug, ORA says that the Punk Cat will cater to women. Ora still haven't revealed any technical specifications of the Punk Cat yet. All we know is that it is an electric vehicle. Knockoff aside, we will admit that ORA has done a pretty nice job in honoring an iconic vehicle, while also giving it a trendy makeover.

Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for the latest Great Wall Motors updates and other four-wheeler news.