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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has raided rival BYD’s Dutch offices, seizing documents as part of an escalating legal battle – accusing the Chinese car giant of copying the design of its iconic Defender.
The legal action centers around BYD’s upcoming Ti7a boxy 4×4 plug-in hybrid often called “China’s answer to the Defender”. Scheduled to launch in European markets in January, the vehicle is expected to retail at £47,995 – representing a price cut of more than £20,000 compared to an equivalent seven-seat Defender.
The model represents the latest competitive pressure for legacy manufacturers as Chinese brands rapidly expand their footprint, now accounting for nearly a A quarter of all new car sales in the UK.
JLR representatives secured authorization to seize records from BYD offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp in the summer. While BYD dismissed the move as a “fishing expedition,” a Dutch court is scheduled to rule on procedural aspects of the case, including whether the evidence gathered can be used in the ongoing copycat dispute.
JLR is looking to prove that BYD is deliberately trying to replicate the Defender’s distinctive design, rather than independently developing a similar vehicle. Although JLR ultimately aims to keep the competing vehicle from the European market, the legal proceedings will not reach a final resolution before the start of January.
Neither company immediately commented on the ongoing lawsuit.
It comes as the boss of Chinese car giant Chery has hinted that he is looking to buy Jaguar from JLR. Yin Tongyue, the company’s chairman, told the Sunday Times: “For long-term success [Chery needs to become more of] a British brand … a British company”, and wanted to “find a sports car company that can help me”.
Chery has an existing agreement with JLR license Freelander design. Its subsidiary Jaecoo makes the Jaecoo 7, which was nicknamed the Temu Range Rover and was Britain’s best-selling car last month.
Chinese manufacturers now account for almost a quarter of new car sales in the UK.
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