Monday, January 17, 2011

Shanghai Clone Wars: Lifan 320 aka the Chinese MINI Cooper


2mnom7d Shanghai Clone Wars: Lifan 320 aka the Chinese MINI Cooper

Take a close look at the sign behind the Lifan 320, it reads “Innovation Lifan, Quality Lifan”. Now gaze upon the 320; what an innovative -and poorly executed- ripoff of the MINI! The 320 is one of the many China-made clones that filled the booths of various automakers at the Shanghai Show. Lifan’s minicar that pays an undesirable tribute to the new MINI’s design has been on sale in China since 2008.

It is offered exclusively with a 1.3-liter gasoline engine producing a puny 80-horsepower and 110Nm of torque that launches (…) the British flared five-door hatch to 100km/h from standstill in 14.5 sec. The car’s top speed is electronically limited -just kidding- to 155km/h or 96mph.

Lifan 320 MINI 24 Shanghai Clone Wars: Lifan 320 aka the Chinese MINI Cooper

Lifan 320 MINI 21 Shanghai Clone Wars: Lifan 320 aka the Chinese MINI Cooper

Lifan 320 MINI 17 Shanghai Clone Wars: Lifan 320 aka the Chinese MINI Cooper

Lifan 320 MINI 18 Shanghai Clone Wars: Lifan 320 aka the Chinese MINI Cooper

Lifan 320 MINI 16 Shanghai Clone Wars: Lifan 320 aka the Chinese MINI Cooper