Chinese brand Zotye is a successful premium mimic

The Chinese automobile brand Zotye is owned by Zotye International Automobile Trading. The company was founded in 2005 in the wake of the opening of overseas assembly plants in China. Initially, the manufacturer produced only automotive components and supplied conveyors with its products. The products were of high quality. And a year later, Zotye tried themselves as an automaker.

The company strives to get at least into the Chinese “premium” segment. She succeeds. Zotye first started by releasing replicas of Japanese models. There is already a copy Porsche The Macan is a Zotye SR9, although technically the cars are of course inferior to the originals. Zotye SR9 has a classic front-wheel drive for the middle class and a 190-horsepower engine. But the price of these cars is much lower. At the same time, the interface looks impressive.

In other words, Zotye is for those buyers who cannot afford a real Porsche, but want to surround themselves with a designer and conditionally technically perfect interface. This brand is ideal for these purposes.

Since 2018, Zotye vehicles have been sold in the US under an exclusive line that includes a full service, including sales, service, distribution, spare parts and post-warranty repairs.

How does a parts manufacturer become an automaker?

Many parts manufacturers were thinking about going to the next level, but did not risk their assets. Many automakers that have acquired large-scale production of spare parts are getting rid of non-core assets. However, the production of spare parts or small vehicles clearly opens the way to the big world of automakers.

Zotye is one of those companies that has taken advantage of these opportunities. In 2005, contracts were signed for the sale of open subsidiaries. As a result, the manufacturer received not only cash, but also extensive distribution. This helped to ensure sales of new products - cars.

First, a small SUV Zotye RX6400 was released, later it was called Zotye Nomad. It was made on the Daihatsu Terios platform. In 2006, the company has already generated an income of 290 million yuan.

Modern range

The manufacturer is trying to move in different directions, including the production of electric city cars. Models E20 EV, E30 EV, E300 EV and others are now being produced. The first of the mentioned electric vehicles was developed by Zhidou Auto. The second resembles the Smart Fortwo city car. The idea behind the release of these cars is to implement the concept of smart cars. The dashboard is borrowed from the Tesla Model S and is a large touch screen. For a city car, the E30 EV has a fairly high speed, reaching up to 80 km / h.

The company also offers several successful hatchbacks for urban use. The Z100 is based on the Suzuki Alto prototype. It was one of the first cheap cars in China. The manufacturer also produces small cars and hatchbacks based on the FIAT SIENA and PALIO platforms.

A few copies won't hurt the assortment

In 2012, the Z300 compact sedan appeared, it is a literal copy of the Toyota Allion 2007 in appearance. The manufacturer is trying to successfully experiment with technical equipment. The models are equipped with turbo engines 5 and 6-speed gearboxes, including those with dual clutch.

A subcompact CUV T300 is produced, very reminiscent of the MAZDA CX-3. The mid-size crossover T600 is copied from AUDI and VW Touareg. The manufacturer also released a version with a rich interior trim, it came out under the name Zotye T600 Coupe.

Introduced in 2015, the T600 S Concept has now become a production model, enhancing the prestige of the brand. The Zotye T900 is a full-size SUV that emulates the styling of the Land Rover Range Rover Sport.

One of the most notable models is the mid-size crossover Zotye SR9, the appearance of which almost completely copies the Porsche Macan. The range includes copies of the Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE and even the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 2018 concept.

So if you love cool cars but can't afford them, the Zotye brand offers a great opportunity to buy technically decent enough replicas.