The problem is you don't know what sort of quality you are getting in these cars (especially in safety aspects), and foreign companies are reluctant to invest in the Chinese market if they don't have proper industry rules and protections...

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Originally posted by Romeo Alfa:
Japan is the land of copying, they've been copying designs as long as they make cars.

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LMAO! Dude, take that foot out of your mouth, please! wow i feel sorry for you..

What? HAve you never seen a Lexus or something?! Boy do I wonder where they get their ideas from... Clue: it starts with 'Mercedes' and it ends with 'Benz'. BMW isn't safe from them either. Lexus is King rip-off...

Lexus is "king rip-off"? Not even when it comes to copying Benz. Have you even seen the CDN article?

http://www.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2004/beijing/images/baic-hyundais.jpg

I agree Lexus' designs aren't always original (ok, far from), but surely this is the wrong topic to bring that up in.

Wow, Romeo just shut up. You're looking like an idiot..
One- Lexus & Merc aren't Japanese companies. Get that straight smart guy.
Two- Japanese design is very different than German/Euro design. If you haven't realized that by now... wow, what kind of car enthusiast are you.
Get off Japan's back.

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Originally posted by Eric M:
One- Lexus & Merc aren't Japanese companies.

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Eh? Where's Toyota from?

Eeeh, when did I say Mercedes-Benz was a Japanese brand?! And since when is Lexus not a Japanese brand?!? What are you, an idiot?!? But name-calling is a very immature thing to do Eric M, so it doesn't speak well for you. You don't have to get all worked up over the fact Lexus rips-off Mercedes-Benz' design!!

Lexus even uses Mercedes' numbering system: the only difference they use two letters in stead of one: so not S500 but LS430, makes you think doesn't it?!?

Even Lexus (Toyota) will admit they were and are inspired by Mercedes, the world's leading luxury brand. Lexus started from nothing as a new Toyota brand, so they had to look at the leading brand(s) to see what kind of car they should make! Just as the Chinese are doing today, looking at other carmakers to see what they should make!

look at the LS(430), it's very much influenced by the old Mercedes S500, the flanks and front are very much alike, although the Lexus is intensely boring. What about the SC430, could it be inspired on the Mercedes-Benz SLK... hmmm yes I think so! The GS is the most succesful design because it's a Giugiaro design. Still it has some Mercedes influences, for example the double round headlights like the old E-class.

The new GS in stead has A LOT of BMW influences, the flanks look like they're copied and pasted from the BMW 7-series, the front like it's copied and pasted from the 6-series, the rear seems original. Lexus' design has improved though throughout the years, because they now have an international design center.

So, get over it your Japanese friends are a bunch of design-thieves! You can live in denial if you want though...

Another thing is: The Japanese have always done far better in the US than in Europe. Here they have only like 12% market share, because their cars are too boring... Japanese cars have substance but nearly no style. In the US they have done far better, probably because the American competition has no style either, AND no substance.

There are a few nice Japanese cars though. I've always liked Honda(s), NSX, S2000 for example. And Nissan is doing very well since Renault is in charge over them. Before that Nissan was the epitome of booooooring!

lmao toyota didn't create lexus to sell models in japan smart guy. as i said, japanese design is very different than american and euro. they made lexus to compete for sales in america and europe.

why you flaming people man?dude eric, lexus did model their design after mercedes benz. it is a known fact they did try to copy thier style. but it is true that lexus is a company that was a luxury brand that was aimed toward the US in order to compete with other high end cars. But in japan, there is no lexus brand. Just like honda in japan, there is no acura brand. Both of these companies expand their companies in order to compete with domestic companies as well as european companies. FOr example, the tsx of acura is actually the accord in japan. and the sc430 is the solaar in japan. Another on is the rsx. The rsx is an acura brand in america but its actually the integra in japan.

About the chinese car market. as being taiwanese/chinese myself, it is only obvious that the cars that are present in the chinese car companies only copy other brands because
one: the chinese really don' t care about safety or quality. They just want the looks.
Secondly: just because they copy cars at their countries, doesn't necessarily that that market of cars are going to america.
Thirdly: I'm am positive that chinese auto makers are very aware that the cars they are designing are just like the some of the american auto makers. They don't plan to sell them in america.
Lastly: the chinese market is starting out just like the japanese and the korean car makers. They may be hated now but if you give them five years or more to get into the american market, they can become very formidable. also you also have to take into the fact that they can make cars by the bushels. The chinese market may become the next best thing.

China does have the problem that they can't sell Chinese market cars in Europe and the US, because the Chinese want very cheap cars, that won't be good enough for the foreign markets. So they will have to make cars specifically for Euope and the U.S. and I doubt if they can do that. The Japanese have had to set up design and engineer centers in U.S. and Europe to succeed there, so the Chinese probably have to do the same...