I think we’re largely past the period where Chinese cars tended to “borrow” their styling from other global automakers’ designs. The Chinese auto industry has absolutely proven that they have their own unique design vocabulary and aesthetic, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still occasionally see something that sure looks like the design process involved a lot of ctrl-C and ctrl-V. A great example of this is a new supercar from Chinese vacuum cleaner tech powerhouse Dreame, which looks pretty much like a Bugatti Chiron you’d order from Temu, Alibaba, or Wish.com. At the same time, it looks pretty good, too, and is an all-electric car, so it’s definitely not a copy of anything under the skin.
Dreame announced they’d be moving into the car business from the vacuum business last month, following in the footsteps of vacuum giant Dyson, at least initially, since Dyson gave up on cars. Interestingly, Dreame is considering building the still-hypothetical car in Berlin, and, according to Chinese site ITHome, that facility would be “adjacent to Tesla’s German factory, with the new factory expected to be 1.2 times the size of Tesla’s Berlin factory.”
Why is that? Does that imply some sharing of resources, like batteries or drive units? It’s not clear just yet.
The company did release renderings of the proposed car, which they intend to show at CES in Las Vegas next year. But here, look at it for yourself:
It’s not exactly a Bugatti Chiron – the proportions are a bit different, and it almost looks like it may be a four-door design? See that shutline in the middle of the side there? Are we looking at a four-door Chiron knockoff?
All of the crucial Bugatti design cues seem to be here, with the large C-shaped motif at the sides and, most significantly, the trademark Bugatti horseshoe grille. Let’s just take a quick look at these side-by-side:
There are different details, sure, but damn, that’s pretty shameless. Is it close enough for Bugatti to do anything about, legally? I have no idea, but if I had to guess at a possible point of contention, I’d be looking at that grille shape, which has been a Bugatti hallmark for well over a century.
The interior rendering looks pretty much like any recent car rendering, if we’re honest, all big screens and wrapping planes and ambient lighting and all that. I wish I could tell from this image if there actually is a rear seat; that’d be the really exciting differentiator here. Has anyone ever made a genuine four-door supercar? Would this even qualify? Who knows; it’s all just speculation and renders right now.
I won’t lie, though: I kind of love seeing a bit of the piss taken out of Bugatti. If this thing actually makes it to market and sells in the hundreds of thousands instead of millions and can be mistaken for a Chiron from 15 feet away, then I think that’d be pretty hilarious.
The knockoff has no notch in the middle of the bottom of the grille, no air intakes and no sideview mirrors (are they an optional extra?). The front end is also simpler, and there is no rear spoiler. They are DREAMEing if they think this will sell in huge quantities – only, perhaps, if it’s cheaper than a Dacia Duster.
It should come with a gold oval sticker on the side that says MADE IN PRC.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
So cheap Chinese knock off? Bugatti needs to sue. Frankly Jason you promised me a knock off Bugatti of my dreams. I do not see how my fat old ass is going to get in or out of this or even an original Bugatti. So thanks for getting my hopes up, I guess I will just go to sleep tonight crying because I got my hopes up. I hope you are proud of yourself.
Just kidding but yeah actually fitting in a car like this would be a good market and created a big enough difference it isn’t intellectual property theft.
Put me down for one. I’ll spend two weeks at Adams and get it to handle properly.
The headline had me hoping it was a roomba that looks like a Bugatti, which probably also exists.
Then I read the article and am now assuming it’s a 10 year old press release.
If it ever actually gets made it probably only has as much power as one of their vacuums
China the new source for Lucas Electronics
It is EXACTLY like a Bugatti Chiron.
I hope they get sued into oblivion.
You can see the front seats through the door window and windshield in the exterior. If there’s NOT a back seat, especially considering it’s an EV and doesn’t need room for a huge ICE, that’s a LOT of dead space behind those seats.
To both the actual Chiron and this … uhh… Chiron… the immortal words of Paul McCartney apply:
“Money can’t buy me love.”
Or money can’t buy you everything but what it can’t buy I don’t need.
I believe I’ll call it the Chironnot.
Chiron’t
Sometimes I really hate this century!
All they have to do to skirt ip laws is to lose that stupid grille that Bugatti insists tackling to the front end of their cars. The copy will then look a million times better, and I hope so much they sell this at a fraction of the cost of an actual Bugatti…
I got to see an F40 replica on a Fiero chassis this weekend, and this is very much in that vibe. It’s just not quite right.
4 Door supercars?
Production car: Aston Martin Rapide
Concept car: Lamborghini Estoque
Koenigsegg has a four seat supercar, but it only has two (gigantic) doors.
If it’s, say, Porsche priced, then, I like it, it’s a great looking copy. If it’s supercar priced then, meh…
Am I the only car person that remembers the last time a car/vacuum company existed? Wasn’t Lucas the name and failure was the game? The only thing Lucas made that didn’t suck was their vacuum cleaner
I have been working feverishly on my 93 Range Rover all summer. I’m about to put it away for the winter (I’m near Boston and this thing is totally rust free). You didn’t know there were so many things in a car that could not function properly at the same time: fuel tank bellows, level sender, PS hoses, abs accumulator, AC, power seats (AND HEATERs) most windows and sunroof, power locks, one door handle, alternator (on its way out), most dash lights. I’m sure there is a half dozen that I forgot. So….you ain’t lying.
“Fuel tank bellows” , I had to google that, and I’m more confused.
Sorry that should say baffle. It has come loose and is floating in the tank.
Of course it is! You have my sympathy. 🙂
Oh, that sounds like a pain in the ass for sure.
Soooo – it would be a modern-day Galibier?
https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/secret-history-of-bugattis-ill-fated-four-door-birthed-chiron/
I like the shorter hood ratio on the Chinese one.
Pretty sure those renders are AI-generated.
I like the renderings better
Interesting that they would bring it to Vegas. No way could you sell that here so long as we enforce IP and trademark laws…although I suppose you could just buy some meme coins off Dear Leader or give him a cut of your profits and then you’d be good to go.
I’m normally loathe to use meme formats from The Office, but one in particular comes to mind
You mean the one with Jim pointing at a white board?
No, the Pam saying “they’re the same picture” one
No problem since we can’t post memes here.
Or any images at all, to be fair.
The closest thing to a 4 door supercar that I know of is the incredible Savage-Rivale Roadyacht. It’s a 4 door convertible with the V8 from a C7 ZR1
If a copy of it would make it into GTA Online, would that make it a meta copy?
only after it gets shared via instagram
Well that sucks.
And blows, depending on how you configure it.
involved a lot of ctrl-C and ctrl-V.
This is a very Microsoft-centric take. You’re disregarding the Mac commands Open Apple Consume and Open Apple Regurgitate. My keyboard is custom, YMMV.
I referenced ⌘-U the other day, so I was just trying to be fair.
It does look like it may be a four door.
I would be so much more excited to see this than a real Bugatti.