Genuine Article: Mercedes-Benz C-class sedan
Retail Price: $28,000-$55,000
Next best thing: A Geely Merrie. This shameless Chinese knockoff of a German classic incorporates some of the same designs as a C-class and, though somewhat smaller, is nearly identical in the nose and tail. You can get the Merrie for between $10k and $11k, a steal compared to the pound of flesh a real C-class costs. A legal adaptation of the Merrie, the provocatively named Freedom Cruiser, debuted at the Detroit Auto Show early this year, and sports the same Benz-like features as its black market predecessor. Geely plans to market the Freedom Cruiser in Puerto Rico in 2008, with mainland availability soon to follow. Provided your gold-digging squeeze doesn't notice the different logo on the hood, you'll be ridin' dirty in no time.
Legality: Iffy. The Geely is a tricky case. Technically, as long as they don't attempt to pass their model off as a Mercedes they're in the clear. But Benz could still make a case that the Merrie is stealing creative property in the form of design—and, if the Freedom Cruiser is marketed in the United States, odds are they will.
[URL="http://www.chinacarforums.com"]Geely Pics[/URL]
* This post has been modified
: 18 years ago
