Car retailer Martin Motors says it will launch a renamed Shuanghuan Noble in nine European markets by May.
Martin Motors is determined to sell the China-built small car in Europe despite a legal challenge from Daimler AG, which claims the model is a copy of its Smart ForTwo.
Martin Motors, of Italy, has renamed the car the Bubble to avoid another legal dispute. British sports car maker Noble Automotive owns the Noble name in Europe.
Martin Motors spokeswoman Viviana Martinelli told Automotive News Europe that the Shuanghuan Bubble will make its Italian debut at the Bologna auto show Dec. 5. Sales will begin immediately afterward. The 68-hp, 1.1-liter Bubble will be priced above 9,000 euros (95,612 yuan) in Italy.
The Bubble will not be sold in Germany until the dispute with Daimler is resolved.
Martinelli thinks the Bubble cannot be confused with a Smart ForTwo.
"We are convinced a four-seat, front-engine, front-drive vehicle is quite different from a much shorter two-seater with a rear engine and rear drive," Martinelli says.
Martin Motors is the European distributor of vehicles built by Shuanghuan, which is based near Beijing. Shuanghuan has the capacity to build 30,000 vehicles a year.
Martinelli says Shuanghuan plans to make 1,000 units of the Bubble for Martin Motors this year.
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