Rolls-Royce may sue over Geely's GE model

Shanghai, April 30 (Gasgoo.com) A Rolls-Royce spokesman has admitted the company may take legal action against Chinese carmaker Geely Auto over the similarities between the Geely GE model and Rolls-Royce Phantom, sina.com said earlier this week.

The 5.4-meter Geely GE prototype was unveiled at last week's 2009 Shanghai auto show, painted black and given pride of place on a raised plinth in the middle of Geely's huge stand.

Geely GE

To many industry observers, the production-bound Chinese GE concept clearly borrows the Rolls signature grill, down-sloping rear deck, and the Flying Lady mascot. However, its nose, beneath which is mounted a 3.5 liter V6, is considerably shorter than the Rolls's.

The 'Grecian temple' grille is close to being a Rolls copy, though, and it is topped by a figure which seems to draw much influence from Rolls-Royce's traditional Spirit of Ecstasy, except that the figure slopes backwards.

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Although Rolls-Royce was initially reluctant to comment on the similarites, a spokesman has now told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Rolls-Royce is currently keeping its options open and is in consultation with its legal advisers."

A Geely spokeswoman admitted last Friday that there were some similarities but insisted the GE -- which stands for "Geely Excellence" -- was an original.

"As it were, they are actually different.... you may feel they are the same at the first glance, but the details are certainly different," spokeswoman Zhang Xiaoshu told AFP.