Jaguar Land Rover seizes documents from BYD amid design dispute
Jaguar Land Rover obtained a court order to seize records from BYD's Dutch offices as it alleges the Chinese maker copied the Defender's design, while BYD prepares to launch its Ti7 4x4 in January.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) secured a court-ordered seizure of documents from BYD's offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp, Netherlands, as part of an ongoing legal dispute over alleged copying of the Defender's design. The Dutch court is expected this week to rule on procedural matters, including whether the case can proceed.
BYD plans to launch the Ti7, a boxy plug-in hybrid 4x4 marketed as "China's answer to the Defender," in January at a price of £47,995, roughly £20,000 less than the comparable seven-seat Defender.
JLR, owned by Tata Motors, aims to prevent the Ti7 from entering the European market, though the case is unlikely to be resolved before the vehicle's launch. BYD has not commented on the legal proceedings.
"JLR does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings," a JLR spokesperson said.
The dispute follows earlier court confrontations in The Hague and reflects broader competition from Chinese manufacturers, which now account for almost a quarter of new car sales in Britain. BYD, the world's largest seller of electric vehicles, reported an 80% increase in UK sales over the past year.