WTF? Geely GE The Chinese Rolls Royce

Heh Heh, look familiar? Gotta say this about the Chinese auto industry, they got some balls!

In the past they fell into some hot legal water over copying Mercedes and BMW vehicles. In fact, BMW had sued to prevent the Chinese designed Shuanghuang CEO SUV from being sold in Europe because BMW felt it was a copy of their X5 SUV.

Well, a car company going after one of the largest communist countries on Earth in court does seem like a futile exercise. Seriously, think the Chinese government would be scared? Nah. What could BMW do to them?

Well, the Chinese are at it again with the wonderful Geely GE. Will they once again get away with blatantly plagiarizing a beloved and much recognized symbol of the automotive world?

Rolls Royce Phantom, meet your Chinese clone, the Geely GE. The proportions of the two cars are practically the same. Notice the Geely's profile...the length of the hood, the shape of the doors, the smallish trunk. And how can you miss that big ass grille with the winged mascot.

Okay, in Geely's defense, there are some differences. The Geely GE doesn't have suicide doors, and, um, let me think, oh yeah, the Geely GE only has one rear passenger seat.

Yup, one rear passenger seat. Makes you think of Bertolucci's The Last Emperor. Or Al Bundy's dream throne.

But you know, I'm so very broke and desperate that if I could, I'd buy this Geely son-of-a-bitch. I love Rolls Royce motorcars, even took an old Bentley Eight out for a spin once.

The only ones I can afford to purchase are the models from Franklin Mint, Matchbox, Maisto, etc.

For example, this is my beloved 1/24th scale Rolls Royce Silver Cloud I from the Franklin Mint. Beautiful. Handcrafted. But I can't drive it. Believe me, I've tried.

Such is the comedy called life that I can't afford to purchase and maintain a real Royce, let alone a pre-owned model, but can fill up an imaginary garage with 1/24, 1/18, and 1/42 scale replicas. Therefore I'll have to take the Geely GE.

I could love the Geely GE like a Royce. We could make the relationship work, the Geely and I.

Just think of the Geely GE as being a Franklin Mint replica of a Phantom that one could really drive.