Comments on: BYD: Our F1 is our own design, what are Toyota on about?

By: John

John — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:50:16 +0000

If they copied the design of the Toyota Aygo car (and of course is very clear they did it!!!), another very different thing is if they have copied the engine.

The Aygo/Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 are built and the same factory and shares the same engine, a 1.0l 3 cylinder with VVT technology (which cames from Toyota). This machine has won several prizes around the world, about safety, power, economy, and environmental care.

I SERIOUSLY DOUBT that BYD could be able to afford the excellent level of that engine. This is just a bad copy of a great, great car and a great engine.

By: Colin G

Colin G — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:34:50 +0000

Lets hope it’s as well built as an Aygo. The Aygo boot lid is mad entirely of glass with no metal supports. The hinges and the rear wiper are attached directly through the glass. If it’s not engineered correctly then it could explode.

By: Ash

Ash — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:26:34 +0000

Only if I stick up a Paypal donate button and have the world send me cash to blow on it!

By: woxihuanpijiu

woxihuanpijiu — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:27:20 +0000

Ash, you could buy one and use it as a CCT buildup…. Cheaper than a 200K watered down sports car.

By: woxihuanpijiu

woxihuanpijiu — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:04:54 +0000

I think in the end that the foreign manufacturer got the grilling over the lead paint. I lived 5 mins from that factory for a year and like every other business in that town (bloody rich town it is too) it is run by a relatively low educated local who got rich in a JV with a foreign company (nothing uncommon in that here). I think if they hired new designers with little experience they would end up with really good looking designs like the older Geely models…..

By: aron

aron — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:19:22 +0000

Dear Pete,
.
You’re hired!
.
On a side note, I wish the government would start cracking down on this blatant copying. It’s bad enough that Chinese goods have to carry the stigma of the whole lead-paint fiasco, this copying isn’t helping. It’s only ruining it for others like Chery and Brilliance who are just starting to get their foot in the door in the Western markets. Heck, even BYD seemed pretty good with their focus on hybrids. Why blow it all by copying the Aygo (which doesn’t even look that good). Just hire some junior industrial designers from the city, I’m sure they could come up with something in no time.

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:06:33 +0000

Dear BYD, I would like to apply for a job on your design team. Here’s my resume:

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/9356/bydcontinentalrt8.jpg

By: Mike Sikora

Mike Sikora — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:27:04 +0000

As from our experience, BYD got a lot of positive response from NAFTA/EU car importers.

The exterior and interior design is what budget buyers expect from a city car and we hope that C-NCAP crash tests shows at least 3, better a 4 star result.

Good luck BYD!

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:54:14 +0000

Wow…yes they are certainly based on the same image, you only have to look at the light coming through the interior to see that.

By: someone

someone — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:54:02 +0000

i think it’s worth posting this again-
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/7104/bydaygodc3.jpg

i believe the pic on the left is one of BYD’s original promo images, which is so incredibly similar it might as well be (and possibly is) a photoshop of Toyota’s (although a few other things seem to have been changed on the production car). unless that was just some website or magazine’s mockup, i’d say that’s quite incriminating evidence right there.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:42:50 +0000

Having seen this in the flesh, its Aygo full stop. how it didn’t get extracted from the Geneva stand is a miracle!

By: lol

lol — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:51:43 +0000

I hope they sue this dumb company and their moronic CEO.

By: joninchina

joninchina — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:52:12 +0000

Well, what did you expect? Something like this? -

Reporter to BYD rep - “So did you, in fact, copy the Toyota Aygo?”
BYD rep to reporter - “Yeah, you pretty much got it right. We liked the Aygo so much that we decided to just use it as the model for our new F1. But hey, we DID change a FEW things…….” - I don’t think so.

OF COURSE BYD is going to say they designed it themselves! Besides, Toyota has yet to initiate any kind of legal action - if they were REALLY perturbed I think there would have been SOME kind of comment by now regarding infringement. I figure the Beijing show will be the F1’s “offical” introduction with prices and details, and probably start arriving in dealerships sometime in May. I for one can’t WAIT to see it…I’ve always liked the style of the F1/Aygo/C1/whatever. I like the idea of getting a 1.0l engine with the fuel economy of a 0.8l, and just think about the fuel economy of a possible DM (dual mode) model - maybe 2.5-3.0l of fuel per 100km? Gas prices aren’t going DOWN anytime soon, people - I for one DO NOT wish to spend so much of my money filling up my gas tank.

By: dragin

dragin — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:48:17 +0000

Gotta love that English…
But the “rule of law” hasn’t quite taken hold yet…..
and besides, none of those foreign guests want to make waves down at the courthouse.

By: Ash

Ash — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:28:36 +0000

bonnet lines around the left light leading to the lower bumper area dont look too flush though. Perhaps its just the angle of the photo….

By: Ash

Ash — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:21:35 +0000

All grievances set aside, I really like that pink one!

By: Mememe

Mememe — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:04:52 +0000

LOL LOL BYD BYD

Burn your dollars.

BYD CEO should be a stand up comedian.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:14:40 +0000

Yep, by changing the badge and offering a non Toyota colour it is completely different. *rolls eyes and walks away shaking head*

Purleeeeeeeeeeeeeease.

By: cryptonx

cryptonx — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:12:32 +0000

Much simpler

They are talking about the name ” BYD F1 ” they own it not Toyota .

Now Sue Toyota for using the same car with a different name ,and get some $$$

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:29:34 +0000

One would have to be completely delusional, or on BYD’s payroll, to not acknowledge that the hardpoints are exactly the same on the two vehicles in question. Perhaps BYD subscribes to the philosophy that by repeating a lie enough times, it eventually becomes true.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:00:32 +0000

Oh yes, they’re nothing like each other - compare the above right-hand picture with this one of the Aygo:

http://www.carbodydesign.com/news/2004-12-01-psa-toyota/Toyota%20Aygo.jpg

In particular the front bumber/wheel arches are completely different!