6:07 am, October 27, 2026
Range Rover boss Martin Limpert says JLR does not appreciate seeing its designs copied by Chinese brands – but admits imitation can also be taken as a compliment.
Limpert, who took up the role of the Range Rover division in JLR’s ‘House of Brands’ in February 2025, says the company ‘absolutely’ does not appreciate seeing imitations of its cars. But he believes being copied is also evidence that JLR remains a benchmark for luxury SUVs.
Limpert made the comments during a wide-ranging interview at the launch of the Range Rover Electric, in which he was asked about the growing challenge posed by Chinese manufacturers and whether Range Rover needed to keep looking over its shoulder as new brands entered the market.
He said Range Rover’s British heritage and distinctive styling remained central to its appeal after more than half a century.
‘First of all, obviously, we are super proud to be British – Range Rover is all about British provenance, right?’ he said.
‘People buy our cars and love our cars. One of the key reasons is that reductive, beautiful British design that we have since 56 years.
‘You take Range Rover, five generations over 56 years, that says how long-lasting the design of our cars are.
‘And no matter through which generation you look, you see an unmistakeably typical Range Rover design.’
Turning to manufacturers taking inspiration from that styling, Limpert added: ‘Seeing copies of our cars, of our designs, is something we absolutely do not appreciate, of course.
‘But I think, to some extent, it’s common practice that luxury brands are being imitated and copied by others, right?
‘Take it, give it a positive spin. It seems to be a testament that we are doing something right when it comes to beautiful, luxury reductive designs that people aspire for, that are being seen as synonymous to design.
‘And as long as we are being copied, at least that means that we are setting the benchmark.’
A flurry of Chinese brands have launched cars aping the design of both Land Rovers and Range Rovers in recent years, with the most well-known being the top-selling Jaecoo 7. That car is unofficially known as the ‘Temu Range Rover’, particularly in the UK, where it was the best-selling new car in both March and September this year.
This month, Chery’s iCaur brand confirmed it would be arriving in the UK next year, with the first model to launch being the Land Rover Defender-esque V27. But before that, rival BYD will launch the Ti-7 – another Defender lookalike.
At a rough count, the Chinese domestic market has around 10 Defender copycat designs, from brands such as Geely, Jetour and Yangwang all looking to the famous British off-roader for design inspiration.
Car Dealer also asked Limpert whether keeping track of the growing number of imitators risked becoming a distraction for Range Rover.
He insisted the company was more interested in staying ahead of its competitors than looking backwards.
‘It doesn’t really distract us,’ he said. ‘We’re observing it. We are seeing it, but instead of looking backwards or trying to fight it, it’s really more, how do we make sure that we keep setting the pace, that we keep defining the standard?
‘Especially at Range Rover. I mean, there’s a reason why it’s called the original luxury SUV, right? Since 1970.
‘But then we keep reinventing ourselves, building our DNA over the decades.’
Limpert pointed to the new Range Rover Electric as an example of the company attempting to move its technology forward without abandoning the characteristics buyers associate with the brand.
He said more than 300 patents had been filed in connection with the electric model, describing it as the ‘most innovative Range Rover ever’.
But he said technological change would not mean abandoning Range Rover’s familiar appearance.
‘In terms of design language, we keep making sure that it still looks like a Range Rover,’ he said.
‘Even electric, right? The definition was it’s a Range Rover first and electric second. And that’s the whole philosophy.
‘So, no, we’re not distracted [by the Chinese brands]. We see what’s happening, but for us it’s more important to keep defining the pace and to keep defining and being seen as the original luxury SUV also going forward.’