Live broadcast interrupted due to plagiarism accusations
Launching a new electric car in a crowded market is no easy task. But when your vehicle also resembles another popular model, the situation becomes even more complicated. This is exactly what MG faced when accusations of copying forced it to halt a recent live stream dedicated to the new MG07.
MG management’s reaction
Chen Tsui, who heads MG brand operations, held a stream on June 29 to explain the design of the new fastback sedan. Instead, viewers constantly compared it to the Porsche Taycan and Xiaomi SU7. According to Chinese media reports, Chen insisted that the MG07
“does not copy any detail”
, but, getting agitated, ended the broadcast earlier than planned.
Attempt to justify the design
MG did not leave the criticism unanswered. At a subsequent press briefing, Chen tried to shift the discussion, claiming that if the MG07 copies anything, it copies MG itself. He pointed to design solutions from classic models, particularly the 1965 MGB GT fastback, emphasizing that the new sedan is a modern interpretation of a style the brand has been developing for decades.
More about the MG07: The new MG 07 flagship resembles the Porsche Taycan in appearance and the Corolla in price
Aerodynamics pressure on designers
It is difficult to see much in common between the MGB and the MG07, but what is obvious is the pressure under which car designers work today. Regardless of the engine type, maximizing efficiency means reducing air resistance. This forces designers to use similar solutions: low front ends, smooth sides, flush door handles, sleek rooflines, and tapered rears. When everyone is chasing the same aerodynamic goals, there is little room for maneuver.
Once you notice it…
Are the comparisons justified?
At the same time, it is worth acknowledging why some people draw parallels. The MG07’s headlights bear more than a coincidental resemblance to those of the Porsche, some wheel designs also seem familiar, and from the side the car inevitably recalls the Xiaomi SU7 (which itself is a fan of the Taycan). This similarity does not prove copying, but it certainly does not help MG. The MG07 is not ugly, but it is derivative.
A challenge for all manufacturers
Ultimately, this is becoming one of the defining design debates of the electric vehicle era. Physics relentlessly pushes all manufacturers toward the same basic silhouette. The real challenge today is not just to make a streamlined car, but to give that streamlined car enough individuality so that no one mistakes it for someone else’s.
The situation surrounding the MG07 vividly demonstrates how complex the design of modern electric cars has become. On one hand, strict aerodynamic requirements limit creative freedom, forcing different brands to arrive at visually similar solutions. On the other hand, the market and consumers demand uniqueness and recognizability. MG found itself at the epicenter of this conflict, and its reaction — from an emotional end to the broadcast to attempts to appeal to its own history — shows how painful this topic can be for manufacturers. This case will likely set a precedent and force other companies to search even more carefully for a balance between efficiency and originality.