Wei Jianjun, chairman of Great Wall Motor (GWM), issued a rare apology on 6/3 following a plagiarism scandal involving the Wey V9X. The apology came after allegations that an advertising poster for the Wey V9X model copied creative materials from the British brand. Wei confirmed that an internal investigation verified the 1:1 unauthorized copying of an original advertising campaign produced for the 2025 Range Rover Sport, according to IT-home.

Wei stated that GWM will accept all legal and economic liabilities arising from the copyright infringement. The original creator, a designer for the Range Rover Sport's "Hidden Power" campaign, had previously pointed out the similarities on social media, noting the identical dark red background, light clusters, and subject placement.

Advertising posters for Wey (left) and Land Rover. *CarNewsChina*

GWM's premium brand, Wey, previously faced similar scrutiny in early 2025 when a promotional video for its MPV Gaoshan model was compared to a Lexus advertisement. However, this marks the first time the company's chairman has personally confirmed such allegations and issued a formal apology.

Following Wei's statement, Zhao Yongpo, Wey's chief executive officer, issued a separate public apology, describing the incident as a "serious lapse in responsibility". Zhao accepted personal responsibility as the head of the brand, asserting there was "no excuse" for disrespecting original design. He confirmed that all infringing promotional materials had been removed from official platforms and reiterated that while creative ideas can be referenced, original intellectual property rights must be respected.

The 6-seat SUV V9X model. *Wey*

The 6-seat SUV Wey V9X enters the large luxury vehicle segment, characterized by established brands with high sales volumes. Its primary competitor, the Aito M9, recorded 31,021 registrations in january, maintaining its lead in the 500,000 yuan (US$68,980) and above price segment. Li Auto delivered 26,421 vehicles in february, with the Li L9 accounting for a significant portion of its premium lineup as it prepares for a Q2 upgrade.

In contrast, the Wey brand recorded 2,840 registrations in february, a 15% decrease from the previous four-week average. GWM's 2025 financial report indicated a net profit margin of 4.2%. To solidify its premium electric vehicle architecture, GWM committed to investing 5 billion yuan (US$689,800,000) in research and development during fiscal year 2026, supporting the GWM One platform.

GWM positions the V9X as a technological flagship product, utilizing the GWM One (Guiyuan S) modular architecture, which supports an 800 V high-voltage system and 6C fast charging. Current output at the Baoding plant is adjusted for a monthly production of 3,500 units, although february registration data indicates overall brand production capacity utilization remains below 60%. Despite the recent marketing crisis, GWM has not adjusted its export target of 500,000 units by 2026, with the V9X expected to serve as a premium brand ambassador in overseas markets.

My Anh (according to CarNewsChina)