The Italian competition authority said DR Automobiles had not been open about the fact that its vehicles were of Chinese origin.
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October 22, 2023 07:14
DR Automobiles, a small Italian car manufacturer, has come under fire for misleading consumers about where its vehicles are manufactured.
The company has been selling Chinese-based cars in Italy since 2006, but is currently under antitrust action led by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) for misrepresenting the country of origin of its cars both on its corporate website and in advertising campaigns. is under investigation. DR Automobiles has had a particularly fruitful year in 2023, selling around 24,200 vehicles in Italy in his first nine months, an increase of 48% year-on-year and a market share of his 2%. I did.
auto news europe Italian competition authorities report that they are particularly interested in the company’s DR and EVO branded models. Vehicles sold in Italy include the small DR 1, DR 3 Coupe SUV, DR 4 family SUV, nearly identical DR 5 SUV, and two larger SUVs known as the DR 6 and DR 7. It’s a pickup truck known as the PK8.
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The company assembles vehicles for a handful of Chinese automakers, including Chery, JAC, and BAIC. Italian authorities, including tax officials, recently inspected the headquarters of DR Automobiles and that of its parent company Donington.
In a statement, the AGCM said: “In some cases, the omission of relevant information regarding the country of origin (of the vehicle) may be used to make it appear as if the vehicle was produced in China, or to suggest as if it were produced entirely in Italy. “There is,” he said.
DR Automobiles recently made headlines by announcing the K2 off-road SUV, the first model to be launched under the Ickx brand in April this year. DR’s K2 is primarily based on his BAIC BJ40, but features a number of bespoke components, including a carbon fiber front grille.