Porsche China Executive: Design Can Be Copied, But Brand Soul Cannot

At the recently held 2026 Yijingsi Forum in Zhejiang, Tang Fengliang, Vice President of Media and Public Relations at Porsche China, stated during a roundtable discussion that Porsche’s design has exerted a broad influence on China’s automotive industry, driving a certain convergence in aesthetic styles. She noted that while Porsche’s design elements are often imitated or referenced as homage, the brand’s underlying spirit and accumulated product expertise are difficult to replicate easily. Tang emphasized that Porsche hopes to engage in deeper exchanges and mutual learning with Chinese automotive brands, particularly in the areas of original design and brand essence. Amid intensifying competition in the new energy vehicle (NEV) market, many models today exhibit design similarities to premium brands—particularly in features such as front fascia, lighting signatures, body proportions, and rear profiles. Porsche maintains an open attitude toward this trend but stresses that the core elements truly defining a brand’s value cannot be readily substituted.