GWM Chairman Issues Apology Over Wey V9X Poster Copying Range Rover Campaign

GWM Chairman Apologizes for Wey V9X Plagiarism Controversy, Confirms Range Rover Campaign Copied.

Chinese automobile company Great Wall Motors (GWM) has once again been embroiled in a marketing controversy. The promotional poster for the Wey V9X, the flagship SUV of the company’s premium brand, was accused of plagiarism. Following the controversy, company Chairman Wei Jianjun issued a public apology in an official video on March 6.

GWM Chairman Wei Jianjun during the video apology regarding the Wey V9X Poster Copying.

An internal investigation confirmed that the Wey V9X promotional poster was a near-1:1 copy of the creative design from the Range Rover Sport’s “Hidden Force” campaign, originally developed in 2025. Following the allegations, images comparing the two posters went viral on social media, highlighting several similarities.

These similarities included the dark red background, lighting style, subject positioning, and overall composition. The issue was first raised by the original designer on social media.

In a video apology, Chairman Wei Jianjun acknowledged that the poster was indeed copied. He stated that the company would accept all legal and financial responsibility related to the matter. He also acknowledged that the company’s internal review process was lacking and that the system would be strengthened to prevent such incidents in the future.

Following the incident, Wey Brand CEO Zhao Yongpo also publicly apologized. He described it as a “serious dereliction of duty” and said that respecting original designs and intellectual property is essential. The company also confirmed that the controversial promotional content has been removed from all official platforms.

This is the first time GWM’s top leadership has officially acknowledged such allegations and issued a public apology. Earlier in 2025, the company faced criticism for its promotional video for the Gaoshan MPV, which drew similarities to Lexus advertisements.

Wey V9X SUV: What’s Special

The Wey V9X is the company’s flagship 6-seater luxury SUV, designed with the premium segment in mind.

Key Features:

. GWM One (Guiyuan S) modular platform

. 800V high-voltage electric system

. 6C ultra-fast charging support

. Advanced NEV (New Energy Vehicle) architecture

. High-tech connected and smart driving technology

The company states that the V9X is being positioned as its technological flagship SUV.

Market Competition

The Wey V9X faces stiff competition in China’s large luxury SUV segment.

Main Competitors:

. Aito M9 – 31,021 unit registrations in January 2026

. Li L9 – Li Auto’s premium SUV

In comparison, the Wey brand registered 2,840 units in February 2026, down nearly 15% from the average of the previous four weeks.

Wey V9X Dimensions and Segment Comparison

Company’s Future Strategy

As part of its 2026 strategy,

. GWM plans to invest 5 billion yuan (approximately $690 million) in R&D.

. The “GWM One” platform will be further strengthened.

. Exports target is 500,000 units in 2026.

The company wants to position the V9X as a premium brand ambassador in global markets.