On April 14th, Michael Kirsch, the President and CEO of Porsche China, discussed the similarities between the Xiaomi SU7 and Porsche during an interview with Chinese media. He suggested that effective design often resonates universally.
The Xiaomi SU7, unveiled toward the end of last year, has drawn comparisons to Porsche among netizens, with some calling it the “Mi Porsche”. Xiaomi’s CEO, Lei Jun, addressed these associations during a March 28 press conference, comparing the performance of the SU7 with the Porsche Taycan. He stated that Xiaomi aimed to create a car capable of rivaling Porsche and Tesla.
This was the first time Porsche publicly addressed the discourse surrounding the Xiaomi SU7 and Porsche. Kirsch emphasized Porsche’s commitment to its design ethos and the maxim of “design follows function”, which has shaped Porsche’s brand identity over its 75-year history. He also stressed Porsche’s commitment to innovation and high manufacturing standards.
Kirsch anticipated fair competition with companies that uphold similar standards.
Meanwhile, Li Tianyuan, Xiaomi’s chief car designer, clarified that the SU7’s design was never intentionally modeled after Porsche. He affirmed that their primary design principle had always been to ensure form followed function.
Lei Jun also addressed this topic at the SU7 press conference, asserting that a design optimized for minimal wind resistance would naturally bear similarities.
Despite debates surrounding the SU7’s design, the majority of owners and enthusiasts admire its aesthetics. A survey by “Garage No. 42” found that 81% of the 100 Xiaomi SU7 reservation holders considered “exterior design” a primary factor in their car purchase decisions.
