Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has initiated legal proceedings against Chinese automobile manufacturer BYD in the Netherlands, alleging that the company's Ti7 sport utility vehicle infringes intellectual property rights associated with the Land Rover Defender.
The dispute centres on allegations that BYD dismantled a Defender to study and reverse-engineer its technology for use in the Ti7, a boxy plug-in hybrid SUV whose appearance has drawn comparisons with JLR's popular off-road vehicle.
In a significant development, a Dutch court on Wednesday ruled against JLR's seizure of documents from BYD's offices, ordering the British carmaker to return or destroy the information. The ruling, however, did not determine whether BYD had infringed JLR's intellectual property rights.
๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ก ๐จ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐
The legal dispute followed court-authorised searches conducted at BYD's offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp in the Netherlands in August.
Bailiffs acting on behalf of JLR obtained digital records and other documents as part of efforts to secure potential evidence relating to the development of the Ti7.
According to reports, JLR sought to establish whether BYD had examined a Defender and accessed protected technical information during the development of its rival SUV.
The British manufacturer also wanted to preserve relevant documents before they could potentially be destroyed.
BYD's legal representatives challenged the action, describing the extensive seizure of records as a "fishing expedition" and arguing that the scope of the search was excessive.
Both manufacturers have declined to comment publicly on the ongoing proceedings.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
At a hearing in The Hague on November 11, the court ruled that JLR was not entitled to retain the documents obtained from BYD.
The court found that the seized material was unnecessary to establish whether the Ti7 infringed the Defender's protected design rights.
It also observed that the documents were not required to assess damages at this stage because the Ti7 had not been sold in the European Union.
JLR was ordered to return or destroy the seized information within 24 hours, with financial penalties stipulated for non-compliance.
The court also directed JLR to pay approximately โฌ25,377 in legal costs.
Importantly, the decision concerned the seizure of evidence rather than the underlying allegations of copying. The broader intellectual property dispute remains unresolved.
๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฒ
The BYD Ti7, marketed in China under the company's Fang Cheng Bao brand, entered the Chinese market in September 2025.
The SUV features an upright body, squared-off proportions and rugged styling elements that have prompted comparisons with the Land Rover Defender.
However, JLR's allegations extend beyond exterior similarities to the possible use of protected technological elements.
The Ti7 uses a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a 1.5-litre petrol engine with electric propulsion, distinguishing it mechanically from several Defender variants.
The UK-specification model measures approximately 5,146 mm in length, including its rear-mounted spare wheel, and is configured to accommodate seven occupants.
The vehicle is scheduled to reach British customers in January 2027.
๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ
BYD has announced a starting UK price of ยฃ47,995, approximately Rs 60 lakh, for the Ti7.
The price places it more than ยฃ20,000 below comparable Defender models, potentially creating competition in the premium SUV segment.
The Defender remains an important product for JLR, both commercially and as a symbol of the manufacturer's off-road heritage.
The company sold approximately 29,500 Defenders globally during the July-September quarter of 2026, compared with 25,370 in the corresponding period a year earlier.
JLR has also begun local assembly of the Defender 110 in India, reflecting the model's importance in the domestic luxury vehicle market.
๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ
This is not the first time JLR has pursued legal action against a Chinese automobile manufacturer over alleged design infringement.
In 2019, the company won a case against Jiangling Motor Corporation concerning similarities between the LandWind X7 and the Range Rover Evoque.
The latest dispute comes as Chinese automakers expand their presence in European markets with competitively priced electric and hybrid vehicles.
For JLR, the proceedings concern the protection of its designs and intellectual property. For BYD, the allegations come ahead of the Ti7's planned expansion into international markets.
The Dutch court's ruling on the seized documents represents an early procedural setback for JLR, but the central question of whether the Ti7 infringes the Defender's intellectual property rights remains to be decided.