Not smart

What do we know for sure about manufacturing in China? Well, they have a pool of labour so cheap, willing to work in conditions so appalling that it makes Maggie's gusset fizzy just thinking about it. Combine that with China's rampant human rights abuses and rubbing one out thinking about them is probably the only thing that's keeping the old bag hanging in there.

Oh and they also have a neat little habit of knocking out cars that, shall we say, pay homage to well known brands *cough* rip off! *cough*. Previously I've seen these knock-off Mercs, Sunday Market Jeeps etc and chortled at the clumsy styling (clearly done from pictures - and not good pictures at that) and ferociously dangerous construction.

But this slide show of pictures published on the Italian site Repubblica chronicling the process of building a Smart FourTwo rip off are an eye opener. And not in a good way. It's all rather pitiful. Oh and horrifically dangerous too - this is after all China.