Fiat has prevented Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motors (GWM) from bringing its Peri city car into Europe, after a Turin court ruled that it looked too similar to the Fiat Panda.

The Italian manufacturer launched two lawsuits against GWM last year, one in China and one in Europe, claiming the body shape, roof, boot and doors were copies of its design.

Under the ruling, GWM has been ordered to pay a €15,000 fine for importing the first model into Europe, and further imports are banned.

If it violates the ruling, the manufacturer will be fined a further €50,000 per car brought into the region.

GWM is expected to appeal the decision.

Fiat is not the first European carmaker to lodge a complaint against Chinese carmakers.

In June, BMW successfully stopped the Shuanghuan CEO SUV from being imported into Germany after a Munich court ruled it was too close to the design of the X3 and X5.

Daimler, meanwhile, managed to block the Shuanghuan Noble from being displayed at the Frankfurt and Bologna motor shows on the grounds that it was copying the Smart ForTwo.

Importer China Automobile began advertising the Noble in Europe earlier this year under the slogan “Smarter than the rest.”