Rolls Royce is considering taking Chinese carmaker Geely to court over a copycat of its Phantom luxury limousine.

The Geely GE prototype, which debuted at the Shanghai auto show, sports a profile, winged mascot and massive grille that are undeniably copied from the Phantom.

The GE (Geely Excellence) even tries to mimic the Phantom's interior with a "starlight" ceiling, a feature available on the original Phantom.

Geely executives maintain that they are sampling "re-inventing the classic", but Rolls-Royce executives aren't buying it.

A spokesman for the British carmaker said: "Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is very protective of its brand image and takes seriously any attempt to imitate its products.

"Rolls Royce is currently keeping its options open and is in consultation with legal advisers."