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Copying is usually the best strategy to start from behind.

Japanese started the same way. In the 60s and 70s "Made in Japan" meant cheap, low-quality knockoffs. Japanese cars were called rice cups in the 80's. Then they caught up and it took Detroit by surprise.

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Ditto for Korea. In the 80/90's they were the cheap Japanese knock offs for tech stuff like TVs etc.

Public perception lagged reality, I think today looking back it's clear Japanese cars from the 80's were good quality. I suspect they have generally outlasted domestic models from the same decade.

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