Chinese iCar is preparing a "twin" Land Rover Defender, which will be three times cheaper than the original
The Chinese car industry is increasingly demonstrating original design solutions, but sometimes the inspiration for them comes from clearly recognisable sources. The new project of Chery's iCar brand is another confirmation of this. An SUV suspiciously resembling Land Rover Defender, but for less money, was recently spotted on tests.
Here's What We Know
The model, so far without an official name, is created as an electric car with range-extender, that is, an internal combustion engine as a generator. It will probably be based on the powertrain already used by Chery: a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and two electric motors, as on the Exlantix ET crossover.
Spy photos from Autohome show the SUV with a front end that almost copies the Defender - with a recognisable headlamp shape and grille. Blackened bumpers, arch extenders and sills add to the off-road ambience. On the side - massive door handles, ventilation inserts on the wings and large windows. At the back - four square LED lights, and on a place where Defender usually mounts a spare wheel, the Chinese analogue, according to rumours, will receive a small external boot.
Despite the obvious stylistic borrowings, price is iCar's main weapon. According to Chinese media, the SUV will cost between 200,000 and 250,000 yuan (roughly $27,600-$34,500). For comparison, the original Defender in China starts at 688,000 yuan (about $95,000), which is almost three times more expensive.
Source: Autohome
