“`html BAIC Jishi 01: a Defender with Chinese sauce

THE Car manufacturers often redouble their efforts when it comes to commercialize models in new markets without having to incur heavy expenses in research and development. The technique of rebadgeage (ou badge-engineering) understand the fact of hit with a new logo and distribute under a new brand already existing vehicles is one of these regularly popular methods for “ doing something new at low cost “. The champion in this area is undoubtedly General Motorswho at the time of his glory sometimes offered a model under 7 different brandsas was the case with SUV Captiva badgé successivement Chevrolet, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall, GMC, Isuzu et Saturn !

BAIC, a great veteran of cloning

But there is another technique, much less recommendable, but nevertheless very widespread: cloning, understand, copy/paste a model, particularly popular in China…The umpteenth copy of the day is called BAIC Jishi 01. Beijing Automotive is one of the most important state-owned Chinese automobile brands in the country. She already has several copies under her belt : le Jeep Wrangler (Beijing BJ40), the Mercedes-Benz G-Class (Beijing BJ80) or the Toyota Land Cruiser (Beijing BJ60). Among all these 4X4 replicas, there is one (and not the least) that was missing until now. The one, the only, the true Land Rover Defender ! It’s done today (let’s not rejoice about it), with the Jishi 01!

Jishi 01: Defender at the End of the World

Certainly the stern and the bow are different from the British, but everything about its silhouette, its body panels and even the shape of its handles seems to have been modeled on the Land Rover. Same observation on board in the design of the dashboard, the integration of the central screen and the shape of the gear lever, typically Land Rover or Jaguar. However, it innovates on a technical level, with a unique mechanical architecture. The 4 cylinder petrol 1.5L powers a 56 kWh electric battery, and above all two electric motors. In the spirit of the Nissan “e-Power” technology. The Yishi 01 develops a combined power of 474 horsepower, for an autonomy announced at 1,115 kilometers in the Chinese cycle. From there to seeing him arrive at our house, it’s another story…

Read also :

A Land Rover revised and converted to electric

Will this Defender convertible be the most exclusive Land Rover?

Range Rover Evoque FlexFuel E85 review