Filed under: China
Is nothing sacred? Chinese release copycat Humvee
UPDATE: The Crazy Soldier is, in fact, being built with the full knowledge and support of General Motors. Thanks for all who caught this.
It looks as though no car is safe from China's car copying industry - not even the U.S. military-derived Humvee. Guessing that there's an extensive market out there for urban assault vehicles, China's Dongfeng has released a new model it calls the 'Crazy Soldier,' which shares a striking resemblance to the original military truck created by AM General.
The Crazy Soldier was apparently developed over a period of four and half years, with engineers working closely with army officials and General Motors in an effort to design a vehicle that perfectly suited the needs of the military. They then added a radio and CD player, slapped a price tag on it and released it onto the Chinese domestic market.
[Source: China Car Times via Autoblog.nl]
The Crazy Soldier was apparently developed over a period of four and half years, with engineers working closely with army officials and General Motors in an effort to design a vehicle that perfectly suited the needs of the military. They then added a radio and CD player, slapped a price tag on it and released it onto the Chinese domestic market.
[Source: China Car Times via Autoblog.nl]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
gary 2:39PM (8/22/2007)
If you can't invent...you copy? Just don't do any crash test on them ....
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500 6:42PM (8/22/2007)
Toyota has been selling a Hummer H1 ripoff in Japan for several years now.
http://www.megacruiser.com/
The Japanese don't exacly win any prizes for originality either...
Andre 2:41PM (8/22/2007)
Sue Them! Better yet stop buying products made in China while we are at it. The Chinese government and the country in general are getting away with too many things these days, From Cars, Movies to Electronics counterfeiting to Slave Labor workforce to where western companies also takes advantage of that and move jobs from the states to over there instead to cut cost. Dear god practically everything we buy in the states is now made in China!
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bj 2:59PM (8/22/2007)
thats correct. i understand their competitiveness in offering low cost products but this is going OVER THE TOP. I MEAN COME ON CHEAPOS. Plain shameless (copy designs of EVERYTHING and even the names of those everythings).
they don't give a dam about their passengers lives either - their crash tests show how much they give a dam about anything but making money.
Carlos 2:44PM (8/22/2007)
When it comes to military equipment, stealing and copying is a bit more normal.
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Ben 2:49PM (8/22/2007)
Seriously...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMMWV
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRC_HMMWVs
Get some prospective before you run your mouth.
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joe23521 3:09PM (8/22/2007)
For those too lazy to click on the links:
"It appears that at least one company, Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFM), has the full consent and cooperation of the General Motors Corporation."
Graham 5:11PM (8/22/2007)
Anyone want to make a bet autoblog will not correct this post with the information that these are properly licensed versions?
Barney 5:53PM (8/22/2007)
It also appears that the Humvee itself is a copy of the Cheetah.
xxxxxxx 2:49PM (8/22/2007)
Maybe it's a strategy by China to confuse target identification if it ever gets into armed conflict with the US.
They should start copying tanks and planes.
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Derek 2:56PM (8/22/2007)
I agree, before all the China-bashers come out of the woodwork, they should really READ the background. The DongFeng is a licensed production, with royalties going to GM.... In fact, it uses many imported components from GM:
http://www.sinodefence.com/army/transport/eq2050.asp
Too bad Autoblog is so keen on bashing the Chinese, without doing due dilligence checks before they post.
Jorge 3:01PM (8/22/2007)
Maybe the chinese government knows that the only way for demographic control is that their citizens use trash cars that will be destroyed completely with their occupants when in a crash. Why else a governement would allow so many low quality copies in their own roads?
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Louis Duran 11:48PM (8/22/2007)
Or maybe they will infect the blood supply with HIV and not tell anyone about it for years until people are dying of AIDS.
http://www.casy.org/chron/BloodSupply.htm
Jorge 11:04AM (8/23/2007)
Interesting, but it is not related to low quality cars made in China.
ferrari clone! 3:02PM (8/22/2007)
They totally need to come out with a Ferarri Enzo clone that sells for $20k. The carbon fiber interior could be a vinyl sticker they get from the flea market.
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Don 3:03PM (8/22/2007)
Where the hell do they get these names? Are the translations bad? Might as well call it a Drunken SEAL.
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Trinitron 3:10PM (8/22/2007)
When the Chinese attacks us, we'll be seeing these guys on our shores.
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Rob 3:14PM (8/22/2007)
When the Chinese "ATTACKS" us? Sure thing Billy-bob. Instead of being an armchair general, maybe you should go back to school and learn how to write.
Andre 3:21PM (8/22/2007)
Hmm.. Hey! That would make a perfect sequel for RED DAWN! hahaha! First it was the Russians now the Chinese would be the ones invading the states in the sequel, maybe they can get Patrick Swayze to come back and play "Jed" along with Charlie Sheen as "Matt". ROFL..
Trinitron 3:27PM (8/22/2007)
Whoa there buddy, relax. Never wanted to be an "armchair general". Billy-bob? My last name is Nguyen. heheh
And for pointing out my error, you will win the grand prize!