I think it’s been forgotten with time that American automakers in the ’50s and ’60s were impressively quick to develop cars that followed trends, with many brands revising their vehicles every single model year. This was easier in an era of body-on-frame cars and lower safety standards, but it still demonstrated how dominant the styling-focused US car industry was at that moment.
The speed of Chinese automakers in developing new vehicles is equally as impressive, and right now it seems as though many of them have discovered that what people want is an SUV or crossover that looks like some variant of a Land Rover. In fact, the best-selling vehicle in Britain is a quasi-Range Rover knockoff. It’s not just the UK and Europe, as Japan is about to see an influx of cars from across the East China Sea.
The Morning Dump is going to swing back to the US, where GM is trying to decide what to do with its former hydrogen development facility. Across the border in Canada, members of the Stellantis union voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike.
The iCAUR V25 Shows Off ‘Distinctive Design Language’
The best-selling car in the UK so far this year has been the Jaecoo 7, aka the Temu Range Rover. Jaecoo, like its sister brand OMODA, is an export brand of the Chinese automaker Chery. The 7 sort of looks like a Range Rover, admittedly, though it’s not a direct copy. It’s also a lot cheaper; for instance, the PHEV Jaecoo 7 costs roughly £35,000, which is less than the £40,000 for a Tucson PHEV, or £42,000 for a Tiguan PHEV. It’s also way, way more affordable than any Range Rover.
Chery has both OMODA and Jaecoo, which have been successful, so Chery did not stop there. Above is the iCAUR V25, which is yet another Chery brand making a car that looks a lot like a Land Rover Defender. [Ed Note: I see FJ Cruiser. -DT].
Here’s how the company describes the aesthetic:
The V25’s near 1:1 body proportions and classic round headlamps create a clean, angular profile, complemented by extended wheel arches and a wider, more substantial tyre profile than typically seen in its class. Together, these elements give the vehicle a distinctive, high-riding appearance that balances geometric simplicity with a robust aesthetic.
Blending timeless form with a contemporary feel, the V25 embodies iCAUR’s Future-Classic design philosophy. Rather than simply revisiting the past, this approach retains the enduring appeal of classic design while responding to the tastes and lifestyles of a new generation.
This vehicle is smaller than the actual Range Rover Defender, so I’m looking forward to getting the first photo of the two vehicles side-by-side. This isn’t the only company inspired by the Defender.
Here’s the Haval H9, from Great Wall Motors. This looks like a Defender if it was given a Mitsuoka bodykit. Haval is one of the brands trying to break into Europe.
The ROX 01 was actually designed by Pininfarina, which I guess was told to combine the best bits from the Land Rover Defender and Range Rover in one vehicle. It almost accomplished this feat. The ROX 01 is currently on sale in China, the Middle East, and Molodova.
I sort of think of the BAW 212 as more of a Jeep Wrangler knock-off, but there’s also a little Ineos and Defender in the front of the SUV version.
Either way, Chinese automakers have discovered the way to get people to buy SUVs is to make them look like Range Rovers or Land Rovers.
Chery Is Looking To Sell Hybrids In Japan
The more modern, quasi-Nissan-looking (with an Urus front) OMODA 4 just debuted in Paris as one of Chery’s attempts to grab buyers who maybe don’t want something that look like a JLR product. While a big focus is on Europe, Chery is also thinking about sending the model to Japan.
Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile plans to launch a hybrid vehicle in Japan next year, following rival BYD into the competitive Japanese market.
State-backed Chery plans to launch the Omoda 4, a compact SUV, a spokesperson told Nikkei Asia during a media tour this week at its Wuhu base near Shanghai.
Unlike BYD, the Omoda 4 isn’t a Japan-only model.
GM Has To Do Something With Its 300,000-Square-Foot Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plant
GM keeps trying to make hydrogen happen, only to abandon the technology. Most recently, GM made a deal with Honda to develop fuel cells for vehicles. That ain’t happening, and now it has to figure out what to do with its hydrogen fuel cell plant, as Automotive News reports:
In addition to scuttling the Honda JV, the automaker canceled its Piston Automotive partnership in Detroit, which called for a $55 million investment and 150 new jobs.
Piston, which counts GM among its top customers, entered into an agreement with the automaker in 2024 to lease and operate a 300,000-square-foot building as GM’s first standalone plant dedicated to fuel cell production.
The automaker recently took over the long-term lease of the building from Piston, GM confirmed to Automotive News.
A GM source said the company is evaluating alternative uses for the site but has not made any decisions.
Hear me out: Giant indoor karting facility.
Canadian Stellantis Workers Really Want To Strike
One of the specific fallouts of President Trump’s tariff plans has been the deterioration of the long relationship between Canada and the United States. Both countries have shared a unified car industry for decades up until this point, and the Canadian government, as well as its main automotive union, are pretty pissed at Stellantis for choosing America in the showdown.
At the center of this debate is the Brampton facility in Windsor, Ontario, which was supposed to build the new Jeep Cherokee. Instead, Stellantis read the political tea leaves and shifted production to the United States. The company has considered selling the plant to someone else, but has mostly upset its union Unifor by allegedly being unclear about everything.
In response, the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Unifor has voted overwhelmingly to strike:
Stellantis Canada spokesperson Lou Ann Gosselin, in an emailed statement to the Detroit Free Press, said the automaker “remains committed to bargaining in good faith and is prepared to continue discussions toward a negotiated agreement that recognizes the contributions of our employees while supporting the long-term competitiveness of our Canadian operations.”
Unifor Stellantis Master Bargaining Chairperson James Stewart said that he sees a strike “as a last resort,” but he added that his union is not willing to concede the thousands of jobs in Brampton.
Most of these types of discussions are going to be on hold until after the November election in the United States.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
Do you like rock music? I like rock music. Here’s Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. with “Marianne” off the new album. It’s a strange video, I’m not gonna lie.
The Big Question
Which vehicle deserves to be copied more, and why is it the 1996 Ford Probe GT?
Top Photo: iCAUR
The post Chinese Carmakers Now Just Making Every SUV Look Like A Land Rover appeared first on The Autopian.
