Controversy over China’s Dongfeng plagiarism continues
This time, they’re releasing a pickup truck
The design is seen through the rendering
Dongfeng Motor, one of China’s top three automakers, is gearing up to launch a new pickup truck. The global attention isn’t due to excitement about the vehicle itself but rather due to past controversies over Dongfeng’s design practices.
In April 2024, Dongfeng introduced the M-Hero 1 in Europe. The model faced significant backlash because its design closely resembled the GMC Hummer. As Dongfeng prepares to unveil its new M-Hero pickup truck, all eyes are on how its design will be received, given the company’s history of controversial designs.
The angular body design catches the eye
with a honeycomb-patterned grille
The Russian media outlet Kolesa recently unveiled a rendering of the M-Hero pickup truck, which has become a hot topic. Overall, it appears to have been produced based on the design of the previously released M-Hero 1. Still, there was already a plagiarism controversy, so it seems difficult to avoid criticism if this design is released.
Looking at the detailed design, a trapezoidal angular grille is first applied to the front. The inside of the grille is made up of a dense hexagonal honeycomb pattern. The thick bumper protrudes toward the front and is applied in an angled shape toward the sides. At the top, horizontal and vertical daytime running lights intersect in an X shape.
The sharp-angled headlights
feature thick side cladding
In the case of the headlamps, the design is sharply extended in multiple directions, adding an aggressive feel to the front. Along with this, the line of the front fender that connects along the outline of the headlamp box also protrudes and extends outward at angles. These angular lines were added throughout the flat bonnet, and air intakes were placed to improve cooling performance.
On the side, the cladding extending from the front panel is placed along the wheel arches, adding a thick volume above it. The horizontal character line across the door handle extends toward the rear tail lamp, and a side step is located at the bottom to make boarding easier.
Vertical tail lights are applied
with angular air intakes standing out
It features a sophisticated feel, with the side windows connected through the B pillar and part of the C pillar treated with black high-gloss. A chrome garnish is applied along the roof line. As befitting a pickup truck, it features a boxy body shape with a sharply rising A-pillar and a roofline that maintains a sense of height, which maximizes interior space.
Vertical tail lamps are applied along the body’s width for the rear. The tail lamp extends from the center to the side, forming a T shape. The rear bumper also features wide, triangular air intakes on both sides, and reflectors are connected next to them to create a unified design. Meanwhile, attention is being paid to what kind of pickup truck Dongfeng, whose design is being questioned, will present in the future.
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