Chinese cars have indeed penetrated into various countries, including exploring the European continent. Some come with their own trademarks, some try their luck by rebadging other brands that they feel are more familiar to their target consumers.
One example is done by DR Automobile (DRA), a car importer company from China in Italy which often rebadges its products for resale. And most recently DRA released a new brand called Ickx K2.
Chinese Cars at Exorbitant Prices
It is known that the Ickx K2 is the BAIC BJ40 which has been marketed in China since 2013. In physical appearance it is similar to the 5-door Jeep Wrangler but with differences in the front fascia such as the grille, bumper and lights.
However, when it changed its name to Ickx K2, its figure was revised. The front view even now has a Land Rover touch with a square motif grille. The main lights and the bumper are also part of the changes.
Not to forget the 20-inch alloy wheels have also been crammed. The company even makes the bumper part of the elastic carbon fiber material so that it is resistant from impact.
But this car got a lot of criticism. Among other things, CarBuzz thinks that the K2 is too expensive. The reason is, the BAIC BJ40 clone costs USD 60,000 or approximately the equivalent of Rp. 885 million. Meanwhile, the price of the Land Rover Defender 110 in Europe is only USD 53,500 (Rp. 780 million).
Ickx K2 Has Qualified Offroad Capability
Because the base is still the same, the K2 still uses a similar engine to the BAIC BJ40 in China. Namely a 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine capable of producing 159 PS of power and 380 Nm of torque. This engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and a 4x4 wheel drive system.
The company also created the K2 for those who like off roading. Because of that, various features are also embedded in order to be able to bulldoze extreme fields. Starting from the difference between Hill Start Assist, ground clearance of 218 mm, and the car's ability to enter water up to a depth of 497 mm.
This car comes with an elevation angle of 37 degrees, a cross angle of 23 degrees and a launch angle of 31 degrees. As a result, muddy or rocky terrain is very easy to conquer.
The interior is full of luxury
Even though the goal is to devour hostile roads, the interior of the Ickx K2 actually spoils the driver and passengers. The color scheme for the dashboard, seats and door trim is black with silver accents. But there are some details that are adjusted to the color of the body.
A number of dashboard panels also use carbon fiber material, while the seats are a combination of leather and fabric. In the center of the dashboard there is also a monitor with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, then the roof can be removed like that of the Jeep Wrangler.
