New BAIC BJ80C: When Mercedes’ Chinese Partner Cloned Its G-Class

Well, this is what you get for being friends and collaborates with

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by John Halas

April 21, 2015 at 13:33

Well, this is what you get for being friends and collaborates with China’s Beijing Automotive Industry Holding or BAIC for short: the G-Class meets Jeeps face BJ80C.

We saw it last year in conceptual form at the Beijing Auto Show and despite rumors that Daimler tried to convince BAIC, in which it holds a 12 percent stake since 2013, to cancel the project, as reported by the folks over at Carnewschina, the Chinese carmaker went ahead and presented the production version of the SUV at the Shanghai Auto Show.

The similarities between the BJ80C and the G-Wagen are not limited to the outside but continue inside with BAIC blatantly copying the dashboard styling of their German partner’s hardcore SUV.

BAIC’s five-door model is 4,780mm long, 1,850mm wide and 1,975mm tall riding on a 2,800mm wheelbase. It will be offered with two engines, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder petrol and a 4.0 six-cylinder petrol.

The Chinese carmaker showed two versions of the BJ80C in Shanghai, a regular model and a safari-style edition, complete with a snorkel kit.

Interior shots via Autohome