China Builds Its Own Ford Raptor Ripoff!
The Projen might look an awful lot like the Ford Raptor, but that’s where the similarities end.
Chinese automotive manufacturers have a bit of a reputation for, well, ripping off everyone else when it comes to design. From Land Rovers to Buicks, they’ve emulated just about everything. And, of course, they’ve been sued over and over again. And yet, the copycat cars and trucks just keep on coming. The latest? A knock-off version of the Ford Raptor, dubbed the “Projen.”
Just take one look at that coyly designed front end, which looks like a kid’s crayon rendition of a Ford Raptor. The headlights, grille, mirrors, and bumpers are awfully darn close to Ford’s off-roader. And then there’s the giant “PROJEN” script in the center of the grille. You know, just to let you know that it’s not a Ford.
The Projen is the latest model to come out of Lifan Motors. Which, like most Chinese car companies, is clearly stocked with lazy, plagiarizing designers. Heck, they’ve even built a car that looks exactly like a Mini Cooper, save for Porsche 996-like headlights. The Projen is their first foray into the pickup truck market, however, after years of producing heavy-duty trucks.
Considering the fact that our Chinese friends are forced to pay exorbitant prices for a Ford Raptor, we’re guessing the Projen will sell quite well with an asking price of only $13,600 (90,000 yuan). But even though they’re getting a truck that kinda looks like the Raptor, design is where the similarities end. Projen buyers will have to make due with a 2.5-liter diesel engine producing an anemic 150 hp. Which is exactly 1/3 of a real Ford Raptor.
We’re also guessing that the Projen won’t have things like Fox shocks and Baja mode. But hey, for the price of a good used economy car, what more could you want? How about a unique design, for starters?
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