AMG G63 6×6 Knockoff Debuts at Beijing Motor Show
It may look like an AMG 6×6, but the BAIC BJ80 certainly leaves much to be desired.
Some Chinese companies are no stranger to ignoring copyright laws. Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. (BAIC) wins this year’s plagiarism award for the BJ80 6×6, as seen on Motor Authority. Obviously, it’s a blatant ripoff of the G63 6×6, and it even made its debut at the 2018 Beijing Motor Show.
To BAIC’s credit, copying a design that already looked good to begin with is likely a smart idea in an environment where that kind of bravado excels. What’s even more interesting is that Daimler has a small percentage of ownership in BAIC, and allows this type of vehicle to be made in the first place.
Now before you criticize the opening sentences, just realize the AMG—with extensive use of carbon fiber and other composites—still weighs 9,050 pounds. So why is the BJ80 a bad idea? Because this six-axle behemoth of metal has a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making a whopping 250 horsepower. That’s a power to weight ratio about on par with the three cylinder Mitsubishi Mirage. Despite choosing a horrible engine, one place where BAIC didn’t cheap out was the drive-line. Portal axles are very much retained, but they probably don’t have enough power being put through them to be used to their full potential anyway.
As they say, the devil is in the details, and we know very few of them as of yet regarding the BAIC BJ80 6×6. Interior components don’t quite look like the upscale variants you’d find in an AMG product but they also don’t look terrible. In fact, leather (possibly simulated leather) with accent stitching is draped over most surfaces. On the outside, things aren’t that bad either. The G63 influence on the front end is unmistakable, but even so, the subtle differences don’t do much to detract from the rugged looks. We know of other cars that look far worse.
In all, the BJ80 6×6 wouldn’t be such a bad thing if it weren’t for being woefully under-powered for any type of terrain other than paved surfaces.
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