- The M817 packs a range-extender powertrain that pumps out an almighty 912 hp.
- Chinese prices for the rugged 4×4 start at 329,900 yuan or around $46,000.
- Donfgeng says the M-Hero M817 needs just 4.2 seconds to hit 100 km/h (62 mph).
You may not have heard of the from Dongfeng M-Hero M817, but this brutish-looking off-roader is already proving to be a hit among shoppers in China. If there was ever a futuristic, electrified 4×4 from the People’s Republic that could actually sell well in the United States, this might be it. Sadly, it’s unlikely ever to find its way to our shores.
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First presented a couple of months ago, the M817 has been brought to life thanks to Dongfeng’s partnership with Huawei and is slightly smaller than the M-Hero 917 from the brand. Dongfeng recently opened up the order books for it and in less than a day, it had received no less than 9,713 refundable deposits.
Read: Dongfeng’s Throws New 700 HP Warrior In Chinese SUV War
Importantly, as these deposits are completely refundable, there’s a good chance that many deposit-holders won’t follow through with they’re purchase. Nevertheless, strong interest in the vehicle does show that rugged off-roaders do have plenty of appeal in China, particularly when priced as competitively as the M817.
Prices for the model start at 329,900 yuan or ~$46,000 and top out at 359,900 yuan or ~$50,000. All models feature the same range-extender powertrain that consists of a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine up front and a pair of electric motors. Combined grunt sits at a massive 912 hp and 1,280 Nm of torque, enough to catapult the M817 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.2 seconds, while a sizeable battery pack enables it to travel up to 200 km (124 mph) on electric power alone.
The sharp design of the M-Hero M817 is no doubt one of its strong selling points. So many SUVs on the market look so similar to each other that it can be hard to pick them apart. By comparison, the M817 looks unlike anything else on the road, bar other M-Hero models.
While there’s no chance of the M817 ever being sold in the US, some suggest that it will be produced in both left- and right-hand drive configurations, meaning it could be sold in markets outside of China as well.
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