Only a decade ago, China’s automotive industry wasn’t viewed as being particularly relevant for those living outside the PRC. In more recent years, however, China’s auto industry has gotten the attention of the global car community as it increasingly becomes a global leader in the electric car segment thanks to some incredibly noteworthy releases, from the Hongqi E-HS9 to the YangWang U8 to the Zeekr 001.
And at the ongoing Beijing Auto Show, Chinese marque Dongfeng has now pulled the cover off of another incredibly noteworthy, envelop-pushing EV in the form of the M-Hunter luxury off-roader.
The Basics
Launched under Dongfeng’s M-Hero brand, the M-Hunter is aptly described by the manufacturer as an “ultra-luxury extreme off-road performance vehicle.” Said to offer military-grade performance and stability, this go-anywhere rig is constructed around a tubular chassis design paired with a long-travel suspension setup fore and aft. Fortified via a full tubular roll cage, the M-Hunter was engineered to be as modular and custom-friendly as possible.
Like Ford’s DR Bronco and the BRABUS 900 Crawler, the M-Hunter sports a covered open-air cockpit with no windshield, windows, or doors, and instead the only thing that separates the vehicle’s occupants from the outside world is a set of skeleton doors. Also like BRABUS’ 900 Crawler, the M-Hunter offers a world-class combination of extreme go-anywhere capabilities and true luxury.
The Brand Behind The Build
Established in 1969, the Dongfeng Motor Corporation is a state-owned Chinese automotive manufacturer based in Wuhan. In recent years, the company has made a major effort to tap into the emerging electric vehicle market — efforts that include the launching of its luxury off-road SUV sub-label, M-Hero.
Mecha-Styled Masterpiece
Sporting what Dongfeng calls “Mecha style” — an unmistakably aggressive and thoroughly muscular aesthetic — the off-roader’s bodywork is crafted from carbon fiber, and includes several exposed carbon elements such as a forged carbon hood. Though the M-Hunter is clearly part of the M-Hero family — with extremely similar headlights and a super rugged overall nature — it nonetheless draws some inspiration from Dakar rally raider rigs and side-by-sides racers. The aft-end of the off-roader has been treated to a pickup style bed housing a pair of full-sized spares — a setup plucked straight from Dakar T1 Class rigs.
Off-Road Amenities
Riding on a set of off-road wheels fitted with futuristic-looking aero covers and a beefy set of all-terrain tires, the M-Hunter has been treated to a host of common aftermarket upgrade elements that all come as standard amenities. This includes a front bumper and skid-plate combo with an integrated winch and tow hooks, a roof rack that features an integrated full-length light bar and accommodates a set of strapped-down hard gear cases, a rally-grade suspension setup, and massive squared-off fenders flares at all four corners provide the space needed to accommodate the M-Hunter’s massive wheels and generous suspension travel.
Open-Air Interior
The M-Hunter’s exposed cabin design allows its occupants to feel closer to nature while still riding in complete and total luxury. In addition to luxury race-style seats with four-point harnesses, the interior f the M-Hunter also comes loaded with yoke-style steering wheel, a central touchscreen display, and an onboard cooler housed just behind the driver’s seat.
An Unknown EV Powertrain
Between the lack of an exhaust and the fact that the M-Hero 1 is offered in battery electric vehicle and extended range electric vehicle variants, we’re extremely confident that the M-Hunter will feature a fully-electric powertrain. The state-owned Chinese marque has yet to reveal any details surrounding this area, though the M-Hero 1 is able to generate well-over 1,000hp, so we imagine the M-Hunter will benefit from a similarly-potent EV powertrain.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Dongfeng
Sub-Brand: M-Hero
Model: M-Hunter
Seats: 2
Powertrain: Unspecified Electric Unit
Bodywork: Carbon Fiber
Road-Legal: Unknown
Production Status: Unknown
Production, Availability, & Pricing
While it’s still unknown if the M-Hunter is merely a one-off concept or is slated for eventual production, rumors swirling in China point to it receiving an eventual release and carrying a starting price of around CN¥ 1,000,000 (~ $138,500). Further official information on the M-Hunter is expected to trickle out over the next few months — if not sooner.
Recap
Dongfeng Motors M-Hunter
Rumored to be earmarked for production, the Dongfeng Motors M-Hunter is a cutting-edge all-electric off-roader that offers a unique mix of extreme luxury and extreme go-anywhere capabilities.
