Ford Bronco rip-off surfaces

The official unveiling of the Blue Oval’s revived off-road hero has barely gone cold, yet there’s already a knock-off version of the Ford Bronco 4x4 in the works.

So far, we’ve seen only a few teaser images of the imitation SUV, designed by Chinese car-maker Wey, a sub-brand of Great Wall Motors.

Codenamed Wey P01, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for the new Ford Bronco at first glance, equipped with an almost identical front-end and the same boxy off-road silhouette.

It’s also fitted with menacing wheel-arches, a spare tyre attached to the tailgate and roof racks – which lead to the assumption the roof may not have the same removable roof capability as the Bronco.

There are no details on what will power the SUV, but according to Chinese website Autohome, the P01 “will adopt a front double-wishbone independent suspension” and “integral bridge-type independent rear suspension”.

It’s not the first time – and it surely won’t be the last – that a Chinese car-maker has created a knock-off vehicle.

In 2019, a Chinese court ordered Jiangling Motor Corporation (JMC) to stop selling, manufacturing and marketing the Landwind X7, a clear replica of Jaguar Land Rover’s Range Rover Evoque.

JMC was also required to pay compensation to JLR, with the British car-maker saying in a statement, “the similarity of the two vehicles has led to widespread consumer confusion”.