China's new tough-guy SUV is a luxury armoured car

Forget sustainability and green mobility. China's MHero1 is all about kicking dirt and upstaging every other off-roader on the trail.

That seems to be the philosophy of the Dongfeng Group, which has upgraded its top model the MHero 1 for a European debut.

Dongfeng already builds versions of the US Army’s Humvee for China's military, as well as a civilian version of the Hummer under its Mengshi brand.

The new SUV is currently being launched in Switzerland for the equivalent of around €155,000 or $166,000 and will also be touching down elsewhere in Europe for a small surcharge.

With bodywork which seems to have been designed with a chisel, an imposingly wide front, piercing headlights and windows like castle embrasures, this electric machine seems ideal for post-apocalyptic travel.

The military theme continues throughout with interior door handles which look like pistols and there is even a sharp crack retort like the sound of a gun being fired when the doors lock.

This is likely to startle pedestrians so it is just as well that you can switch off the sound. Fortunately, Dongfeng does not offer some of its aggressive extras as a nail spreader, which Chinese military officers can use to stop pursuers in true James Bond style.

There is even a optional drone package, which costs $14,000 / €13,000 and includes a drone that can be voice-controlled from inside the car so you can film yourself tackling rugged terrain.

Despite its battlefield looks, the MHero 1 is not all tough guy inside. There is Nappa leather, electrically adjustable heated seats, a 16-speaker sound system, air filtering and even a fragrance system.

In the back seat, its occupants are pampered with massage seats and air conditioning in the upholstery.

As befits a Chinese car, there are lots of displays: behind the steering wheel, in front of the front passenger, as a head-up in the windscreen and, of course, in front of the centre console. Dongfeng has even replaced the rear-view mirror with a camera. Indeed, hardly a single movement is is not performed by an electric motor.

The driving experience lives up to the imposing appearance too.

Like its rival electric Mercedes G-Class or the Hummer EV, it runs on four electric motors, has a two-stage transmission and features two mechanical locks to ensure the axles are firmly connected.

The air suspension is not only committed to maximum comfort on the road. At the touch of a button, it raises the car by up to 10 cm, increasing the ground clearance to 35 cm and the fording depth to 90 cm. Add to this half a dozen driving programmes for every surface and the MHero 1 really can cope with everything you might encounter.

Such adventurous terrain is rare in Europe, but this beast can lay down rubber on the tarmac too.

With 800 kW/1088 hp and 1400 Nm on tap, it bounds from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and can reach a maximum speed of 180 km/h.

Of course, the considerable weight takes its toll, but the colossus is frighteningly agile and easily manoeuvrable with rear-axle steering. The turning circle is barely more than 10 metres.

The energy for this super-SUV is supplied by a no less impressive battery, which at 142 kWh is one of the largest on offer anywhere.

Unfortunately it still only lasts for 450 standard kilometres which is why the MHero 1 is also available in China with a A 1.5-litre turbocharged four-pot engine as range extender.

This not only increases the distance to be travelled, but also shortens charging times. With 11 kW on alternating current and 100 kW on direct current, these would otherwise quickly become agonisingly long.

The huge battery also pushes up the weight so that this civilian armoured car tips the scales at 3.9 tonnes. This means that in Germany, at least, it requires either a pre-1999 car driving licence or a truck driving licence. But anyone who can afford a car costing this much can also always afford another driving test.

Of course, four electric motors are far greener than a petrol-guzzling eight or even 12-cylinder engine but this car is not designed to reduce emissions.

The MHero 1 is a fun vehicle for a deep-pocketed adventurers.
The fact that it flaunts its military credentials, just like the Hummer 30 years ago and not least the Mercedes G-Class, may make it more interesting for some.

Yet this brutal aspect may seem distasteful to many others, especially in times like these. After all, there are enough military vehicles on the news at the moment without having them on the road.