When it comes to Beijing Automobile, many consumers immediately think of tough off-road vehicles. As a leader and promoter of tough off-road vehicles in the Chinese market, Beijing Automobile has left a tough impression on many consumers, and the BJ40 under the brand has become the representative model of tough off-road vehicles in China. At the end of last year, the BJ40 officially underwent an upgrade, and the urban hunter version, which was launched earlier, has been delivered to users. Compared to its predecessor, the new generation BJ40 urban hunter version combines trendy design, advanced intelligent configuration, and outstanding comfort, providing users with a more comprehensive choice. In March of this year, Beijing Automotive brought us the new BJ40 Blade Hero edition, which has even stronger off-road capabilities than the urban hunter version. The introduction of the new car not only makes the new BJ40 product system more complete, but also provides off-road enthusiasts with a more hardcore choice. Today, we will introduce to you the special features of the new BJ40 Blade Hero edition.
In terms of design, the all-new BJ40 Blade Warrior Edition continues the design language of the City Hunter Edition, using the currently very popular square box design. The front face cleverly integrates the headlights and grille into one, forming the iconic five-hole intake grille shape of BAIC.
On the side of the car, the door handle of the City Hunter edition is in the same color as the body, and the D-shaped window is designed in silver. The Blade Hero edition has optimized these details, with the D-shaped window and door handles all “blacked out” for a stronger sense of unity. In addition, compared to the City Hunter edition, the new car’s chassis tuning is optimized for off-road scenes, with the entire car raised by 20mm for a more visually impactful effect. At the same time, the wading depth reaches 800mm, the approach angle is 38°, the departure angle is 36°, and the ramp angle is 28°, all of which are better than the City Hunter edition.
In terms of tires, the Blade Hero version of the car is equipped with Gupu’s all-terrain tires, which not only have a better visual effect, but also provide some help for passability. However, it is important to note that the tire noise and fuel consumption of all-terrain tires are not very friendly in urban road conditions.
It is worth mentioning that the front and rear bumpers, wheel arches, and other parts of the Blade Hero version can be quickly removed, further enhancing the vehicle’s modification space and playability. At the same time, the new car also comes standard with a 2.5-ton towing capacity and power outlet, eliminating the hassle of later modifications, and can transport motorcycles, tow yachts, RVs, motorboats, and other “big toys,” greatly expanding the imagination space for outdoor life.
The Blade Hero edition models come standard with metal skid plates, which can protect the chassis to a certain extent in medium to high-intensity off-road scenarios.
In terms of interior, the Blade Hero version and the City Hunter version of the car use the same design. The large size screen is rare in hardcore off-road vehicles, enhancing the interior’s sense of technology and providing a better intelligent experience for the occupants. It is worth mentioning that the higher-positioned diesel version of the car, compared to the gasoline version, has reduced configuration. We found that features such as ventilated seats, leather seats, and streaming rearview mirrors are equipped in the gasoline version, but missing in the diesel version.
The highlight of the interior is the three-section removable roof design. Compared to a sunroof, the removable roof provides better transparency for the occupants. The fun of “open-top off-roading” is not something a sunroof can offer. Additionally, compared to the old model, the removal of the roof on the all-new BJ40 Dagger Hero Edition is more convenient and user-friendly. The removed roof can easily be placed in the trunk, eliminating the storage issue. We actually tested it and found that removing the roof can be completed in about 3 minutes, but it may be a bit challenging for a single person to do it.
In terms of power, the launch of the diesel version of the vehicle is surprising. Diesel vehicles have always been relatively niche in the domestic market, but the diesel engine, with its strong low-end torque, long endurance, and low fuel consumption, has always been a favorite of off-road enthusiasts. The launch of the diesel version of the BJ40 provides a new choice for many off-road enthusiasts.
In terms of power, the all-new BJ40 Diesel Hero has a rated power of 120kW and a maximum torque of 400Nm, an improvement over the previous model. More importantly, the new BJ40 Diesel Hero is equipped with electronic control full-time four-wheel drive for diesel models, and can achieve true three locks. On paved roads, full-time four-wheel drive can improve vehicle power and handling stability; in off-road conditions, with three locks, it can use a single wheel to rescue the vehicle. At the same time, the fuel economy of the diesel engine also mitigates concerns about high fuel consumption caused by full-time four-wheel drive.
The gasoline version of the car continues the configuration of the urban hunter version 2.0T+8AT in power, but has been greatly strengthened in the four-wheel drive system. The new car adopts a large speed ratio part-time four-wheel drive system, with a maximum torque increase of 4 times, allowing the maximum torque at the wheel end to reach an exaggerated 10250Nm. Compared to the conventional differential, the torque is increased by 60%, while the lowest stable vehicle speed can be reduced by 60% to obtain a more stable low-speed high torque output. This design allows the new Blade Hero gasoline version to have a more confident performance in extreme scenarios such as climbing, uphill driving, and getting out of trouble.
Summary: If the new BJ40 Urban Hunter Edition provides consumers with a new choice of “city and wilderness”, then the BJ40 Blade Hero Edition is suitable for consumers who truly love off-road and are passionate about off-road. The two new cars are now available for pre-sale on March 21st, with the new BJ40 Blade Hero Climber priced at 189,800 yuan (26320$) and the new BJ40 Blade Hero Crosser priced at 209,800 yuan (29090$). The gasoline version is affordable and more comfortable, while the diesel version is more hardcore. Which one do you prefer?