DR Automobiles
 

The new DR is set to become the first Chinese-inspired motor to go on sale in the UK
But DR is an international project. It looks astonishingly similar to the original Toyota RAV4, and just like that model, it comes in three and five-door layouts. However, the DR is designed and built in Italy. The firm, based between Naples and Rome, buys the chassis and running gear from Chinese motor maker Gonow, then builds its own bodies and interiors. The car gets its power from Fiat's 1.9-litre Multijet diesel.

"We will start production halfway through next year and we're hoping to sell around 12,000 cars a year in Europe," said a DR spokesman

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/images/...o_211143_7.jpg
"We will start production halfway through next year and we're hoping to sell around 12,000 cars a year in Europe," said a DR spokesman. "As Britain is an important market, we expect to be exporting there by 2008."

He also confirmed the company was hoping to undercut the prices of rivals. The three-door, two-wheel-drive model will cost £11,100. Prices for the five-door start at £12,800.

The top-spec SUV will be around £19,000, and it comes with satellite navigation, DVD screens in the rear and electric windows all round.

Hmm, what a interesting business idea...

Bricklin should take a page out of this company - take a Chinese car chasis and drivetrain (albeit the latest and greatest ones) and slap on his own ext/int design and do final assembly.

yeah .. the Bricklin Car again ...

And again .... wait. ..
what ??


FAILED !!

No thanks, i dont see people paying that kind of $$ for what is really an embarrasment:D , they are better off going to enfield auction and getting a used lexus, m class, x5 or pajero for that kind of money:D

DR motor company
 

Has anyone heard about Italian company DR? In 2006 they presented two SUVs - DR3 and DR5.


Let me copy the text from Carsscoop:
From the initial facts that we’ve got in our hands, the 3door DR3 and its 5door equivalent, the DR5 that made their world premier at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy are the works of Massimo Di Risio, an ex-pilot who now is a car distributor in Insernia.

There’s no doubt about it that their interior and exterior design (ok, the front part looks like a Suzuki Grand Vitara) are inspired –to say the least, by the previous generation Toyota RAV4. As if that wasn’t enough listen to this: the car’s body which is made in China is shipped over to Italy where it’s assembled on a platform using Fiat’s 120 Hp 1.9 Turbodiesel engine! The press release tells us that the DR3 has a length of 3.850 mm with a wheelbase of 2.280 while the larger 5door DR5 rides on a 2.510mm wheelbase and is 4.285 mm long. 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) comes in 12,4 sec while top speed is 174km/h –DR say’s both versions have the same performance figures (…) According to the info we managed to translate from DR, the 3door and 5door versions of the Chinese/Italian SUV will go on sale in March with prices starting from about 16.000 euros! We’ll try to learn more about the DR3 and DR5 SUV’s and post them up as soon as possible.

According to my information, Cherry is supplying them with 5 door bodies. is that true? Because DR5 is similar to Chery Tiggo. And what about 3 door version? Tiggo does not exist with 3 doors.
So are they buying it from UFO? UFO is selling a Rav4-alike SUV with 3 doors but I don't know the name of the car.

good post..i didnt know that chery is supplying them with bodies

No, Chery is not supplying them with bodies. According DR it was Gonow that was going to build the Toyota RAV 4 copied platform and body panels.

Are you sure? I checked Gonow's site and they are not offering any model that looks like RAV4. I can't believe they are producing that body specially for Italians.

Yes, you are right, Gonow is not offering these products yet. But DRsays they are going to build them in the near future.

So if Gonow is not yet producing RAV4-like bodies they can't provide DR company with them, right? How were then Itailans able to show concept cars at Bologna Auto Show?
Also there's a big resemblance between Chery Tiggo and DR 5 on one side and UFO's car and DR 3 on the other side (exterior and interior). Because Chery is a big player I still think it's somehow involved in this project.

If indeed Gonow will build cars for DR Company they either bought license from Chery and UFO or copied (stole) design elements.