--- title: "This Chinese SUV Beat America to the Colt 1911 Door Handle" description: "The historic Colt M1911 handgun clearly inspired the designers of this 1,000-horsepower Chinese off-road SUV." date: "2024-07-16" modified: "2024-07-16" authors: - name: "James Gilboy" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/culture/this-chinese-suv-beat-america-to-the-colt-1911-door-handle" categories: - "Culture" - "News" --- # This Chinese SUV Beat America to the Colt 1911 Door Handle ![A Colt M1911 overlaid onto an image of a Chinese SUV's door handle, which closely resembles the gun]() *\JustCARS on YouTube, Colt Firearms\* No country loves guns like the United States. Hell, we have 44 million more of them than we have people. We're a nation of pistol-shaped cigarette lighters, shotgun-barrel wedding bands, and daily mass shootings. Yet somehow, we've been beaten to gun-ifying our automobiles by China, which has built [a 1,000-horsepower SUV]() with door handles that crib from one of the most iconic handguns in history: the Colt M1911. Thes handles are found in the Dongfeng M-Hero 917, part of the brand's Mengshi (translation: "warrior") lineup of off-roaders. They effectively sprang from [reverse-engineered Humvees](), though like the rest of the Chinese auto industry, they've matured into high-tech EVs. In the case of the M-Hero 917, that means a choice between a [Hummer EV]()-rivaling 1,069-hp quad-motor electric drivetrain or range-extended EV propulsion like the upcoming [Ram 1500 REV](). But let's not dwell long on the powertrain, because we're here for the firepower hidden in its doors. ![Dongfeng M-Hero 917]() *Dongfeng M-Hero 917 door panels. *JustCARS on YouTube** There's no buts about it: those door handles are clearly modeled after the Colt M1911. Chambered in .45 ACP, the handgun has seen service around the world for more than a century, and remains a popular choice with gun owners today. From the shape of its slide, with its offset ejection port, to its two-riveted wooden handgrip, the M1911's shape is recognizable anywhere. It takes an effort not to see one here, where the only out-of-place element is that shape toward the rear of the "slide." It looks more like the safety on a Browning Hi-Power, though they're broadly similar-looking guns, and Dongfeng's designers may have been inspired by both. That "never back down" inscription also sounds a lot like *stand your ground*. On one hand, I'm surprised China incorporated these styling elements first, as they don't have the same relationship with the M1911 that we do. At the same time, it's a recognizable, evocative design, one that American automakers probably couldn't come near without getting a cease-and-desist. China, meanwhile, doesn't play by the rules of basic intellectual property law, and Dongfeng is state-owned. A lawsuit would probably go as far as... well, [a .45 ACP into the door of a Tesla Cybertruck](). There's a lot of other fun, less militaristic stuff going on in the M-Hero 917's interior, from the play and pause buttons on its pedals to its satisfying drive selectors. It's too bad [Americans are scared of Chinese cars](), because this Dongfeng (and the country's [many impressive pickups]()) would be interesting to take for a test drive. Odds are you agree if you've bothered reading this far—though if it were my money, I'd be chasing down the [4G63T-powered Jeep Cherokee pickup]() to build the strangest sand rail you've ever seen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAGHtj83KFw *Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com* ## Author James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids." ### Author social links [Instagram]()