Great Wall's Bold Move: Launching a Super Luxury Brand Amidst Struggles in China

On January 9, it was reported that Great Wall is developing a new super luxury brand, currently referred to by the code name BG. This initiative comes as the company faces challenges in the domestic market.

What to Expect from the New Brand

The new brand is aimed at creating more premium cars, similar to BYD’s Yangwang. It is expected to feature Great Wall’s 4.0T V8 engine, with a focus on hybrid vehicles, including supercars and sedans.

Technical Expertise

To gain a competitive edge, the brand plans to recruit experts from European luxury brands to enhance the integration of high-power internal combustion engines with electric motors, striving for superior technical and performance advantages.

Great Wall Poer Cyberpickup on display at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show.

Leadership Structure

Wei Jianjun, the chairman of Great Wall, will lead the brand, with Song Dongxian as CEO and Zhang Xiaobo as CTO. Wei will be actively involved in the model creation and engineering development of the super luxury brand.

The Tank 800 concept on display at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, China.

Targeting High-End Market

The new brand aims for high-quality, small-batch production, utilizing innovative and high-tech materials. Prices are expected to start around one million yuan (136,400 USD).

Previous Attempts

Previously, Great Wall attempted to launch a more upmarket EV brand called Saloon, which ultimately failed, with the first car, the Mecha Dragon, never reaching production.

Saloon Mecha Dragon electric car seen at the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show, Guangdong Province, China.

Sales Performance

Great Wall has been struggling, with 2024 sales totaling 1,233,292 vehicles, a mere 0.21% increase year-over-year. Of these, 321,795 were NEVs, marking a 22.82% increase, while 453,141 were exported, a 43.39% increase. However, domestic sales fell significantly due to intense competition.

Editor’s Note

Current information suggests that the new cars will focus on hybrids (HEV) rather than NEVs, a bold strategy in the evolving Chinese market landscape.
Sources: Fast Technology, Weibo