Introduction
As the last car show of the year, the Guangzhou Motor Show is basically a summary of the company’s achievements for the year and a preview for the following year. In the past, the Guangzhou Motor Show sold a lot, and many automakers were able to make a lot of money on the show floor. But this year, domestic car companies are generally lacking in chips, so sales are no longer the main goal. The main goal of everyone at the Guangzhou Motor Show is to showcase their latest technologies and warm up for next year’s Beijing Motor Show.
The Infiltration of Midsize SUVs
At this year’s Guangzhou Motor Show, several pure electric midsize SUVs are the most eye-catching. Midsize SUVs are often the flagship models of many brands and can reflect a brand’s main product line. While contributing substantial profits, they can also raise brand positioning and promote sales across the entire lineup.
The biggest highlight of LYRIQ is that it is a product of General Motors’ Ultium platform, and GM’s most advanced driving assistance system, Super Cruise, is also equipped on this model. However, compared to the product’s strengths, the price of 439,700 RMB is undoubtedly more eye-catching. In the context of luxury brand B-level pure electric SUVs, with prices of more than 40,000 RMB, LYRIQ’s high cost performance will inevitably become a benchmark for the sub-segment market.
Although LYRIQ does have a certain gap in power compared to the BMW iX, considering that this model only has one motor on the rear axle, if it is equipped with a motor on the front axle in the future, its power performance is expected to be significantly improved. The Ultium platform has the ability to do this.
As for the BMW iX, it is planned to be a milestone product within BMW. Whether in terms of increasing BMW’s sales in the electric vehicle market or enhancing the brand’s appeal, the iX has a heavy responsibility. It can be discovered from the above data analysis that the paper-based product strength of iX is not weak at all. In terms of power and endurance, it is a leader in the sub-segment market. Considering BMW’s latest vehicle and interactive system- iDRIVE 8, as well as the top driving assistance functions, the BMW iX should receive more attention than BMW’s previous pure electric models.
Other than Cadillac LYRIQ and BMW iX, Xpeng Motors, which has topped the new energy vehicle sales chart in China continuously, has also launched its flagship SUV – Xpeng G9. The biggest highlight of this car is that it is the first mass-produced car in China based on the 800V high-voltage SiC platform. In the future, it will achieve the ability to ultra-fast charge for 5 minutes and replenish energy over 200 km. XPILOT 4.0 will also be deployed on a mass-produced car for the first time in G9. As a leading car model in China’s autonomous driving technology, XPILOT 4.0 of Xpeng will extend its navigation function from highways to city roads. The Xpeng P5 has also attracted great attention, and if the G9 is priced reasonably, it is believed that it will not be difficult to trigger terminal hot sales.
MPV Heat Keeps Rising
MPV, which has been dormant in the Chinese market for a long time, is currently experiencing a gradually rising trend. Recently, Toyota Sienna has just been launched and the delivery of orders has been scheduled for next year. At the Guangzhou Auto Show, the evergreen tree of Chinese commercial MPVs – Buick GL8 has also ushered in a brand new concept car. As a model led by Pan Asia within the GM system, this concept car also provides a good explanation for the future design and concept of the GL8.
However, different from the two fuel MPVs of Sienna and GL8, Voyah brings the first MPV Dream Weaver. The length of the car is 5315 mm, the width is 1980 mm, the height is 1810 mm, and the wheelbase is 3200 mm, making the interior space very spacious. In terms of chassis architecture, whether it is the configuration of the front double wishbone and the rear multi-link independent suspension system or the application of air suspension, it allows this MPV to better balance driving and riding comfort and moderate maneuverability. In addition, its acceleration time of 5.9 seconds per 100 kilometers, 5G vehicle-mounted high-speed entertainment system, and L2+ intelligent driving assistance system all make the competitive advantage of this car model very strong.
Beyond the misty mountains lies another MPV worth mentioning, the MIFA 9 from SAIC Maxus. With body dimensions of 5270×2000×1840 mm, a wheelbase of 3200 mm, and interior height of 1.3m, the MIFA 9 boasts a spacious interior that accommodates 6 independent luxury seats and the industry’s first three rows of seats with one-button linkage function. As for range, the MIFA 9 is expected to deliver a range of over 650 km for models to be delivered in 2023.
Cars Demand the Leading Role
There was a time when SUVs overshadowed sedans, but now sedans have become the new favorite of major manufacturers.
At this year’s auto show, Salon, a high-end brand under Great Wall Motors, launched its first model, the high-performance Mecha Dragon. Apart from its styling, the Mecha Dragon also stands out for its impressive hard-core technology. First of all, the Mecha Dragon is the first model in the world to be equipped with four laser radars and 38 intelligent perception components, making it a leader in environmental perception from a hardware perspective. In terms of the three-electric system, Great Wall Motors’ many years of achievements have been applied to this model: 3.7 seconds acceleration of 0-100 km/h and a range of 802 km on the CLTC test cycle. Especially when considering that the Mecha Dragon uses Great Wall Motors’ Duyi battery technology, the safety aspect is enough to compete with BYD’s blade battery. Withstanding high temperatures of 1000 degrees Celsius without catching fire or exploding, electric vehicle users will no longer have to worry about battery safety.
As a new force in the automotive industry, WM Motor has recently fallen significantly behind its competitors in terms of sales. However, when it comes to the M7 itself, WM Motor is still determined to regain its place in the top tier. In addition to its NEDC range exceeding 700 kilometers, WM Motor has also made every effort in terms of autonomous driving and intelligent cockpit. The M7 is equipped with three independently adjustable high-precision super-view laser radars, five millimeter-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic radars, seven 8-megapixel ultra-high-definition cameras, and four 2-megapixel high-definition panoramic cameras, making it a leader in situational awareness in the subdivision market. The NVIDIA DRIV Orin-X autonomous driving chip also gives this model a strong foundation for continuous upgrading of autonomous driving features in the future. However, what surprises consumers most is the globally innovative i-Surf technology skin and i-Rota super dashboard, which take human-machine interaction to a new level.
In the era of gasoline-powered cars, although independent brands have made significant progress, the gap with luxury brands like ABB still exists, even with the product power that can compete with Volkswagen and Toyota, led by Geely, Great Wall, and Changan in the top tier. However, in the era of electric cars, both new forces like NIO and new brands including Geely Ji-Ke, SAIC IM, Dongfeng LanTu, and Changan EULIFE have the strength to reach the price range of luxury brands. This year’s Guangzhou Auto Show is just the beginning, and we will see more independent brand models based on strength that can compete with foreign brands on the same stage at domestic and international auto shows in the future.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.