Music Hall in the car, unlocking the ultimate luxury experience
During the first month of the “New Force” competition in the second half of 2022, there was no wind or waves, and it was even a bit boring. Fortunately, in the second week of August, XPeng Motors brought us the first wave of heat in the second half of the year – the XPeng G9 was officially announced for reservation starting on August 10th.
We’ve already taken a shallow dive into the publicized interior, and it’s a bit luxurious, especially the so-called “Little Penguin Music Hall,” Danaher acoustics, Dolby panoramic sound technology, and Master tuning… the whole BUFF is stacked up.
Do you still remember what He XPeng said before, that the XPeng G9 is “the best SUV in the 500,000-yuan range”? So, compared with the just-exposed configuration, does this title really live up to its name? Is it correct to place an order now? This article will answer your questions.
In fact, when the basic form of the car was set and the comfort was initially improved, the part of satisfying the owner’s auditory experience had slowly caught up. From the initial radio to the later “Highway Hi-Fi” sound system, 8-channel stereo car cassette player, CD player, and lately, car manufacturers directly cooperating with car audio companies to create exclusive audio systems, after years of development in this aspect, the entire industry is gradually moving up. The increasing popularity of the “music cockpit” concept in recent years is a testament to this.
Although there are many people who claim to have a “music cockpit,” there are really not many who can make car audio truly outstanding. Many people may find that the sound quality of their car audio, which costs tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan, is not as good as the few-hundred-yuan audio system in their homes. Is this because car manufacturers aren’t trying hard enough? Not necessarily, as some objective factors can indeed be difficult to solve easily and can affect the sound quality of car audio.
First of all, it is undoubtedly the quietness inside the car. The car itself will produce certain noise when running, including air conditioning sound, engine noise, road noise, etc. The overlapping of multiple noises inside and outside the car will naturally have a great impact on the actual effect of audio playback.The problem with car audio is that it’s hard to achieve good sound quality due to limited space in the car cabin. That’s why many people doubted when XPeng G9 came up with the concept of “XPeng Music Hall”. So how did XPeng G9 manage to do it?
One of the main methods G9 uses to maintain cabin quietness is to tackle the problem one by one. They chose Michelin’s Compete EV tire, which is equipped with exclusive acoustic noise reduction technology, to reduce road and tire noise. Additionally, they used the market’s quietest air conditioning compressor, which can reduce noise by up to 10dB even under heavy loads. Moreover, they developed a self-developed silent electric drive system that envelops the motor in acoustic materials, further reducing vehicle vibration and interior noise.
In terms of noise transmission, XPeng G9 uses high-strength body materials, as well as cast aluminum materials in key areas to effectively reduce the likelihood of deformation and eliminate the possibility of abnormal noise. XPeng G9 has also installed 26 cavity partitions throughout the car, with sound-absorbing materials on the ABC pillars and covering 65% of the car’s entire decorative panel, and sound-absorbing cotton covering more than 90% of key subsystems such as doors and side panels, preventing noise from spreading further.
This strategy not only improves the user’s comfort levels but also lays a solid foundation for the construction of the “XPeng Music Hall”, making it comparable to the Mercedes-Benz Maybach deep-sea cabin in terms of quietness.
Speaking of spaciousness, the G9 is the first mid to full-size SUV from XPeng, with outstanding body dimensions of 4891×1937×1680mm, coupled with a wheelbase of 2998mm, outshining even the Mercedes GLC (4764×1898×1642mm, wheelbase 2973mm). Scientifically partitioned internal space completes the picture, providing ample room for passengers, delivering a more comfortable cabin experience, and creating a larger audio space, in turn improving sound quality.
Finally, audio selection is crucial, and there is a lot to say. Previously, regarding the “Naim Audio System” incident on the GAC Aion LX, Li Xiang frankly stated that most famous audio brands only tune the sound or attach a label, without producing speakers or amplifiers themselves, or even without handling the audio tuning. Our “factory-saving” choice is: 1) Not spending money on attaching labels, utilizing the best possible sound system; 2) Developing software and collaborating with top audio tuners as colleagues; 3) Making our audio systems standard on every car.
Instead, XPeng makes the opposite choice to our factory-saving concept, which is to directly equip the Confidence series original sound system from Dynaudio, a guarantee of stability, and reassurance. The G9 has 28 sound units, providing a stunning audio experience that touches the soul.
Not only that, the XPeng G9 is the first to use Dolby Atmos technology in car sound systems, supporting multiple scenarios including music, movies, videos, and live broadcasts, to create an immersive experience. With careful tuning of masters from both domestic and international markets, and industry-first 5D cabin experience that includes ambient lighting, fragrance, ultra-low frequency vibration seats, and air conditioning that can be linked with the story, users can enjoy a high-quality experience in all aspects of watching dramas or listening to music.
Imagine being in the XPeng Music Hall, playing “Surprise” Symphony No. 94 in G major by Haydn, with the addition of ambient lighting, air conditioning, and other details, the sound is passionate, like a physical object, flowing around me from all directions, closing my eyes, I have arrived at the Golden Hall in Vienna, the musicians on stage are passionate, and I am enjoying it quietly under the stage…
Does a luxurious demeanor come at a 500,000-yuan price tag?
It is worth mentioning that from the built-in XPeng Music Hall, we can see that the XPeng G9 is designed for high-end luxury feel. In its just-exposed interior design, we can see that what can be impressed with the “luxury” label in this cabin is not just the “XPeng Music Hall.”
The XPeng G9’s cabin features an embrace-style design, integrating warm brown tones with premium leather textures for an instantly heightened visual experience. Interestingly enough, unlike many SUV models that focus on creating a comfortable front row experience, the G9’s goal is to ensure that every seat is considered a “VIP seat”, meaning that no matter where you sit in the car, you’ll get the best ride. Moreover, the seats are built based on the principles of ergonomics, which conform to human sitting habits, being soft and comfortable while offering strong support, so that you don’t get tired even after long hours of sitting.
According to the newly exposed information, the front seats of XPeng G9 support heating, ventilation, massage, and dynamic functions. With all the skill points maxed out, the passenger seat is even more enjoyable. The front passenger seat is equipped with a footrest and a 87×200mm professional makeup mirror with an adjustable ambient light strip that can provide warm or cool lighting. From this, it can be seen that XPeng G9 has put a lot of effort into the passenger seat. After all, the principle of a good makeup mirror is to have adjustable lighting, which even makeup veterans might not be aware of. Moreover, the passenger seat can unlock special beauty scenes such as soft light skin and natural beauty makeup. The seat can also remember the makeup habits and sitting posture, which is like moving a girl’s makeup room into the car.
The backrest of the rear seats can be electrically adjusted and supports heating and massage. It also features an elephant trunk-style thigh support that can provide more powerful support for the thighs, thus improving the riding experience.
One interesting detail is that the seat stitching design of the G9 looks very clever, reportedly inspired by the “small waist” of the Canton Tower. Considering that XPeng’s headquarters is in Guangzhou, this is a dreamlike linkage.
In the cabin, XPeng G9 is equipped with two 14.96-inch narrow bezel joint screens on the center console, plus a 10.25-inch high-resolution LCD screen, just enough to light up the technological texture of the cabin with one button. It is reported that the G9 car system is equipped with the industry-leading 8155 chip. Speaking of which, when the 8155 chip was heavily promoted as a selling point by major smart car manufacturers, XPeng Motors had already made it standard equipment on the P5 with a sensitive and smooth car experience praised by users. It is believed that the car experience of G9 will not be inferior. The instrument panel can customize the display of vehicle and driving process details, and achieve synchronized interaction with the large screen for a more practical overall driving experience.
In addition, in the fragrance part which many SUVs often ignore, the Xpeng G9 also implements its ingenuity. The fragrance comes from the world’s top-ranked Qualitons group, and is crafted by Barbara Zoebelein, an Italian national treasure-level perfumer who won the “Fragrance Foundation Awards”. Through four fragrance-adjusting black technologies, four fragrances are made which can be matched with three interchangeable fragrances to purify the cabin atmosphere and provide car owners with a more advanced cockpit experience.
In addition to reflecting high-end luxury in important aspects, the Xinnei G9 also puts its heart into many places. For example, the unique design of the air outlet, the lifting and lowering dual cup holder with side flip-type dual armrest, the 20-color ambient light decoration of the cabin, and the use of CN95 filter elements dual-zone smart air conditioning to bring fresh air, etc.
Overall, as the breakthrough work of Xpeng Motors, from top to bottom, from inside to outside, from important parts to tiny details, from what the eyes can see to what the ears can hear, and to what the hands can touch, the Xinnei G9 almost completely satisfies all the high-level car needs pursued by users and brings an S-level cockpit experience with audio-visual synchronization.
Lastly, I’d like to share my suggestion. Currently, the Xinnei G9 has officially opened for reservations. Prospective car owners who have already fallen in love with the interior can place an order to secure the benefits of the first batch of car owners, and then decide whether to buy after test driving. Moreover, this time will not be too long, as the G9 will be launched in September.
Postscript: The added value of the automotive industry is increasing, which is not a bad thing for the majority of car users. In the past, buying a car meant only a car, but now it’s different. Buying a XPeng G9 is like buying a high-end music hall, a Maybach-level quiet space, a dressing room, a perfume castle… In short, with its own strength, XPeng G9 has raised the standards of 500,000-level car models. Even before its official launch, it has already caused a sensation.
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.