As the consumer group of the automotive industry become younger, more and more manufacturers are launching sport packages on regular vehicles to promote performance. Volkswagen R-Line, Audi S line, BMW M Sport Kit and others are based on the original ordinary version models, with a more sporty interior ambiance and a more aggressive appearance for the sport version models.
However, whether from the power parameters or chassis tuning, there is no difference compared to the ordinary version models. Over time, I began to tire of this kind of routine sports packages.
When I first saw the Lynk & Co 05 GT, I was completely indifferent. Isn’t this the same routine, just upgrading the interior ambiance and adding some more sports decorations?
So I was unintentionally flipping through the manufacturer’s vehicle brochure, and unexpectedly found that “compared to the Lynk & Co 05, the Lynk & Co 05 GT has increased its maximum power by 21 kW, maximum torque by 40 N·m, and horsepower by 28. The starting price of 135,000 RMB is even cheaper than the highest configuration of the Lynk & Co 05 by 8,900 RMB“. This piqued my curiosity about the Lynk & Co 05 GT.
This is tantamount to directly changing from low power to high power, but will there be any actual difference in driving experience? There happened to be an ordinary Lynk & Co 05 on the track, so I didn’t hesitate to test drive it.
Is there a big difference in driving experience?
First, let’s talk about the parameters of the Lynk & Co 05 GT. “The Lynk & Co 05 GT has a maximum power of 126 kW, maximum torque of 250 N·m, an official acceleration time of 6.9 seconds per hundred kilometers, and the tire specifications are consistent with the regular Lynk & Co 05, with 215/50 R18. There are also 5 driving modes to choose from“.
In the economy and standard modes, there is not much difference in driving experience between the Lynk & Co 05 GT and Lynk & Co 05. “In sport mode, the slightly larger power of the Lynk & Co 05 GT begins to gradually show. The throttle response is faster, and the initial acceleration experience will be more powerful. However, when it comes to speeds above 80 km/h, the overall acceleration feeling gradually weakens, but still slightly stronger than the Lynk & Co 05“. If you are not someone who is very sensitive to power, the acceleration experience of the Lynk & Co 05 GT and Lynk & Co 05 will not be significantly different.
The Lynk & Co 05 GT, like the highest configuration of the Lynk & Co 05, is equipped with a 59.1 kWh battery. Due to the improvement of power parameters, the endurance is correspondingly reduced, “from the original NEDC 501 km dropped to NEDC 480 km“. However, the driving distance and time during the test drive were limited that day, so there was no meaningful energy consumption performance that could be tested.
The chassis of the Meow-Meow GT is almost identical to that of the regular Meow-Meow, but the feel and feedback of this suspension system are both good in the same level. During daily driving on city roads, the overall chassis feedback is clean and decisive, especially when driving on highways and passing over joints between bridges, “click-click”, there will not be any excess bouncing or unstable feeling.
When passing over large potholes or hard speed bumps, the Meow-Meow GT can demonstrate a very good overall performance, and the body will not have any excess shaking, and small vibrations will be filtered and absorbed by the suspension. Thanks to the batteries flatly distributed in the bottom of the car, the low center of gravity of the Meow-Meow GT brings higher limits to the driver, and passengers in the car will not feel obvious body roll during high-speed cornering, but will instead feel more lateral G-value. Of course, the regular Meow-Meow with the same chassis can also achieve this.
Here is an interesting feature. During driving, one can call up the real-time motor power on the central control screen. I think this feature is very suitable for the Meow-Meow GT because it usually only appears on performance cars.
It Screams Meow-Meow GT
Compared to the differences in power and chassis, the differences in appearance between the Meow-Meow GT are more obvious.
Two large closed “air intakes” with red sporty accents are added to the front bumper, and the same colors appear on the wheels, calipers, rear wing, and rear diffuser, allowing people to see at a glance that this is a Meow-Meow GT. on-site, I also interviewed many people, and most of the males prefer the appearance of the Meow-Meow GT, while females prefer the appearance of the regular Meow-Meow. This “dress-up” does add some masculinity to the Meow-Meow.
After walking around the car, you may first notice the GT logo on the tail wing, which is the only thing that shows the identity because the larger-sized tail wing on this small car is quite eye-catching.
Looking further down, the red diffuser matched with the original F1-style design does add a bit of intimidating feel to the otherwise cute car. However, in terms of actual effect, the visual effect far outweighs the enhancement in downforce.
But when you crouch down and scrutinize the carbon fiber trims on the Good Cat GT, you’ll find that the details are a bit shaky. All “carbon fiber exterior parts” are presented by sticking a layer of carbon fiber pattern film on the plastic parts. Moreover, the matte carbon fiber pattern with bright car paint color makes the overall effect a bit overwhelming.
Considering the cost control, the products at this price point may not adopt real carbon fiber exterior parts. In fact, it would be more coordinated to use shiny black exterior parts. Maybe you should think about whether the effect would be better.
Behind the GT
Interior
As soon as you step inside, you’ll notice that the Good Cat GT’s interior breaks away from the previous preference for elegant color blocking. Like the exterior color scheme, the red and black dual-color scheme has been adopted to enhance the overall sporty atmosphere of the car. A large amount of leather material on the center console also enhances the texture of the entire interior to a certain extent. However, regarding color matching, each Good Cat model has its own preferences, which also match the exterior very well.
The GT embroidery on each headrest tells people that this is a Good Cat GT, and the creation of a sporty atmosphere is spot-on.
The shift knob on the center console and the air conditioning control panel, which looks like an aircraft control button, also embody the delicate feel of this small car. Additionally, the damping of the buttons is just right, not too loose or tight.
The multifunctional steering wheel of the Good Cat has complete functions, and most daily operations can be completed through this steering wheel. For a sporty or female-oriented car, the size of the steering wheel is a bit too large, which reduces the convenience of daily use. However, the steering feel is quite good and the assist torque is just right.
When driving, I found two areas for improvement. Firstly, the information displayed on both sides of the LCD instrument panel is difficult to read under bright light. Although the information displayed on both sides is less important for driving safety, the experience is greatly discounted. Secondly, the content displayed on the instrument panel is messy. The size of the instrument panel is not large, and various information is concentrated together. Novice drivers may need some time to adapt.
Especially for a pure electric car to have a tachometer, I believe that it would be better to replace it with navigation or multimedia.
Advanced Driving Assistance
Like the Good Cat, the GT version is equipped with the Mobileye EyeQ4 intelligent driving assistance chip. After driving on a test route, the ACC of the Good Cat GT performs well. When cruising on the elevated road, it can greatly reduce the burden on drivers. Even if a vehicle in the rear overtakes you in an extremely narrow gap, this car can quickly identify the preceding vehicle that is entering the lane and maintain a safe distance with a relatively gentle braking.
However, there is a small problem in the logic of using LCC lane keeping. Lane keeping can only be opened through the central control screen, and it is hidden deep and there is no physical shortcut key to open or close it. This means that once you turn on the lane keeping assistance from the central control screen, the lane keeping assistance will automatically intervene once the vehicle exceeds 60 km/h, and you cannot easily exit even if you do not want to use it. Moreover, in the ramp, the lane keeping will subconsciously help you turn into the curved road. As the curve radius becomes too large, the lane keeping will exit, but there is no prompt sound during the exit process. I hope this can be improved through OTA in the future.
### Space
The space of Hello Cat GT is worth mentioning. I am 176 cm tall, and the front seat is adjusted to my driving position. The rear space is still good, with spacious legroom, much better than gas vehicles in the same class. The seating position is also comfortable and does not cause obvious fatigue after long-term ride.
Someone asked if the trunk space is sacrificed due to the rear space. In fact, it is not. The trunk capacity of Hello Cat GT is 228 L, which is enough for daily tools and short-distance travel luggage. However, due to the sleek styling, the trunk height will be affected, but the rear seat supports 4:6 proportional folding.
There are also many comfortable and convenient configurations in the Hello Cat GT, such as ventilated, heated, and massage seats for both the driver and passenger. There is also a wireless charging panel in a handy location in front of the armrest.
Advanced Driver Assistance System
In addition, Hello Cat GT also integrates many advanced driver assistance functions. Here’s a little story: When I was reversing out of a parking spot, there happened to be a car approaching slowly from the rear, and I also noticed it in the reversing image, so I stopped and waited for it to clear. It may be that the ultrasonic radar of Hello Cat GT detected a speed difference with the car behind, so it triggered the AEB to help me stop. The whole experience is very responsive.
Conclusion
Do you remember the pinkest Ola booth at the Shanghai Auto Show this year? Cute elements were everywhere, and even manicure shops moved into the auto show. Ola Hello Cat is obviously a car that caters to the female market. The positioning of the Hello Cat GT launched this time is also very clear. It slightly improves the power on the basis of the Hello Cat, and adds a sporty kit inside and outside, which is obviously more attractive to male users.
Currently, the market for new energy pure electric vehicles in the 400,000 yuan price range presents a dumbbell shape, with a large number of A00-level products priced below 100,000 yuan, and a significant number of mid-size cars and SUVs priced above 200,000 yuan. However, there are considerably fewer pure electric products in the 100,000 to 200,000 yuan price range. Ora Good Cat, unlike the Leap Motor C11, focuses on the versatile and cost-effective products in the 150,000 to 200,000 yuan price range, instead of entering the premium small car product market in the 100,000 to 150,000 yuan price range.
In terms of pricing, without the Comfort Driving Pack and Assisted Driving Pack, the car is 8,900 yuan cheaper than the top-of-the-line model. With both packs, the price goes up to 153,000 yuan, making it 10,000 yuan more expensive than the top-of-the-line Good Cat model. Compared to the BYD Dolphin in the same price and class range, the Good Cat is indeed more expensive, but its driving range, power parameters, and configuration levels are much higher than those of Dolphin. At this level, it is difficult to find a more distinctive and cost-effective product than Ora Good Cat.
When Ora Good Cat meets GT, it not only comes with a sporty package but also improves its power performance to maintain its status as a “good cat” rather than a “wildcat,” unlike other manufacturers. This improvement also helps Ora Good Cat expand its audience to further increase sales. Currently, Ora Good Cat is the best-selling product in the Ora brand, with September sales steadily increasing to 4,998 units, surpassing the lower-priced Black Cat and White Cat. Although Good Cat still has some minor details to improve upon, backed by Great Wall’s mature car-making experience, it still has a strong selling point and product strength in the current market.
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.