GAC Trumpchi's second-generation GS8 was listed yesterday, which is a new car worth paying attention to in recent times, and it is also of special significance for GAC Trumpchi and for its own brand SUVs. So will this new medium-sized SUV, known as the "Proud Of the Strong", bring a new turnaround to GAC Trumpchi?
We may wish to first understand the second generation of GS8 from the price, first of all, the price of 18.68-24.68 million is a surprise, compared with the first generation of GS8 2021, the starting price has increased a little, but the top price has dropped a lot. More importantly, the top and sub-top two models, are oil-electric hybrid version, obviously this is a power upgrade, while the price is also down, but the current hybrid version has not been off the line, the early main sales or fuel version.
Of course, the fuel version also has a power upgrade, the 2.0T direct injection engine parameters have been optimized, and the transmission 6AT for 8AT is also a proper upgrade. However, Brother Cha feels that this is actually to keep up with the rhythm, for the entire market and consumers, the second generation is relatively reasonable, after all, the old model is really expensive. Seeing the new design and power, in fact, the old car owner should be more uncomfortable.
Within 250,000, will the second-generation GS8 sell well?
Although we can't buy the Hybrid GS8 at the moment, this car can't help but compare it with the Toyota Highlander, and it can only be said that there is indeed a small overlap between the audience of the low-end Highlander and the high-end GS8, but it is clear that they are not competitors in terms of price. So it is not that the second-generation GS8 can call Highlander at the level of product strength, which means that it will sell well. For example, the current price of the second-generation GS8 has been competitive, but there are still many people looking forward to preferential treatment and price reduction, while the highlander on the other side is expected to increase the car purchase crowd in the short term.
Obviously, GAC Trumpchi, like other independent brands, still lacks a strong enough appeal on the brand. Autonomous hybrid 7-seat SUVs, such positioning is not a competitor on the market. As a few years ago, as a short-term GS8, which has no competitors, belongs to the cross-river by feeling the stones, how does the consumer market react? It's really unknown.
It is undeniable that the second generation of GS8 is currently the best product that GAC Trumpchi has come up with, with design, technology and price exploration, but the second generation of GS8 does come a little late, in the current market environment, can not be on the green card of oil-electric hybrid is not a good volume model. Moreover, more than 250,000 autonomous SUVs have landed, and the probability of calling for seats is too small.
Can GAC Trumpchi return to the top by relying on the second-generation GS8?
The top configuration has been reduced by 30,000, which is enough to see that GAC Trumpchi has placed a lot of hope on the new car, from the november production and marketing express, GAC Trumpchi has a little improvement in stability, of which MPV has stood on its heels, relying on product advantages and word of mouth to stabilize the market segment.
Shadow Leopard, which is also pinned on high hopes, has currently exceeded 10,000 units of sales, but if it wants to become a pillar model, the distance is still far away, or the main sport of Shadow Leopard, the energy is not enough. Therefore, GAC Trumpchi has fiercely launched the second-generation GS8 this time.
Since the sales volume has plummeted since 2019, GAC Trumpchi has gone from an annual production and sales of 500,000-level brands to only exceed 300,000 at present, and it should be known that the former GS4 can contribute more than 330,000 units of sales in one year. Therefore, if you want to get back to the top, GAC Trumpchi is in great need of a new star model.
We look at the head of our own brands, Geely, Changan, Great Wall, etc., almost all rely on the main products of 100,000-150,000 levels to sell, so although the second generation of GS8 has not yet been sold, but if you want to replicate the success of GS4, the range of more than 200,000 is unlikely. So what about expecting this car to lead the brand upwards? Not to mention the two brands of Lynk & Co and WEY, in the past two years, the Changan UNI sequence is also menacing, and the land of independent oil mixing technology has long been grabbed. For GAC Trumpchi, it is possible to rely on MPV to go high-end, and there may be no small possibility.
The second generation of GS8, is it worth buying?
From the product point of view, the hybrid version is worth considering, because the fuel version of the GS8 car is actually on the high side of fuel consumption, the power of the 2.0T engine is squeezed more severely, and it is necessary to add No. 95 fuel, although it is equipped with an 8AT gearbox, but in the environment where oil prices remain high, the hybrid version of No. 92 fuel is more suitable for many people's families.
From the perspective of a 7-seater car, in fact, GAC Trumpchi M8 will be more suitable, which is also the statement of a GS8 owner friend of Chage, and he also sold the car for MPV after mentioning it many times. Therefore, the second generation of GS8 may have to face the user diversion of M8 at the beginning, if you involve more than 5 people in your car life, then you really need to consider carefully. If it is only the new design aura of the GS8 in the photo, it can be used as a large 5-seat SUV, and the low-end two-wheel drive can be selected.