Wen | Li Haoxian
As a strategic brand carrying the two goals of SAIC-GM-Wuling "globalization" and "passengerization", Wuling Global Silver Label (hereinafter referred to as Wuling Silver Label) has been in operation for two years since its release in May 2020.
Wuling, which has always been good at creating explosive models, what kind of report card can it hand over?
Official data show that Wuling Capgemini, which focuses on the big four-seat MPV, is also the first model of Wuling Silver Label, and its cumulative sales have exceeded 100,000 units since its listing. Some people may feel that 2 years of 100,000 vehicles is not nothing, but to know that Capgemini's scope of application and pricing, for Wuling is not grounded, can get 100,000+ results, has been unexpected.
The second model is Wuling Xingchen, which Wuling calls "the first strategic SUV". Listed for 7 months, the cumulative sales exceeded 90,000 units, the biggest highlight of the new car is the introduction of a new design language and Ling OS car machine system, the price of 69,800 yuan - 99,800 yuan is also enough grounded, sales have shown its popularity.
Relying on two models, Wuling Silver Label, a 2-year-old "little baby", can achieve nearly 200,000 vehicles, which is undoubtedly in line with expectations. From a deeper point of view, the strategic goal behind the Wuling silver label is what SAIC-GM-Wuling values.
Silver label replaces Baojun?
Wuling's "silver label strategy" makes the positioning of several of its brands gradually clear and clear, "silver standard car" is the main globalization and passenger integration brand, the classic "red label" undertakes commercial vehicles and domestic market exclusive vehicles, and "new Baojun" is the main intelligent high-end passenger car brand, forming a high, medium and low three levels of brand positioning.
Considering that the product positioning of the Baojun brand coincides with the previous three brands, its future existence is actually not significant. Therefore, since the release of the silver label strategy, we have speculated that the Baojun brand will gradually fade out of the Wuling system in the future. For now, the product line update of the Baojun brand has stayed in 2021.
This week, Wuling Silver Label ushered in the pre-sale of the third model, which is a compact 7-seat MPV with a pre-price of 69,800 yuan to 105,800 yuan, which will be another strategic model in the Wuling system.
The release of Wuling Jiachen is a reflection of further weakening the Baojun brand and transferring the resources of passenger cars to Wuling Silver. Moreover, Jiachen replaces the ace product of the Baojun brand - Baojun 730, which will undoubtedly accelerate the rhythm of the Baojun brand fading out of the market.
Can Jiachen "equalize" Baojun 730?
Baojun 730 as a fist-level product in the Wuling system, has sold a total of 1.36 million vehicles, Jiachen to replace the status of Baojun 730, Wuling in its body is bound to spend more thought, to more practical, more refined direction of development.
First of all, Jiachen positioned the product accurately to 7 MPV, the target consumer group is a second child or a large family living with parents, and seven people are full of people to become a frequent travel scene. Therefore, Jiachen changed the layout of 2+3+2 on the Baojun 730 to 2+2+3, which made it more convenient for the third row of occupants to enter and exit. On this basis, each row of seats is filled with 10mm dual-density foam material, which improves the riding comfort of the whole car.
Wuling said that the third row of space can achieve almost the same comfort as the second row, so that there will be no situation where they were arranged to squeeze a small bench in the third row and feel uncomfortable. In addition, officials also stressed that even if the third row sat three people at the same time, it would not be crowded.
From the book data, Baojun 730 and Wuling Jiachen, in addition to the width, in the size of the difference, it is estimated that Wuling in order to the central passage and the third row can be looser, the width of the vehicle increased by 40mm.
Wuling Jiachen has also made upgrades to the intelligent aspect, such as the Ling OS Lingxi system recently promoted by Wuling on the new car. According to official information, the response speed of this system is higher in the same level, such as 28 seconds to start, 0.8 seconds to recognize speech, support continuous dialogue, and 10 commands can be issued in one sentence. At the same time, there are built-in NetEase cloud, cross-platform music rights and so on, which are the first in the industry.
In terms of comfort, Xingchen has strengthened the application of sound insulation materials, such as sound insulation materials made of 43 environmentally friendly non-woven fabrics, the car is wrapped in a large number of soft materials, and the number of speakers has increased from 6 to 9 (including woofers) of Baojun 730. However, what I am most concerned about is whether the application of environmentally friendly materials can eliminate the pungent smell of new cars.
On the whole, Wuling Jiachen is like a hardcover version of Baojun 730, two power combinations 1.5L + manual and 1.5T + CVT, the data is also consistent with Baojun 730, but from the perspective of Jiachen's pre-price (69,800 yuan - 105,800 yuan), it is even slightly lower than the price of Baojun 730. In the context of the same power and improved configuration, it is obvious that the cost performance of the stars is higher.
That is to say, Wuling Jiachen is fully capable of taking over the chair of Baojun 730 and becoming another product of Wuling Silver Label, so that Wuling Silver Label can also be regarded as officially embarking on the track of high-speed development.
Of course, after Jiachen, Wuling Silver Label will also have a wave of new cars launched, from the data point of view, the next Wuling Silver Label will also launch a small hatchback sold overseas, which marks the development of Wuling Silver Label to MPV and SUV diversification direction.
At the same time, it also confirms the two most fundamental meanings of the "silver label": the "passengerization" and "globalization" that carry the Wuling brand.
Don't forget electrification
After talking about new cars, finally talk about new energy that cannot be ignored.
As we all know, SAIC-GM-Wuling has not only reaped good profits from the books because of the popularity of the Hongguang MINI EV, but also obtained a considerable accumulation of new energy points, which can fully meet the point consumption needs of the entire SAIC Group.
On the surface, the Hongguang MINI EV has indeed been smooth sailing since its birth, and one person has eaten enough for the whole family without hunger. However, with the rising prices of raw materials such as power batteries, the micro-pure trams such as the Hongguang MINI EV, which are extremely sensitive to costs, are likely to become loss-making business in an instant.
At present, competitors such as Changan Benben EV and Euler Black Cat have been discontinued. In addition, with the rising penetration rate of hybrid and new energy, the demand for new energy credits will decline, and the transaction price will also decline, and the prospect of this palm pearl in Wuling's hand is worth thinking about.
From another point of view, in addition to the several micro-electric vehicles and pure e-commerce vehicles, saic-GM-Wuling's passenger cars are almost non-pure electric vehicles. If Hongguang MINI really can't withstand the rising cost and delist, then Wuling new energy sales will probably return to the pre-liberation overnight.
How important pure electric vehicles are to the future of any brand should not be explained by us. At the communication meeting of Jiachen yesterday, a reporter also raised questions about the electric product planning of Wuling Silver, but the brand did not respond positively. Hopefully, they're already working on it in a tight way.
In my opinion, should Wuling take advantage of the fact that the Hongguang MINI EV still has enough residual heat to vigorously promote the brand's transformation to new energy? In particular, the brand of New Baojun, which shoulders the desire to rush high, can completely use the electrification transformation to truly establish a high-end image, and I believe that Wuling, which is backed by SAIC and GM, has the ability to do so.
Continuing to spend in the field of fuel vehicles thinking about rushing high, not only has no practical significance but also wastes valuable window time.