I believe that many people should be like me, after watching the spring press conference of Equation Leopard, they all have a feeling of "being fooled".
Because for more than a year, we have always thought that Equation Leopard is a personality brand that focuses on the hard-core off-road market, probably just like the Great Wall tank, but the "electric flavor" of Equation Leopard will be more sufficient. Of course, we can't be blamed for that. After all, in the past year, the technologies released by Formula Leopard are basically related to hard-core off-road.
Whether it is the DM-o super hybrid platform, or the CTC battery-chassis integrated architecture, or the Yunlin P intelligent hydraulic body control system, in my opinion, they are all for the hard-core off-road market. And, in fact, such an equation leopard has also been a great success -
Since the launch of the brand's first model in November 2023, Formula Leopard has delivered nearly 20,000 units in just four or five months, and has surpassed its rival Tank 400 Hi4-T in sales in the first quarter of this year to become the champion of China's new energy girder hard-core SUV.
Under such a tone, it is not surprising that Formula Leopard launched the Leopard 8, the flagship hard-core off-road, and even launched the Leopard 3, a smaller but more personalized concept SUV. After all, in addition to the 400, there are 700, 500, and 300 tanks, and as a competitor, Equation Leopard should have corresponding benchmarking products.
Just when I was no longer looking forward to the spring launch of Formula Leopard, I didn't expect it to release the SUPER 9 concept sports car at the end. As the climax of the whole press conference, SUPER 9 also successfully gathered all the media colleagues on the scene to the right hand side of the venue, and those who couldn't squeeze in could only shout "sit down" in the back.
To be honest, in the automobile market with such serious homogenization, it is probably very rare for the release of a concept car to make so many media teachers follow one after another, and they can't take out a "long gun and short gun" to shoot without caring about the image. At least in the last few years, the press conferences I have attended have not had such a grand occasion.
In fact, the SUPER 9 deserves that attention because it's really special: the "space cockpit" style of the double cab, the open roof design, the "soaring, graceful" curves outline up to nine air tunnels, and the carbon fibre steering wheel, which is as complex and handsome as a F1 car, all of them look so sultry.
SUPER 9 is definitely a completely designer-led work of art, regardless of whether those designs are mass-produced, practical, or safe. He just focused on the SUPER 9 with what he thought was beautiful, so that his wild ideas could be realized.
So, strictly speaking, the SUPER 9 is not a car, but a work of art.
To be honest, the SUPER 9 probably won't be mass-produced. Its main role is to tell everyone that Formula Leopard is not a brand focusing on the hard-core off-road market, but a brand that will not set limits. In fact, Wang Chuanfu, president of BYD, only said that Equation Leopard is a professional and highly personalized brand.
Hearing the words "professional" and "personality", many people probably think that Formula Leopard will only offer expensive models. But in fact, the appearance of Leopard 3 (SUPER 3) is to tell us that the professionalism and personality of Equation Leopard are not limited by price, and anyone can enjoy its brand tonality.
The Leopard 3 launched last night is actually still a concept car - streaming media exterior mirrors, drone take-off and landing platforms, carbon fiber wheels, tough body lines, front display, two iron cables on the hood...... All of this makes this Leopard 3 concept car look like it has a sense of beauty due to function, and many people have a feeling of falling in love with it at first sight.
We don't know what the specific mass production status of this car is, but we can see from the information given by the official that the design of this car, even after mass production, will not be inseparable from the words "smart personality", which is worth looking forward to. Of course, it's worth looking forward to even more at its price.
During my shooting, a BYD KOC next to me kept shouting with his mobile phone, "This car will be very cheap, and the price of this car will be very pleasantly surprised." "Honestly, I also think it's going to be very cheap and it should be the first hardcore buggy for young people.
The Leopard 3 has not yet announced its body size, power configuration and other information, there is only one appearance, but its size looks similar to a Honda Binzhi, it should be positioned as a small SUV, and it is certain that it has four-wheel drive, so it has a Suzuki Jimny taste.
For many Chinese brands that don't have the ability to pay a premium, the model positioning has largely determined the price of the vehicle - it is difficult for a small SUV to sell for the price of a compact SUV. So I estimate that the price of the four-wheel drive and charged one is probably in the range of 15-200,000 yuan, and of course maybe it may also launch a lower-cost two-wheel drive version.
Equation Leopard's spring press conference, not so much the release of three new models, announced its product matrix - "2+x" ("2" refers to hard-core SUVs, sports cars, "X" refers to more other car categories that Formula Leopard will solve with users), ——, it is better to re-assert its brand tonality, its brand spirit, is just in a more hardcore way of products, unlike other brands shouting slogans here, adding involution there.
"Take users to explore the unknown" is something that Equation Leopard has been doing and will not give up.
This sentence sounds very common, but there are really few car companies that can really do it. After all, it is not a simple slogan, but a manifestation of ability, a manifestation of innovation. In fact, the Leopard 5, which is now on the market, is already a good demonstration of Equation Leopard's ability to accomplish this mission.
At the scene of the press conference, we also saw a lot of Leopard 5 with legendary experience: climbing to the top of the world's highest sand peak, Bilutu Peak, crossing the "ultimate hard-core route into Tibet" Keriya Ancient Road, and pulling out the Nisan pot directly...... These are all testimonies to the Leopard 5's strong off-road performance and extremely high mechanical quality.
So, for a brand with no limits, we can only look forward to this one thing to do. (Text: Nobita)