Next week, the Beijing Auto Show will kick off, and many of the new models in this list will also be officially unveiled at the auto show. With the gradual acceleration of the new energy transformation in the market, the joint venture brand has clearly felt the pressure. In the face of the offensive of their own brands, they should also come up with a "killer weapon" to consolidate their position, and the Buick GL8 PHEV and Volkswagen's new Passat are the best examples.
Nezha S Hunting Edition: Who still says that crockpots are a niche
Product Overview: Another new energy crockpot is coming. Consistent with the previously exposed spy photo information, the appearance of the new car has been adjusted on the basis of the Nezha S sports coupe, the front shape maintains the original design, the roof is flatter and longer, and the overhead rear wing is extended, the center of gravity of the vehicle is further back, and the rear is slender, showing the proportional posture of the classic hunting car. In terms of dimensions, the new car is 30 mm taller than the Nezha S, and the wheelbase is the same 2, 980 mm.
Market analysis: In the era of fuel vehicles, crockpots have always been a niche market. Including BBA, Volvo and Volkswagen, there are a lot of crockpot models to choose from, but the sales performance is not satisfactory. However, in the pure electric car market, the emergence of ZEEKR 001 and NIO ET5T has made many car companies pay attention to this market, and Nezha S hunting version is also one of the new players. However, from the perspective of the overall crockpot market, except for the launch of only one body form of the crockpot Krypton 001, the sales of other brands of crockpot models are far less than the sedan version of the same car series, so it can be seen that the market popularity of the crockpot model needs to be improved.
Comment prediction: Judging from the market performance of NIO ET5T, its monthly sales have been maintained at about 2k-3k units, and because NIO has adopted the same pricing strategy for ET5 and ET5T, these two versions have also produced a certain "infighting" effect, and for Nezha, how to price is also very critical. But on the other hand, NIO ET5T can achieve such sales, and it is also in a leading position in the entire crockpot market, considering the current sales of Nezha S, if Nezha S hunting version can also achieve monthly sales of 2,000 units, it will be a very outstanding performance.
DENZA Z9 GT: A redefinition of a flagship sedan
Product Overview: A few days ago, DENZA tested a new hunting model in Germany, which caused a huge discussion on the Internet, and now this car is also officially unveiled and will be officially presented to consumers during the Beijing Motor Show. Interestingly, as the new energy crockpot is becoming more and more popular, the Z9 GT also adopts the design of a hunting car, the entire front face has a very strong sense of impact, and the rear of the car is also designed with a ducktail shape at the top, which looks very sporty. In terms of dimensions, the new car is nearly 5.2 meters long, with a wheelbase of more than 3.1 meters, and the side looks very slender, and as can be seen from the naming of the "9", it will be a flagship sedan.
Market analysis: Designed by a team led by BYD's global design director Wolfgang Iger, the Denza Z9 GT will be a global model, positioned as a large luxury sedan, while its competitors will be directly aimed at the Porsche Panamera, and it will also be another take-off of its own brand in the new energy market. Judging from the previous information, DENZA has made full preparations for this flagship sedan, and must be full of confidence in the prospects of this car. For example, the design of the hunting car, on the one hand, it can better show the sporty style of the whole car, on the other hand, the problem of rear headroom can also be cleverly resolved, thanks to the different positioning of the design and configuration, it will also open up a more segmented high-end market for this new car.
Comment prediction: For such a flagship product, in terms of market performance, it is very likely that the DENZA Z9 GT will not be the most popular model in the DENZA brand. But what is certain is that the appearance of this car will contribute to the development of the DENZA brand and BYD Group in the high-end market. It is not only the flagship sedan of the DENZA brand, but also a representative work of its own brand in the process of electrification transformation, and has written a strong stroke in the development of new energy vehicles in China.
Volkswagen Passat Pro: Can it continue the success of the market?
Product Overview: Not long ago, the all-new Magotan has appeared in the list of new cars of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and as its sister model, the replacement model of the Passat has finally appeared. The all-new Passat B9 will only be available in a touring version in overseas markets, while the sedan design will be the first in the Chinese market, and the wheelbase will be lengthened. From the front of the car, the all-new Passat continues the design of the European version, which is completely different from the stability of the current model. It is worth mentioning that the new Passat is more than 5 meters long at 5,006 mm, which will be the longest Passat ever, and the wheelbase remains unchanged at 2,871 mm.
Market analysis: SAIC Volkswagen has added the suffix Pro to the name of the new generation Passat, so it is possible that the new car will be sold at the same time as the current model after it is launched. Considering that the new generation of products is more youthful in design, it will also complement the stable design of the current model, and it can also compete in the market to meet the choices of different consumers. In terms of power, the new 1.5T engine will replace the previous 1.4T engine, and the 2.0T engine will remain. In addition, the changes in the interior will be huge, and it is expected that the new car will also have a more intelligent vehicle machine system, and it will also get rid of the shadow of "old fuel vehicles" in terms of technology and intelligence.
Comment prediction: Nowadays, with the rapid development of the new energy market, many excellent products that cannot be ignored have emerged in the B-class car. Especially excellent products such as seals, extreme krypton 007, dark blue SL03, or like Geely Galaxy E8 and BYD Han, which are the size of C-class cars but play the price of B-class cars, make the competition in the mid-level sedan market more intense. For joint venture brands, how to come up with better products to "meet" has become more and more important. In the wave of product innovation, the Accord has fallen, LaCrosse has lost its attractiveness, and Sonata is gradually forgotten. For the answer, let go of the imagination of the brand premium, perhaps is the reason that Volkswagen needs to figure out on the new Passat.
Wuling Xingchen PLUS: The charm of PLUS Wuling understands
Product Overview: Xingchen PLUS is a large version of Xingchen, so it is of course no problem to describe its size, but its performance in other aspects will be a comprehensive iteration and upgrade. The front face of Wuling Xingchen PLUS adopts a closed design, the upper lip of the front face of the car is very prominent, and a split headlight group is adopted, the daytime running lights are simple and sharp, and the main lights are weakened, so that the whole front of the car looks very atmospheric. With a length, width and height of 4,745/1,890/1,680 mm and a wheelbase of 2,800 mm, the new car is not small. In terms of power, Xingchen PLUS will be a new energy SUV, providing pure electric and plug-in hybrid power, on the Wuling Xingguang, consumers see Wuling's strength in new energy, so Xingchen PLUS will also be a very cost-effective and competitive model.
Market analysis: The emergence of Hongguang MINI EV has made many people's eyes shine, and it has also continuously dominated the sales list of new energy vehicles in China. But for Chinese consumers who like big cars, I am afraid that it is not enough to focus only on MINI, Wuling has successively launched Binguo PLUS and Baojun Yueye PLUS, so that consumers can feel the charm of PLUS. The Xingchen PLUS will also further expand Wuling's product camp in the new energy market.
Comment prediction: Wuling Starlight's sales performance exceeded many people's expectations, proving Wuling's strength in the new energy market. The Xingchen PLUS adopts a pure electric and plug-in hybrid dual-line layout, which also further expands Wuling's influence. SUV models have always been widely sought after by Chinese consumers, and from the perspective of Wuling's positioning, this car is likely to surprise consumers in terms of price, and it may also have a good performance in terms of sales.
Hongqi L1: A new addition to the million-dollar luxury car segment
Product Overview: Judging from the declaration information, Hongqi's new large luxury car will be named Hongqi L1, codenamed C801. The front face of the new car adopts a large-size grille design, and the two sides are matched with similar oval headlights, which is full of momentum, and the whole design is also a continuation of the style of the previous concept car. In terms of dimensions, the length, width and height of the Hongqi L1 are 5353/1998/1511 mm, respectively, and the wheelbase is 3,260 mm, which is larger than the Mercedes-Benz S-class, but smaller than the Maybach S-class. In terms of details, Hongqi L1 can also be equipped with a similar three-dimensional car logo similar to Bentley, Rolls-Royce and other luxury brands, which is more luxurious. In order to drive such a large-sized luxury sedan, the Hongqi L1 uses two engines, 3.0T V6 and 4.0T V8, and is paired with a hybrid system, which must be amazing in terms of performance.
Market analysis: In terms of naming and size, this new car will be positioned lower than the flagship sedan Hongqi L5 currently on sale, and is a standard D-class large luxury sedan, which will be in the same class as traditional luxury models such as BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Considering the large span from H9 to L5, Hongqi L1 also fills the gap in the current product camp and brings new choices to consumers. In addition, with the acceleration of electrification transformation, more and more manufacturers will choose the route of pure electric or PHEV when moving towards the high-end market, but Hongqi uses a HEV system composed of a large displacement engine and a motor on the L1, which is presumably more of a "muscle" performance. In any case, this car will become a flagship sedan of its own brand, and it will also become a bright business card for the development of China's automobile industry.
Review prediction: For such a huge size and ultra-high positioning flagship sedan, its price is certainly not within the reach of ordinary consumers, so this car will not bring more sales to Hongqi. But what is certain is that as the eldest son of the republic, the Hongqi brand is more of a carrier of the expectations of the upward development of Chinese automobiles, and every new move in the high-end market will bring more new surprises, which are far more meaningful than the sales data. To get the Chinese in their own limousine, Hongqi has clearly made a huge effort.
Buick GL8 PHEV & HEV: The king of MPVs strikes back
Product Overview: In the face of the rapid change of the market's electrification transformation, Buick finally brought a new energy version of the GL8, and launched two PHEV and HEV models in one go to cater to the tastes of different consumers. GL8 Luzun PHEV adopts the same design concept as its own high-end MPV CENTURY, the front of the car is a huge middle grille, and the use of split light clusters, the daytime running lights and high and low beams are set separately, in line with the current mainstream design style, and the HEV version is also similar in appearance, but the PHEV model has an additional charging port on the right rear. In terms of dimensions, the PHEV and HEV models have the same wheelbase of 3,088 mm as the PETROL model, and the length and height are slightly different depending on the version. The PHEV model is equipped with a 1.5-liter engine, while the HEV model is still equipped with a 2.0-liter engine, and the fuel consumption of both models will be significantly improved compared to the gasoline version.
Market analysis: Nowadays, as the MPV market is further intensified, more and more models have joined the team of "encirclement and suppression of GL8". From the Roewe iMAX8 and Trumpchi M8 named after the first "8", to many "9 characters" in the back, including Denza D9, Zeekrypton 009, Trumpchi E9, Xpeng X9 and so on. But the difference is that most of the other models are new energy MPVs, even traditional MPVs like Sena and Odyssey also use the power system of HEVs, which has more advantages than GL8 in terms of fuel economy. As a result, the Buick GL8 seems to have fallen into a passive situation, and it also lost the throne of MPV sales last year. With the strong addition of PHEV and HEV models, the counterattack of Buick GL8 will officially start, and the old powerhouse will turn to new energy, which will also make the competition in the MPV market more intense, and whether it can regain the title of sales champion will soon be seen.
Review prediction: Even without any electrification blessing, the annual sales of Buick GL8 in 2023 will still exceed 110,000 units, and it will miss the championship by nearly a few thousand units. It can be seen that Buick GL8's position in the MPV market is still solid. Since the beginning of this year, with the emergence of more new products such as Ideal MEGA and Xpeng X9, the sales performance of Buick GL8 seems to have been a little sluggish, and new models are urgently needed. With the blessing of electrification, it is not a problem for GL8 to return to the 10,000 mark in a single month, but whether it can change the current pattern of the MPV market is a question worthy of everyone's attention.
Geely Galaxy E5: New products continue to expand
Product Overview: Geely Galaxy's first pure electric SUV model is here. Judging by the picture information, the new car will be named Galaxy E5. In terms of design, the Geely Galaxy E5 adopts the same family-oriented design language as the Galaxy E8, with sharp headlight clusters on both sides of the front and L-shaped air intake trim strips below, making this car look very sporty. With a length, width and height of 4,615/1,901/1,670 mm and a wheelbase of 2,750 mm, the Galaxy E5 is positioned as a compact electric SUV. In terms of power, only a single-motor version has been declared, with a maximum power of 160 kilowatts and a lithium iron phosphate battery pack.
Market analysis: Since February 2023, Geely Galaxy has successively launched two hybrid products, Galaxy L7 and Galaxy L6, as well as Galaxy E8 pure electric sedan, forming a product layout of pure electric + electric hybrid and sedan + SUV in the mainstream new energy market. For future planning, Geely Galaxy will continue to focus on the mainstream market of "hybrid + pure electric", and successively launch three new energy products, all of which are developed based on new architecture, innovative design language, and self-developed new energy intelligent technology. Now the first pure electric SUV model of the Galaxy family has been unveiled and will be officially launched within this year, which will further enrich the product matrix of Geely Galaxy and bring more new choices to consumers.
Comment prediction: In the entire new energy SUV market, the proportion of pure electric SUVs is not high, especially in the compact SUV market, there are not many models for consumers to choose from, so the market competition has not yet entered the "white heat". Geely's choice to cut into this market is also to seize the opportunity before other brands, if the price is right, then there is no doubt that the Galaxy E5 will also be a dark horse in this field, attracting the attention of more consumers.
Leap C16: 6 seats that are hard to "make up".
Product Overview: On March 2, the Leapmotor C10, which has the title of "Ideal L5", was officially launched, and the two power systems of pure electric and extended range plug-in hybrid brought more choices to consumers. Now, Leapmotor has expanded its product lineup, and the all-new C16 will be released soon. In terms of appearance, the Leapmotor C16 is more similar to the C10, but the body size is larger than the C10, which is also because the C16 is based on the design of the C10. The wheelbase of the C16 and C10 is the same 2,825 mm, but the C16 has been partially redesigned behind the B-pillar to lengthen the body to 4,915 mm, and the increased body size also allows the interior to fit six seats, focusing on a large space comfort experience. In terms of power, it still uses two versions, pure electric and extended range, and the pure electric version uses an 800-volt high-voltage fast charging platform, which also performs well in terms of energy replenishment.
Market Analysis: In the Chinese market, consumer demand for 6-seater SUVs has been increasing, and many new models have appeared in the market. Including BYD Tang, which has always been hot, and the ideal L8 and L9, which became "hot models" immediately after their release, have received special attention. The launch of Leapmotor C16 is also aimed at this market, bringing new choices to family users who travel with multiple people.
Comment prediction: Considering that Leap has always attracted the attention of many consumers with its extremely high cost performance, referring to the price of Leap C10, the price of C16 is expected to be slightly higher, but it will definitely show the greatest sincerity. The new car is expected to be officially unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show, and for Leap's current sales, the C16 will be the success of this car if it can bring more contributions to the brand.