Great Wall Motors has spent the past five years pushing the limits of supercar innovation. This ambitious project aims to deliver an exhilarating, high adrenaline driving experience. Chief Technology Officer Wu Huixiao revealed the initiative, highlighting the team’s commitment to engineering a vehicle that balances power and agility without sacrificing cost efficiency. The company continues to carefully manage expenses while refining quality standards ahead of the model’s launch in GCC markets.
Project Launch and Adrenaline Pursuit
The concept of a supercar at Great Wall Motors was initiated five years ago, driven by the company’s ambition to make a transformative leap comparable to that of global leaders in the high performance car segment. Wu Huixiao emphasized the engineering team's dedication to developing a vehicle that delivers a unique blend of raw power on highways and precise control behind the wheel.
This vision has steered the project’s development, leveraging the company’s expertise in SUV and light truck manufacturing to create a chassis that is both robust and lightweight. The result is a foundation that supports exceptional performance without compromising durability.
Launch Delay and Cost Management
Despite significant progress in design and testing, Great Wall Motors decided to delay the launch of its supercar to achieve further cost reductions. Wu Huixiao explained that the aim is to deliver strong value to Gulf audiences without compromising performance or manufacturing quality.
Controlling expenses during the final production stages is critical to ensuring the car launches at a price point that appeals to car enthusiasts in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Carbon Pod Challenges and Intensive Testing
The development team faced major technical challenges in producing the Carbon Pod, a critical part of the car’s body made from advanced carbon fiber. As one of the most complex components in high performance vehicles, the Carbon Pod had yet to be fully mastered by any Chinese manufacturer. To overcome these hurdles, the team carried out extensive testing in the company’s laboratories to verify the pod’s ability to absorb impacts and maintain structural rigidity under extreme driving conditions.
These rigorous tests led to continuous improvements in chassis durability, boosting its resistance to high temperatures and the intense vibrations caused by high speed driving.
Nürburgring Challenge and Competitive Outlook
Although Wu Huixiao did not explicitly confirm plans to test their supercar at Germany’s renowned Nürburgring circuit, she disclosed that European experts had been invited to participate in practical trial phases. When asked about comparisons with Ferrari’s SF90, she emphasized that their vehicle is expected to outperform the Italian model by incorporating insights drawn from global competitors.
This initiative emerges amid intense competition from BYD, which recently unveiled its U9 electric model featuring 1,306 horsepower and a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of just 2.36 seconds.
Great Wall Motors Sales and Brand Strategy
Great Wall Motors is currently concentrating on crossovers and light trucks across its Haval, Wey, Tank, and Ora brands, after recording sales of 256,807 vehicles in Q1, a 6.73% decline compared to the same period last year.
These numbers highlight the challenges the company faces in diversifying its product lineup. However, its ongoing supercar project signals a potential strategic shift, potentially opening new opportunities in the luxury automotive segment. With the official reveal approaching, car enthusiasts in the GCC region are eagerly awaiting this bold entry, which promises a distinctive and thrilling driving experience.
My passion for cars began long before my journey into automotive journalism in 2015. Even though I'm originally a pharmacist, the thrill of speed, elegant designs, and roaring engines has always had my heart. Today, I channel this passion by exploring the newest cars and sharing my experiences with fellow car enthusiasts across the GCC.
