GWM ORA 07 Launched In Thailand – Malaysia Soon?

The newly renamed ORA 07 EV saloon by GWM officially enter the Thai market this week in two guises.

Chinese automaker GWM reportedly expanded its ORA EVs sub-brand range in the Kingdom just north of our Peninsular’s border this week. Introduced at the on-going Thailand International Motor Expo 2023 (TIME 2023) today was the sleek and  rather lavishly-kitted ORA 07.

Also known as the ORA Lightning Cat, the fastback-styled saloon enters the Thai market in ‘Long Range’ and ‘Performance’ guises. Whilst the ORA 07 Long Range features a single-motor, front-wheel-drive (FWD) setup with 204 PS and 340 NM, the Performance guise adopts a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive (AWD) setup boasting 408 PS and 680 NM instead.

The base Long Range and higher-specced Performance variants are easily set apart by their differing 17- and 18-inch wheels respectively.

Both share the same 83.5 kWh LFP-type battery which, in the Long Range, sees a claimed maximum range of 600 KM (WLTP). Trading off range for quicker acceleration and speed, the Performance model instead makes do with a lower claimed 495 KM (WLTP) max range.

Similar in size to a D-segment saloon, the ORA 07 features a rather controversial design. It ‘borrows’ styling cues from a certain German sportscar marque. A quick glance shows its front-end sporting a Porsche 911-like nose, headlights, and front quarter, while the rear is reminiscent of a Panamera.

There's arguably a lot of 'borrowed' styling cues from a certain German sportscar brand here, especially with its sleek fastback rear quarter and its front fascia.

The ORA 07 even boasts an active rear spoiler that deploys at 70 KM/H. This reportedly contributes to its desgin's slipper 0.22 Cd figure too.

Regarding the latter, the ORA 07 even sports an active rear spoiler akin to what you’ll find in the rear ends of high-specced variants of the Panamera. It reportedly deploys automatically at 70 KM/H, and contributes to the saloon’s slippery design with a claimed drag coefficient figure of 0.22 Cd.

Other distinguishable difference between the two guises on the exterior lie in the choice of rolling stock – 18-inch for the Long Range, and larger – snazzier – 19-inch ones for the Performance. Say what you will about the exterior, what’s undeniable here is that it boasts a pretty lavish cabin to match.

On board, the Thai-spec ORA 07 sees a standard black-hued cabin motif available, but only the Performance variant offers Brown option pictured.

On board, the ORA 07’s cabin features a black-hued motif across both guises as standard, but the Performance does see a brown interior theme option added. Unlike the ORA Good Cat, the 07 does offer a sleeker dash sans the rather tacky rotating shifter knob seen in the Good Cat.

Instead, the centre console features traditional knobs and dials for both the climate control and drive mode selector – 6 of which are available. There’s also a more visually pleasing 10.25-inch digital meter panel divided into three sections.

The divisive rotary shifter knob seen in the ORA Good Cat is absent here. Also, GWM opted to furnish the ORA 07 with physical dials and switches for the climate control and drive mode selector.

Present on board too is an 11-speaker Infinity hi-fi audio suite.

As for the infotainment, the touchscreen display measures 12.3-inch and boasts both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Other noteworthy kit present include telescopic steering adjustment, panoramic glass sunroof, wireless charging pad, as well as an 11-speaker Infinity hi-fi audio.

What’s impressive to note is the ORA 07’s offer of Level 3 semi-autonomous driving abilities. This is enabled through the full-swing of active driver assist (ADAS) primed, which also includes GWM’s novel Wisdom Dodge System (WDS).

A full-swing of ADAS features, plus GWM's novel Wisdom Dodge System (WDS), as well as  Integration Intelligent Parking (IIP) and Automatic Reverse Assist (ARA) functions sees the ORA 07 boast Level 3 semi-autonomous driving abilities.

In the case of the Performance variant, there’s also the added Integration Intelligent Parking (IIP) and Automatic Reverse Assist (ARA) functions. Apart from that, staple ADAS present include adaptive cruise control (ACC) with stop-go, autonomous emergency braking (AWB), and more.

In Thailand, the ORA 07 carries a starting price of THB 1,299,000 (approx. RM RM172,393) in base Long Range form, whereas the Performance guise is tagged at a higher THB1,499,000 (approx. RM198,604).

In Thailand, the ORA 07 retails from RM172,393 onwards.

With its official entry into the Thai market, it seems almost certain that the ORA 07 could make landfall in Malaysia, perhaps sometime next year. Fuelling this is the accelerated local efforts of GWM’s Malaysian arm to expand its network and localisation (CKD) efforts.

Would you fancy this Chinese-made ‘discounted electric Porsche Panamera’ of sorts if it's launched here? Or would you rather shell out the extra Ringgits for a proper ‘poor man’s Porsche Taycan’ instead in the form of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 streamliner? Or perhaps you'd wait a for its BYD Seal rival to land?

As always, hit the comments below with your take…