GWM Sar Mecha Dragon Set For Revival Under ORA EV SubBrand

Great Wall Motor (GWM) has made a surprising announcement to revive its Sar Mecha Dragon project under the ORA EV sub-brand. The project had fallen out of the spotlight since 2022, despite initial buzz generated during the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show.

Initially priced at RMB488,000 (RM322,000), the Sar Mecha Dragon boasted innovative features such as four laser radars, ultrasonic radar, and Level 2-assisted driving. However, delivery delays dampened buyer enthusiasm.

GWM, previously known for its successful Haval H6 SUV, faced a blind spot in its long-term plans due to its focus on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, neglecting alternative technologies like electric vehicles (EVs).

However, after the recent corporate restructuring and appointment of Wen Fei as dual CEO for both GWM Sar and GWM ORA, the group aims to address this gap and enhance competitiveness in the EV sector.

GWM’s ORA brand has pushed the electrified mobility agenda hard in recent years and has even made its presence known locally in the Malaysian market with the ORA Good Cat and soon to be launched ORA 07.

The Sar Mecha Dragon revival under the ORA brand name would come with some redesign to the original Sar Mecha Dragon to be relevant to the current times. It would feature a redesigned grille, matrix-style LED headlights, and smart driving plus cockpit solutions provided by Momenta and Huawei.

The rebranded ORA Sar Mecha Dragon would be powered by a dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) setup delivering 400 kW (544 HP) and 763 NM. This setup promises 0-100 KM/H sprints in under 3 seconds too.

Furthermore, the Sar Mecha Dragon will underpin an 800V architecture with a maximum DC charging speed of 480 kW. It would also come primed with a 115 kWh battery setup that promises an estimated range of 802 KM (CLTC).

Despite GWM's recent sales challenges, the reintroduction of the Sar Mecha Dragon to the ORA lineup aims to reposition the brand away from its current "female-oriented" label perception.

However, having said that with an expected premium asking price, securing substantial sales volume would indeed prove to be a challenge as the demand of such offerings in the Chinese market has been lukewarm.

Similar offerings from competitors such as Geely are struggling to secure sales volume, leading to the introduction of more budget friendly options. Brands that would want to remain exclusively premium such as HiPhi are also struggling to make ends meet, leading to a temporary seizure in operation.