GMW Wey 03 - new luxury SUV from China arrives
With its second SUV in Europe, Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motor is introducing a new nomenclature for the Wey model: Wey Coffee 02 becomes Wey 03. The plug-in hybrid is due to be launched on the market in spring 2024. It has a long electric range, but assistance systems and sensors still need fine-tuning.
Changes to model names or product lines usually cause a lot of confusion in the automotive industry. At least at first, until customers get used to it at some point. The Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motor has nothing to worry about in this respect. The brand is still largely unknown in Europe. And so it is of little concern that a model will now be called Wey 03 instead of Wey Coffee 02 - it is the brand's second SUV in Europe, just over a year after the Coffee 01.
With this strategy, the Coffee 01 will of course also have to give up its old name. Because it is the larger SUV of the two, the strategists at GWM have now christened it Wey 05. Whether there will one day also be a Wey 01, i.e. a small SUV, is currently pure speculation. The Chinese are not letting us look at their cards.
Great Wall Motor has been the market leader for premium SUVs in China for eleven years. This experience is quickly apparent in the Wey 03. The workmanship, surfaces, feel and quality of the interior are of a high standard. The Wey does not have to hide behind competing German products.
This also applies to the ride. The Wey 03 has soft suspension, excellent ride comfort, smooth steering and extremely low interior noise levels. In addition, the seats are well upholstered and offer pleasant lateral support. You quickly feel comfortable in this car, at least if the steering wheel position is right. Unfortunately, the adjustment range is quite small.
Almost everything runs by touch
You have to get used to the cockpit controls. Almost all connectivity, navigation and infotainment functions are operated by touch via the huge screen in the middle. The logic is not immediately obvious and requires a little practice. The designers have combined everything relating to climate control on another display at the front of the center console, similar to what Audi does in the Q8 e-tron. The center console itself contains, as can be seen almost everywhere today, a cup holder, charging slot for the cell phone, storage compartment and the knob for the gear shift.
Wey has gone a little overboard with the sensitivity of various assistance systems. After a while, you think you can tell what the system is complaining about by the beep, ding-dong or beep, be it lane keeping, speed, distraction from the road or whatever. Some things can be deactivated, but only for one journey at a time. As soon as the car is restarted, all sensors are activated again.
BEV part of Ora
In terms of drive technology, Wey is initially relying on plug-in hybrids for all its models. It is quite possible that fully electric vehicles will also be offered at a later date. So far, however, the BEV part is being handled by GWM's second series. It is called Ora.
Under the hood of the Wey 03 is a two-liter turbocharged petrol engine with 150 kW/204 hp. There is also 120 kW/163 hp from the electric motor. Both act on the front wheels. If you choose the all-wheel drive version, there is also an electric motor with an output of 135 kW/184 hp on the rear axle. This gives the Wey 03 a system output of 325 kW or 442 hp.
This makes the 4.67-meter-long mid-range SUV an extremely sporty companion. Acceleration is smooth and seamless thanks to the two electric motors, even if the turbo four-cylinder starts to get involved when a certain amount of power is required. The entire hybrid system appears technically very professionally tuned and harmonizes well with the vehicle.
Record-breaking electric range
The electric range of the Wey 03 is record-breaking. No other manufacturer in this segment equips its plug-in model with a 34 kWh battery. The capacity allows up to 139 kilometers of purely electric driving, making the Chinese SUV almost a fully-fledged electric vehicle. In everyday use, the range is usually sufficient for three days. If you connect the Wey 03 to the wallbox at home in good time, you will only hear anything from the combustion engine when you go on longer trips or when you press the accelerator pedal hard.
GWM gives the combined fuel consumption as just 0.5 liters per 100 kilometers, a figure that is unfortunately of no use in reality. If you drive the first 100 kilometers electrically with a full battery, the fuel consumption is logically zero. If you drive with an empty battery and therefore almost exclusively with the petrol engine, the display can quickly show 10 liters per 100 kilometers.
Great Wall Motor is not yet giving an exact price for its Wey 03, as the market launch is not until early 2024. The already well-equipped base model is expected to start at around 45,000 euros. The all-wheel drive version is likely to cost around 53,000 euros, as it comes with a higher level of equipment. This may sound like a lot, but compared to competitors such as the Volvo XC60 and BMW X3, it is almost a bargain.
Technical data GMW Wey 03
- Five-door, five-seater SUV in the upper mid-size class
- Length: 4.67 meters, width: 1.89 meters, height: 1.73 meters, wheelbase: 2.75 meters, trunk capacity: 517-1289 liters
- Front-wheel drive: 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, 150 kW/204 hp, electric motor at the front, output 120 kW/163 hp, system output 270 kW/367 hp, system torque: 500 Nm, 9-speed dual-clutch transmission, battery capacity 34 kWh, electric range 130 km, 0-100 km/h: 7.3 s, Vmax: 230 km/h, standard consumption: 0.5 liters/100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 emissions: 15 g/km (WLTP), emissions standard: Euro 6d, price: from circ 45.000 euros
- All-wheel drive: 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, 150 kW/204 hp, electric motor at the front, output 120 kW/163 hp, electric motor at the rear, output 135 kW/184 hp, system output 325 kW/442 hp, system torque: 685 Nm, 9-speed dual-clutch transmission, battery capacity 34 kWh, electric range 139 km, 0-100 km/h: 5.3 s, Vmax: 230 km/h, standard consumption: 0.5 liters/100 kilometers (WLTP), CO2 emissions: 15 g/km (WLTP), emissions standard: Euro 6d, price: from approx. 53.000 euros
Source: www.ntv.de
