► GWM Ora Funky Cat will be renamed the Ora 03
► GWM’s recipe for European success involves making its brands more cohesive
► ‘Next Cat’ will become Ora 07; European Wey Coffee models become Wey 03 and 05
The Ora Funky Cat will soon be no more. Parent company Great Wall Motors has euthanised its hip feline, renaming the electric hatchback to the GWM Ora 03 as part of a push to rationalise its European branding.
Ora previously acted as a standalone, fashion-led sub-brand within Great Wall Motors, but as part of a new ‘One GWM’ branding strategy it will be downgraded to a model name. Future models from the company will follow the same structure, with the so-called ‘Next Cat’ (also known as the Lightning Cat and the Grand Cat) adopting the moniker GWM Ora 07 when it launches in Europe.
Hybrid brand Wey, which sells SUVs in continental Europe, will see its Wey Coffee 01 and 02 models become the GWM Wey 05 and the GWM Wey 03 respectively. They’ll still be called the Wey Mocha and Wey Latte in China, though. Wey and Ora remain separate brands, GWM says, but are ‘united by features common to all models’. Sounds distinctly Stellantis-y to us.
The branding will be adopted fully in Europe in January 2024, and GWM says it will help it evolve from a ‘house of brands’ to a ‘branded house’. We’re sure they’re intended to be different things. The numerical nomenclature is already used in other markets including Australia, South Africa and Singapore.
Toby Marshall, GWM Ora’s UK managing director, commented: “This latest brand strategy update affirms GWM’s commitment to the European region and the UK market in particular, where ORA Funky Cat has made a real statement already. We now move forward into 2024 and beyond with a new global brand strategy and many exciting new products on the horizon. I look forward to sharing more news about our full ORA 03 line-up and our highly anticipated ORA 07 very soon.”
New GWM Ora 07 to launch in 2024
GWM Ora has teased a new electric saloon which is destined to reach the European market in early 2024. It’ll sit above the Ora 03 (nee Funky Cat) in the company’s line-up and become a fresh rival for the likes of the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and BMW i4.
The new electric saloon is already on sale in China, where it’s called the Ora Lightning Cat. However, when it hits the UK it’ll be named the Ora 07, in keeping with GWM’s latest corporate strategy.
Prices and full specifications are yet to be announced, although GWM Ora has confirmed they’ll be released towards the end of 2023. The saloon’s biggest rival will be the Tesla Model 3 and, to drag buyers away from that car, it’ll need to beat its recently lowered £39,000 starting price.
GWM Ora says its new electric saloon will have a maximum range of more than 300 miles and a choice of either two- or four-wheel drive powertrains. For the time being, GWM has only announced European performance specs for the latter option. It’ll have an output of around 400bhp and 500lb/ft of torque, which Ora says is enough for 0–62mph time of 4.4 seconds.
In China, the entry-level front-wheel drive model has an output of 201bhp and a maximum range of 438 miles. Both variants are fed by an 82kWh battery pack, which we expect will be retained for the European-spec cars.
The Ora 07 won’t be the only project to come from GWM Ora in the next few years, though. Read on to learn more about the upcoming new derivates of the 03 and the company’s technical partnership with BMW.
What about the Ora 03?
It’s still around – and GWM Ora has big plans for the hatchback. The First Edition model has a starting price of £31,995 and a 48kWh battery pack that offers a maximum range of 193 miles, but its line-up will start expanding.
First to reach the market will be a more expensive 63kWh variant with a maximum range of 260 miles. This will be named the First Edition+ and bafflingly be limited to just 50 units, but a volume trim should hit the market soon after. It’ll cost from £33,795.
Ora is also planning a sub-£30,000 version of the 03 which will allow it to play more in the space of the budget-friendly MG 4.
In addition, Ora has previewed a hot hatch-style GT trim level with two-tone alloys, a rear spoiler, diffuser and sports seats. The First Edition has just one power output – 126kW/169bhp, good for an 8.3-second 0–62mph sprint – but sources say the Chinese are considering a performance upgrade.
Where can I kick the Ora 03’s tyres?
International Motors Group – the Midlands-based company which imports Subaru and Isuzu in the UK, Ireland and Sweden – has the licence to Ora. The firm has seven retailers, most of which are in southern England, although there are dealers as far afield as Belfast and Glasgow.
Chances are, you’ll have a retailer nearby if you’re interested – and it shouldn’t be too hard to keep your car on the road, either, as there are a further 13 aftersales centres. Naturally you can buy an 03 online too.
The cars are covered by a five-year warranty, rising to eight years and 100,000 miles for the powertrain. International Motors (IM) says it took 8000 expressions of interest last year and it hopes to deliver 5000 cars during 2023.
Tell me about Ora’s partnership with BMW
Great Wall Motors founded the Ora brand in 2018 and it shifted 135,000 units in 2021 across its feline range. But Ora has several sister brands, such as Wey and Haval (which sell SUVs and crossovers) and Poer (that sells pick-up trucks).
GWM also has also entered a 50:50 partnership with BMW called Spotlight Automotive, to co-engineer and assemble future Minis at a factory in Jiangsu province. The plant has a capacity of 160,000 vehicles and will assemble the new MINI Aceman, a five-door electric crossover coming in 2024. Both the four metre-long Aceman and the Funky Cat share a platform, codenamed A0.
