AutoBeta(AutoBeta.net)05/02 Report--

On May 1, the new Chuanqi Shadow Leopard officially launched four models with a price range of 11.80-158000 yuan. The new car is mainly upgraded for appearance and interior, and the power still offers 1.5T and 2.0T options for different versions. As a reference, the 2023 Shadow Leopard has launched a total of 8 models with a price range of 108000-158000 yuan.

In terms of appearance, the new car provides two different style options, the overall continuation of the 2023 model design, but the front enclosure and other details of the modeling black processing, the visual effect is more athletic. The front face uses a large forward air grille, with domineering ventilation openings on both sides, and similar "fangs" decoration is added to the grille, which is full of attack. In addition, the LED light source with longitudinal layout is used inside the headlamp group of the new car, and the ventilation openings with vertical layout on both sides are surrounded in front to create a more sporty atmosphere. Shadow Leopard S cancels the color collision design and is replaced by "blackening" treatment, which further improves the sense of movement.

On the side of the body, the new car adopts the usual slip-back design of a sports-style car, the side waistline runs through the body to the rear, and the lifting line under the door creates a ready posture. In addition, the new car 2.0T model is also surrounded by black front, and a new super star silver car paint is added, and the whole model is upgraded to Michelin R18 performance rims. In terms of size, the length, width and height of the new car are 4700 (4753) / 1850/1432mm, and the wheelbase is 2736mm. In the rear part, the new car uses split taillights and fumigation treatment, and is equipped with a small size tail wing and bilateral four-out exhaust design to enhance the hierarchical sense of the vehicle.

In the interior part, the new car is mainly upgraded for details and configuration. The car is wrapped with a large number of soft materials, which makes it feel more comfortable. The layout continues to continue the symmetrical embracing center console design, but the texture of the decorative panel is fine-tuned. The car-machine system is equipped with standard Carplay mobile phones. Standard main driving seat electric adjustment, front seat heating, 32-color atmosphere lamp, Yamaha brand audio, dual-zone automatic air conditioning and other functions.

In the power section, the Shadow Leopard S and Shadow Leopard R-Style are equipped with a 1.5T engine with a maximum power of 130kW and peak torque of 270Nm, matching a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox; the Shadow Leopard R Pro and Shadow Leopard R Max versions are equipped with a 2.0T engine with a maximum power of 195kW and a peak torque of 400Nm, matching an eight-speed manual integrated gearbox. In addition, the 2024 Shadow Leopard R Max and R Pro models will also be equipped with a front suspension tower top balance rod in the engine cabin.

Chuanqi Shadow Leopard, Chuanqi EMPOW55, was first unveiled at the 2020 Guangzhou International Auto Show. The car is based on GAC MOTOR GPMA platform. It is the first sports car under this platform and is positioned as a compact car. In March 2021, the car launched its first dynamic test at the Bosch Automobile Test Center in the East China Sea and achieved a speed of 0-100 km in 6.95 seconds. Since then, the Chinese name of the car has been officially named "Shadow Leopard". In August of the same year, Shadow Leopard launched four models with a price range of 9.88-128000 yuan. As GAC MOTOR's first sports sedan, Shadow Leopard successfully made GAC MOTOR soar by virtue of its individual sports style and people-to-people price. According to the data, the sales from August to December of 2021 are 3900, 6153, 10021, 10050 and 7106 respectively.

In May 2022, GAC MOTOR Shadow Leopard R-sytle track version went on sale at a price of 136800 yuan. As an upgraded version of Chuanqi Shadow Leopard, the appearance of Shadow Leopard R-sytle track version has been improved. In July of the same year, the Shadow Leopard R-style track version went on sale in Haikou City; in September of the same year, the Chinese Shadow Leopard Galaxy fighter version went on sale in Changsha with a new car price of 136800 yuan. But with changing consumer demand and more and more strong competing models on the market, Shadow Leopard has been squeezed in the car market, with sales falling, with retail sales of 45740 in 2022 and 41677 in 2023, according to retail data.

As a compact car owned by GAC MOTOR, the car mainly competes with Honda Civic, Chery Arize 8, Lecker 03, SAIC Volkswagen Lingdu and Beijing Hyundai Elantra in the car market. The latest retail figures show that Shadow Leopard sold 6000 vehicles from January to March, compared with 2790, 1714 and 1496 from January to March, making it difficult to perform well in the same class.

Considering the overall performance of the new car, the new car is younger as a whole after further upgrading, so can the new Shadow Leopard surpass the competition and become a turning point for GAC MOTOR? From the point of view of the price, the price of the entry-level model has increased by 10,000 yuan, I am afraid it is difficult to increase sales.

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