11:40 am, October 3, 2023
Chinese brand GWM Ora has announced a number of new test-drive centres to support its dealer network.
Eight new centres have opened across the UK and will offer ‘the same lively and colourful corporate identity as the main retailer sites, just on a smaller scale’, the firm said.
Each centre will naturally offer test drives, but also sales and service support. A ‘resident’ EV expert will be on hand to assist customers with queries, and facilitate the test drive, the sale and organise delivery. Lead times are on average around one to two weeks, said GWM Ora.
The centres will be managed by a mix of GWM Ora’s existing dealer network, including Peter Vardy, Chorley and South West.
The new test-drive centres take GWM Ora’s customer service points to 26.
Dealers have so far only been able to sell the Funky Cat in high-spec First Edition trim, but to mark the opening of the centres the brand is adding a special model.
Called the ‘First Edition+’, the trim is limited to just 50 units and comes with a larger 63kWh battery pack, giving up to 260 miles (WLTP tested) of range, heated and cooled massaging front seats, heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof and automatic parking assistance.
It only comes in Aurora Green with a Moonlight White or Starry Black roof, and Mars Red with a Starry Black roof. It goes on sale on October 12 priced at £33,795.
Toby Marshall, GWM Ora UK managing director, said: ‘It’s been almost one year since we launched the Ora Funky Cat First Edition and we’ve had real success in terms of sales and network growth, despite the challenging market conditions.
‘At this point, it feels right to commemorate a year of successful operations with something that we know customers will really appreciate.
‘Our First Edition+ special-edition model further enhances the fun and excitement of Ora Funky Cat with even more features and specification.
‘This limited-edition model provides a taster of what is to come, fostering real anticipation for the full model range launch next year.’
Ora will add a new model to its range next year.
The as-yet-unnamed car is a D-segment electric saloon car designed to rival the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai’s Ioniq 6.
It’ll likely manage around 300 miles on a full charge and come with two- and four-wheel-drive options when it goes on sale early in 2024.
