GWM’s sub-brand Ora is preparing to unleash a battery-powered retro hatchback that harks back to one of the most iconic small cars of the last century.
Set to be revealed at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show, the Ora takes clear inspiration from the original Volkswagen Beetle, but with a few sprinkles of Chrysler PT Cruiser thrown in for good measure.
Apart from releasing these teaser images, the sub-brand is not telling us anything about its new creation just yet, but the Chinese carmaker has at least shown us inside the cabin. Here the retro vibes continue in full force, albeit with a modern touchscreen infotainment system and some swanky touches like turbine-style air vents and an abundance of silver and chrome trim.
Ora hasn’t even given a name to its new hatchback yet, but the company has reportedly asked the public to vote for one online. The options presented so far include Royal Cat, Persian Cat, Big Orange Cat, Noble Cat, Elf Cat and Punk Cat, but as InsideEVs points out, perhaps ‘Copy Cat’ should be added to the mix?
Another interesting fact, according to CarNewsChina is that BMW has just signed a contract with Ora, which will see the latter produce battery-powered Minis in China. But they won’t be the same Minis that we know, instead they will be based around its platforms.
