Great Wall’s Futurist Concept Looks Like The Lovechild Of A Ford Mustang And BMW 2002

One of the most interesting concept vehicles unveiled at the 2020 Beijing Auto Show is Great Wall Motors‘ Futurist study.

Devoid of badging, the concept envisions a retro-styled luxury electric sedan that may or may not transition into a production model from Great Wall, Haval, Wey, Ora or any other brand the Chinese automaker plans to launch in the future.

As things stand right now, offering this car under the Wey brand would make sense since we’re talking about a luxury car; however, the electric propulsion would also make it a good fit for the ORA marque, as would its retro design.

While the styling clearly looks to the past (mostly of other brands), the Futurist name is likely a reference to the model’s all-electric powertrain. It appears that Great Wall designers took inspiration from many iconic vehicles and we’re sure you’ll detect more of them than we did.

The front end sends strong Ford Mustang vibes, while the proportions somehow remind of the BMW 2002. The concept features clean lines and striking details like the tiny chromed rearview cameras, round fog lights reminiscent of a Mini Cooper, and multi-spoke wheels that could easily wear Alpina badges. Exterior highlights also include the suicide doors with frameless windows, lack of B-pillars, and pop-out door handles.

Inside, the Futurist looks both retro and modern, featuring an large, three-spoke steering wheel with tactile buttons on the upper spokes, turbine-look vents with climate control buttons in the center, a round digital instrument panel, and a freestanding widescreen display at the center of the dash. There are four seats with integrated headrests inside, and each pair is separated by a tall console with a transparent glass touch control unit on top.

According to CarNewsChina, the Futurist Project was overseen by former Land Rover designer Phil Simmons, who also penned the Haval Big Dog SUV. Great Wall Motors says the Futurist is based on its new Lemon platform which can accommodate ICE, PHEV, EV, and FCV powertrains.

In this case, the all-electric powertrain features a cobalt-free battery enabling a driving range of 700 kilometers (435 miles). When it comes to technology, the study features Level 3 autonomous driving and voice control capability.