Great Wall Motor (GWM) has officially signaled the arrival of its sixth brand, a project set to take the automaker into the ultra-luxury segment. In a teaser posted to Weibo on 19th December, Li Fei, GWM’s Director of Chassis-by-Wire Technology, shared silhouette images of a vehicle that is clearly different from the company’s existing portfolio. GWM currently has five established vehicle brands, and by the look of things, a sixth might be on the way.
Li Fei shared the images with the caption, “Haval, Wey, Tank, ORA, Great Wall Cannon… none of them match up. Is Great Wall’s sixth brand coming?” GWM’s current brands include Haval, Wey, and Ora, focusing on mass-market SUVs, premium SUVs, and trendy pure EVs, respectively. The other two brands are Tank, in the off-road segment, and Poer, GWM’s pickup division.
In his post, Li Fei also gave a brief preview of the new car, stating that “its exterior design contrasts sharply with Great Wall’s existing five brands. He also stated, “this is clearly not a simple addition to the product line, but rather a new product in an entirely new product series.”
The Old Money Appeal
While the Chinese luxury market has been flooded with aerodynamic, screen-packed spaceships like the Huawei-backed Maextro S800 and BYD’s Yangwang U7, GWM is making a contrarian bet on old-money aesthetics.
The visual details released are sparse but telling. The silhouette outlines vintage car styling, featuring a massive vertical waterfall grille, rounded headlights, and a prestigious standing hood ornament. This design language speaks less to the tech-savvy Silicon Valley crowd and more to the patrons of Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
By focusing on heritage styling, GWM is attempting to offer a status symbol that purely digital EVs struggle to replicate.
Project ZX
Industry insiders have identified this vehicle as “Project ZX” (codenamed Zixin), a top-secret initiative driven by GWM’s “Ultra Luxury Business Group” established earlier this year.
This new sedan and brand are seemingly Chairman Wei Jianjun’s passion project. Wei has reportedly appointed himself Chairman of this specific brand, signaling its importance. Other top executives include Song Dongxian (former VP of Technology) as CEO, with Zhang Xiaobo as CTO.
GWM finds itself in a precarious middle market squeeze, flanked by BYD’s volume dominance and Huawei’s premium tech machines. This new brand is set to be a high-quality, low-volume play intended to prove that GWM can manufacture world-class luxury vehicles, shedding its image as a maker of only agricultural pickups and mass-market SUVs.
Under the Hood: The Return of the V8?
Perhaps the most significant differentiator for Project ZX is its powertrain. While competitors like the Maextro S800 rely on range-extender platforms with smaller combustion engines, intelligence suggests the Project ZX sedan, measuring a staggering 5.5 meters in length, will be powered by GWM’s in-house 4.0T V8 engine. This will likely be paired with the Hi4 hybrid system.
Launching a V8-powered, retro-styled limousine in a market rapidly shifting toward Level 3 autonomous driving and pure electrification is a bold, if not stubborn, move. Wei Jianjun is wagering that at the very top of the pyramid, buyers still crave mechanical power over soulless EVs.
Project ZX Specs
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Codename | Project ZX (Zixin) |
| Segment | D+ Ultra-Luxury Sedan (approx. 5,500mm) |
| Key Rivals | Maextro S800, Hongqi Guoya, Rolls-Royce Ghost |
| Design Ethos | “Mechanical Luxury” (Retro/Vintage) vs. Competitors’ “Cyber/Digital” |
| Powertrain | Expected 4.0T V8 + Hi4 Hybrid System |
| Leadership | Wei Jianjun (Chair), Song Dongxian (CEO) |
