South Africa’s newest Chinese Brand, GAC Motor, has announced its second product for South Africa and it’s certainly a head turner.
Revealed at a glitzy event staged by the brand’s local importer, Salvador Caetano Group, at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg on Tuesday night, the GAC Emkoo joins the smaller Emzoom that was announced to local media earlier in August.
Slotting above the latter, the Emkoo boasts an even bolder exterior design, with striking V-shaped grille elements, triple-element headlights and a coupe-inspired silhouette. The 4.68 metre-long crossover is not too dissimilar in concept to Haval’s H6 GT.
Set to go on sale in September, the Emkoo is available in two variants, with the Executive model priced at R599,900 and the Executive Plus stickered at R659,900.
As per the smaller Emzoom, the Emkoo is powered by a 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine that offers up 130kW and 270Nm.
Given the added weight, it’s not going to be as peppy as its smaller sibling, which has been praised by local media for its sporty driving characteristics, but it should prove adequate nonetheless.
Power goes to the front wheels only, via a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.
The Emkoo’s interior was inspired by an aircraft vector thruster, with round interior elements augmented by an ambient lighting system that seemingly wants to beam you up.
It’s highly digitised, as you’d expect by now, thanks to a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Phone Screen Mirroring, and the driver faces a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster.
Even the ‘base’ Executive is well stocked, with standard equipment including a glass roof with electric sunshades, Surround View Camera System, keyless start, Type A and Type C USB ports and a glut of driver-assist gadgets such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Detection and Autonomous Emergency Braking.
The Executive Plus adds electric tailgate functionality to the equation along with Heads Up Display, wireless phone charging, interior ambient lighting system and heated and ventilated front seats, with seat memory position for the driver.
Externally, both have LED headlights as standard, with the Executive rolling on 18-inch alloys and the Executive Plus upgrading to 19” rims.
The vehicles are sold with a 150,000km warranty and 100,000km service plan, both valid for five years.
The Salvador Caetano Group, which represents 36 automotive brands in 44 countries around the world, aims to have 20 South African dealerships up and running by the end of 2024, with plans to expand that to 30 in 2025 and 40 in 2026.
IOL Motoring