Foreshadowing the concept car of the same name, presented last year at the Canton Motor Show, the production version Wei Yuan Meng was unveiled at the Chengdu Motor Show last week: this new Chinese hybrid from the chain Great Wall Motor Group (GWM) is undoubtedly the most unusual model of the year, its styling looks straight out of the 1950s, a cross between the Volkswagen Beetle and the Chrysler PT Cruiser…

YuanMeng means “dream come true” in Chinese. Technically, the model is derived from the Ora Punk Cat, another model that bets on the neo-retro card: Ora, one of the other brands of the Great Wall Motor group, is actually a specialist in this exercise, while Wei has instead focused on more conventional SUVs.

Wey YuanMeng: Neo-retro style

Aesthetically, the design of the Wey YuanMeng is reminiscent of certain productions from the 1950s, such as the Peugeot 203, with a good dose of glitz. There is an impressive grille with thickness chrome stripsprominent fenders, chrome bumpers or fully chrome rims, not to mention the curved rear trunk.

The model with a length of 4.83 meters and a wheelbase of 2.92 meters has several modern elements, such as a glass sunroof or even LED opticswhich we find in its round headlights at the front and taillights, not forgetting the two small lights we find on the rear bumper.

It looks like China is replicating what Mitsuoka is doing in Japan. The brand new WEY Yuanmeng (which means “dream come true” 🫥) is based on ORA Punk Cat #neoclassics #mitsuoka #ora #retrocar #dreamornightmare pic.twitter.com/UsCRWPYrkd

— Chris Reese (@quillerrees) August 30, 2022

Wey YuanMeng: Hybrid engine

Under the hood we find a plug-in hybrid engine combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, an electric motor and a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission. Its total capacity is 238 horsepower at 520 Nm of torque, and 100% electric autonomy is claimed at the level 195 km.

Covers for petrol and electric charging are built into the rear fenders on both sides of the car. Later, Wey will also launch a 100% electric motor on the YuanMeng, as well as an all-wheel drive version.

Wey YuanMeng: high-end interior

Inside, there’s a cabin reminiscent of the latest Mercedes, with turbine-shaped air vents, as well as a dashboard that incorporates a huge black slabintegrating three large screens : one for the instrument panel, one for the infotainment system and the last one for the entertainment of the front passenger. The center console has a substantial appearance and includes a large storage space, accessed via a bi-folding armrest.

At the moment, Wey YuanMeng should only be sold in China, but arrival in Europe cannot be ruled out. Indeed, Great Wall Motor is about to conquer the Old Continent with its two brands, Wey and Ora, and soon we will see a more complete range arriving in our region.

Great Wall Motor’s WEY Yuanmeng has made the MIIT list.

– Body dimensions: 4830 × 1995 × 1725 mm, wheelbase 2915 mm;

– The curb weight is divided into 2155/2270 kg depending on the configuration;

– Available tire sizes 255/50 R20 and 265/45 R21. #WHEY #PHEV #GWM pic.twitter.com/lBEzakOKGn

— 42HOW (@42how_) May 13, 2022