Auto Shanghai 2021: Ora presents four-door electric Beetle

Under the umbrella of Great Wall, several brands are now bustling. Fully electric and with colorful retro charm, "Ora" operates here, starting with a Smart For-Four clone and increasingly relying on the retro card. The highlight of this approach is showcased at the Shanghai Motor Show 2021, where an electric vehicle reminiscent of 1950s Beetles will be displayed. The rear of the Ora also mimics the oval taillights of early Beetle models but offers a large smooth tailgate. Inside, it's pure retro again: Lots of chrome, steering wheel with horn ring, and round air vents in the turbine design of the 50s. Additionally, there is a control island on the dashboard with a modern touchscreen.

Ora didn't go quite as wild with the "Good Cat," a compact electric vehicle about 4.2 meters long that also entices Chinese customers with large round headlights. Cats are popular at Ora: the brand already offers two Smart clones named White Cat and Black Cat. The retro theme of the "Good Cat" is supported by the large round headlights at the front and two-tone paint jobs. According to Car News China, the Ora Good Cat measures 4,235 millimeters in length, 1,825 millimeters in width, and stands 1,596 millimeters tall. The wheelbase is 2,650 millimeters.

And since Great Wall is cooperating with BMW and will also be responsible for future Minis, one can already speculate that maybe a four-door Mini (perhaps only for China) could be built on the same platform. The front-wheel-drive engine delivers 143 HP, with a torque of 210 Newton meters. The range is said to be up to 501 kilometers, which would be very generous for this class.

What does that mean?

Ora is evolving into an interesting retro-niche brand for compact electric models in China, which, apart from the "good cat," mostly have European inspirations. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting development. It will be exciting to see how the stark retro design is received—since the line to kitsch is very narrow here—making Great Wall's effort with its "cats" and perhaps even a Beetle in the future all the more daring.