Eight years after the launch of its latest sedan, one of the great Chinese manufacturers, Great Wall returns to this segment but does so by neglecting the popular segments and instead aiming high, or rather the top of the market.
Today the Great Wall Motor Company Limited Group - which is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange - is present globally with the brands Gwm Pickup, Haval, Tank, Wey and Ora.
The new model has the undisclosed intention of competing in the domestic market - especially in the field of company cars - with the various BMW 7 Series, Maybach and long wheelbase Bentleys.
But also to the Hongqi H9 of the Faw Group which is today adopted by the Beijing management apparatus.
With this objective, Great Wall has announced the birth of the new electric-only and luxury-only ZX brand and has released for the moment a single sketch of the new Chinese flagship which shares some similarities with the rival Hongqi H9.
The car appears even larger, with a more generous wheelbase which suggests the possibility that the ZX could be adopted - in a 100% electric future - as the official state car in place of the Hongqi N701.
Very little is known about this 'green' limousine, except that it should be more than 5.5 meters long, therefore more imposing than the BMW i7 (5.39) and the Mercedes Eqs (5.26) and above all the Hongqi H9 (5,14).
In the official sketch the future ZX - which has nothing to do with the historic Citroen model produced between 1991 and 1998 - shows large wheels, which in reality could have an effective diameter of 23 inches.
There are numerous stylistic elements reminiscent of the Hongqi H9, such as the prominent chrome accent that runs along the base of the doors and then extends vertically (in this case as a diagonal) before the front wheel arch.
And the chrome elements are found in the window frames and in the cameras that act as external rear-view mirrors.
Chinese media anticipate that Great Wall Motors will preview the new flagship ZX as a concept at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show in April while the launch of the (admittedly limited) production model is expected to take place in the fourth quarter.
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