Unfamiliar names at the 2024 Motor Show?
12 Jan 2024|7,432 views
The drill should be familiar by now.
Every January brings with it a wave of activity as our favourite carmakers storm Suntec Convention Centre with bright booths and shiny cars. The presence of concept cars always holds the potential of something fresh - but even so, we look forward to this under the pretext of expecting something new from a name we already know.
The market, nonetheless, is rapidly shifting. As electrification rapidly takes hold, so too has the space for new - and unfamiliar - entrants widened considerably. As you head into town this weekend for the 2024 Motor Show, here's a quick primer to demystify an onslaught of brands that may sound foreign to you.
1. Omoda
Background: Chery is not quite the name we once knew.
Once defined almost singularly by the pint-sized QQ, the brand has now spread its wings further to encompass a wide variety of sub-brands domestically. These range from budget (Jetour), to premium (Exeed), and even all the way to luxury (Luxeed).
For now, however, only two sub-brands have been carved out for the wider international market, and the first of them, Omoda, is making its presence felt at the 2024 Motor Show. The name is apparently derived from a combination of 'oxygen' (o-) and 'modern' (-moda).
What's in Singapore now: Omoda is being grandly ushered into Singapore with the all-electric E5. While combustion-powered and plug-in hybrid variants exist abroad (simply called the Omoda 5), it appears that the plan is for the Omoda brand to be electric-only on our shores.
A note of caution: If you're looking for a price tag at the Motor Show, you'll have to wait a while more as the E5 is only being previewed across the weekend. As such, exact powertrain details (as well as COE category-classification) remain unclear, although we understand that the car has the BYD Atto 3 and MG 4 EV in its crosshairs.
Nonetheless, appointed dealer Vertex Automobile says that the car should be launched in Q1 2024, and has already opened registrations for interested customers.
Future of the brand?: While nothing else appears to be on the way currently from Omoda, attention should certainly be directed to the other sub-brand in Chery's international stable: Jaecoo. As part of a larger strategic partnership inked with Chery International, Vertex Automobile is also set to distribute the brand here.
Sgcarmart understands that at least one model, the Jaecoo 7, has been confirmed for the marque for now. Boxier, and visibly larger than the Omoda E5, the Jaecoo 7 will also be different in one crucial way: It's currently only offered with ICE and plug-in hybrid powertrain variants.
2. Farizon Auto
Background: If you thought Chery's roster of sub-brands was long enough to overwhelm, wait till you hear about Geely's.
The larger Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH) takes charge of more than 10 brands across its entire portfolio. Some of them are more well-known, storied acquisitions by the firm, including Lotus, Volvo and Proton. Others, however, are fully homegrown. Farizon Auto is one of them, established in 2016 specially for commercial vehicles.
European and Japanese marques currently rule Singapore's commercial vehicle landscape, but the Chinese are increasingly making their presence felt. If Farizon Auto's domestic presence is anything to go by, it could be a big player here too. With more than 150,000 new energy commercial vehicles thus far back home, it's currently one of China's market leaders.
What's in Singapore now: The first model to wear the Farizon badge here is the H9E, a purely electric light truck that distributor Hong Seh EVolution says is designed to meet the demands of urban logistics.
The H9E has a range of more than 300km, and supports fast charging between 20 to 80% in less than 40 minutes. The truck is also equipped with a water-cooling system that ensures its battery health is maintained even in high temperatures and dry conditions.
Future of the brand?: You might soon start to see a narrow-eyed new competitor to high-roof variants of the Toyota Hiace on our shores.
Dubbed the SuperVan, the likely follow-up to the H9E will boast not just great passenger space thanks to its electric platform, but a robust suite of driver's assistance systems, and revolutionary drive-by-wire tech. Its arrival in Singapore has already been teased by the brand's authorised dealer, Hong Seh EVolution.
3. LEVC
Background: Yet another name under ZGH's large portfolio is LEVC, which stands for the London Electric Vehicle Company.
While the company is mostly known for manufacturing the taxis plying London's bustling city streets, the company is clearly also venturing into new territory. Evidence: What's been showcased at the Motor Show, and also what it unveiled just last month.
What's in Singapore now: LEVC enters Singapore with the VN5, a plug-in hybrid panel van. The onboard-engine isn't used to power the wheels directly, though, functioning instead as a range extender to generate power for the battery.
If you've been to London, the VN5's face will look quite familiar, since it shares the koala-like front (our words) of the TX1 black cab. Come round to the rear, however, and things are more conventionally van-like, with its tall panels, squarish rear and slim vertical taillights.
With a full charge of its battery, the VN5 has a claimed pure electric range of more than 130km, but bring in the range extender, and the total goes up to more than 400km.
Future of the brand?: We mentioned earlier that LEVC has been doing some serious branching out recently - and the development we saw last month from the firm might prove to be its most adventurous one yet.
Moving the brand for the first time into passenger-car territory will be its first fully-electric MPV, the L380. This will be built atop of Geely's Space Oriented Architecture, and be offered in six or eight-seater variants. Technical details haven't even been revealed internationally yet, but Hong Seh, also its distributor, says it plans to bring this to Singapore eventually.
4. SERES
Background: We're not done yet with the Chinese supergroups.
Starting life in 1986 as a components-maker for electric appliances and automotive seats, Sokon Group has since grown, and rebranded itself into SERES Group, a manufacturer of passenger cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles.
One of its subsidiaries, DFSK, should already be familiar; it has the fully-electric EC35 light van and EC31 light truck, both of which started plying our roads last year. But under the distributorship of Hong Seh once again, SERES Group is now debuting its eponymous passenger-car marque, SERES, at the Motor Show.
What's in Singapore now: Like the Omoda E5, the SERES 3 is not technically on sale yet, but visitors of the Motor Show can still get up close with the car at the brand's booth on Level 3.
The SERES 3 is a compact, all-electric SUV that is said to be "aimed at budget-minded buyers". We've already gone into fuller detail about what to expect from the all-electric SUV here, but you'll want to note quickly that this will have a Category A-friendly powertrain, and undercut the BYD Atto 3 in price.
Plans are apparently well afoot to launch the SERES 3 soon, with the SUV set to hit our roads by the second quarter of this year.
Future of the brand?: Sgcarmart understands that the SERES brand will expand in the near future with at least one more model in the pipeline, said to be a grander and more premium offering.
What this will be exactly remains under wraps for now. Cryptically, however, a spokesperson for Hong Seh has pointed us towards other cars already under the SERES brand. One other SUV, the SERES 5, bears direct SERES-badging, but look further up the range and you'll come across the SERES 7, rebadged from the AITO 7, which was created in collaboration with Huawei's automotive division.
Larger than the 3, the SERES 7 has room for three rows of seats, and comes with either rear or all-wheel-drive internationally.
5. Denza
Background: We're cheating slightly here - and venturing out of the Convention Centre to the Level 1 atrium of Suntec City. Nonetheless, this name well deserves its spot amidst the bustling activity of the Motor Show-weekend.
Denza might sound unfamiliar initially, but dig deeper and you'll realise that its parent company is a name we've actually grown quite familiar in recent years: BYD.
BYD's grand ambitions are probably already clear for all to see; it surpassed Tesla in EV deliveries in 2023. As such, Denza's positioning as a luxury carmaker makes complete sense as the logical next step towards widening the brand's reach.
There are serious credentials to back up that 'luxury' claim too, since Denza actually has the backing of one of the most recognised names in the luxury world: The Mercedes-Benz Group. While Denza started out as a 50:50 joint venture between the German company and BYD, however, the former's stake has been reduced over the years to just 10%.
What's in Singapore now: The first Denza model that Vantage Automotive has brought to our shores for a special showcase is the D9, an all-electric MPV that looks set to take the fight straight to the Toyota Vellfire, Maxus MIFA 9 and Hyundai Staria.
Technical details for the D9 cannot be confirmed yet, but based on first impressions (both during our time in Shenzhen last year, and with the display unit at Suntec), BYD's claims of luxury are well-founded. As with a MPV of this stature, second-row passengers in the D9 can be treated to plush and reclinable captain's chairs, their own infotainment screens, and detachable touch displays for controlling a multitude of functions.
Internationally, the D9 comes as a plug-in hybrid or a full BEV (battery electric vehicle), with either a single or dual-motor setup. Given BYD's status as a fully-electric brand here, our bets are on the sole arrival of the BEV variants.
Future of the brand?: Denza has two more models in its lineup currently - the N7 and N8 - both of which are compact SUVs that are similarly offered as either plug-in hybrids or BEVs. However, it is unclear for now if Vantage Automotive has plans to bring those models in at the moment.
Don't forget to check out the rest of our coverage of the 2024 Motor Show below!
The drill should be familiar by now.
Every January brings with it a wave of activity as our favourite carmakers storm Suntec Convention Centre with bright booths and shiny cars. The presence of concept cars always holds the potential of something fresh - but even so, we look forward to this under the pretext of expecting something new from a name we already know.
The market, nonetheless, is rapidly shifting. As electrification rapidly takes hold, so too has the space for new - and unfamiliar - entrants widened considerably. As you head into town this weekend for the 2024 Motor Show, here's a quick primer to demystify an onslaught of brands that may sound foreign to you.
1. Omoda
Background: Chery is not quite the name we once knew.
Once defined almost singularly by the pint-sized QQ, the brand has now spread its wings further to encompass a wide variety of sub-brands domestically. These range from budget (Jetour), to premium (Exeed), and even all the way to luxury (Luxeed).
For now, however, only two sub-brands have been carved out for the wider international market, and the first of them, Omoda, is making its presence felt at the 2024 Motor Show. The name is apparently derived from a combination of 'oxygen' (o-) and 'modern' (-moda).
What's in Singapore now: Omoda is being grandly ushered into Singapore with the all-electric E5. While combustion-powered and plug-in hybrid variants exist abroad (simply called the Omoda 5), it appears that the plan is for the Omoda brand to be electric-only on our shores.
A note of caution: If you're looking for a price tag at the Motor Show, you'll have to wait a while more as the E5 is only being previewed across the weekend. As such, exact powertrain details (as well as COE category-classification) remain unclear, although we understand that the car has the BYD Atto 3 and MG 4 EV in its crosshairs.
Nonetheless, appointed dealer Vertex Automobile says that the car should be launched in Q1 2024, and has already opened registrations for interested customers.
Future of the brand?: While nothing else appears to be on the way currently from Omoda, attention should certainly be directed to the other sub-brand in Chery's international stable: Jaecoo. As part of a larger strategic partnership inked with Chery International, Vertex Automobile is also set to distribute the brand here.
Sgcarmart understands that at least one model, the Jaecoo 7, has been confirmed for the marque for now. Boxier, and visibly larger than the Omoda E5, the Jaecoo 7 will also be different in one crucial way: It's currently only offered with ICE and plug-in hybrid powertrain variants.
2. Farizon Auto
Background: If you thought Chery's roster of sub-brands was long enough to overwhelm, wait till you hear about Geely's.
The larger Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (ZGH) takes charge of more than 10 brands across its entire portfolio. Some of them are more well-known, storied acquisitions by the firm, including Lotus, Volvo and Proton. Others, however, are fully homegrown. Farizon Auto is one of them, established in 2016 specially for commercial vehicles.
European and Japanese marques currently rule Singapore's commercial vehicle landscape, but the Chinese are increasingly making their presence felt. If Farizon Auto's domestic presence is anything to go by, it could be a big player here too. With more than 150,000 new energy commercial vehicles thus far back home, it's currently one of China's market leaders.
What's in Singapore now: The first model to wear the Farizon badge here is the H9E, a purely electric light truck that distributor Hong Seh EVolution says is designed to meet the demands of urban logistics.
The H9E has a range of more than 300km, and supports fast charging between 20 to 80% in less than 40 minutes. The truck is also equipped with a water-cooling system that ensures its battery health is maintained even in high temperatures and dry conditions.
Future of the brand?: You might soon start to see a narrow-eyed new competitor to high-roof variants of the Toyota Hiace on our shores.
Dubbed the SuperVan, the likely follow-up to the H9E will boast not just great passenger space thanks to its electric platform, but a robust suite of driver's assistance systems, and revolutionary drive-by-wire tech. Its arrival in Singapore has already been teased by the brand's authorised dealer, Hong Seh EVolution.
3. LEVC
Background: Yet another name under ZGH's large portfolio is LEVC, which stands for the London Electric Vehicle Company.
While the company is mostly known for manufacturing the taxis plying London's bustling city streets, the company is clearly also venturing into new territory. Evidence: What's been showcased at the Motor Show, and also what it unveiled just last month.
What's in Singapore now: LEVC enters Singapore with the VN5, a plug-in hybrid panel van. The onboard-engine isn't used to power the wheels directly, though, functioning instead as a range extender to generate power for the battery.
If you've been to London, the VN5's face will look quite familiar, since it shares the koala-like front (our words) of the TX1 black cab. Come round to the rear, however, and things are more conventionally van-like, with its tall panels, squarish rear and slim vertical taillights.
With a full charge of its battery, the VN5 has a claimed pure electric range of more than 130km, but bring in the range extender, and the total goes up to more than 400km.
Future of the brand?: We mentioned earlier that LEVC has been doing some serious branching out recently - and the development we saw last month from the firm might prove to be its most adventurous one yet.
Moving the brand for the first time into passenger-car territory will be its first fully-electric MPV, the L380. This will be built atop of Geely's Space Oriented Architecture, and be offered in six or eight-seater variants. Technical details haven't even been revealed internationally yet, but Hong Seh, also its distributor, says it plans to bring this to Singapore eventually.
4. SERES
Background: We're not done yet with the Chinese supergroups.
Starting life in 1986 as a components-maker for electric appliances and automotive seats, Sokon Group has since grown, and rebranded itself into SERES Group, a manufacturer of passenger cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles.
One of its subsidiaries, DFSK, should already be familiar; it has the fully-electric EC35 light van and EC31 light truck, both of which started plying our roads last year. But under the distributorship of Hong Seh once again, SERES Group is now debuting its eponymous passenger-car marque, SERES, at the Motor Show.
What's in Singapore now: Like the Omoda E5, the SERES 3 is not technically on sale yet, but visitors of the Motor Show can still get up close with the car at the brand's booth on Level 3.
The SERES 3 is a compact, all-electric SUV that is said to be "aimed at budget-minded buyers". We've already gone into fuller detail about what to expect from the all-electric SUV here, but you'll want to note quickly that this will have a Category A-friendly powertrain, and undercut the BYD Atto 3 in price.
Plans are apparently well afoot to launch the SERES 3 soon, with the SUV set to hit our roads by the second quarter of this year.
Future of the brand?: Sgcarmart understands that the SERES brand will expand in the near future with at least one more model in the pipeline, said to be a grander and more premium offering.
What this will be exactly remains under wraps for now. Cryptically, however, a spokesperson for Hong Seh has pointed us towards other cars already under the SERES brand. One other SUV, the SERES 5, bears direct SERES-badging, but look further up the range and you'll come across the SERES 7, rebadged from the AITO 7, which was created in collaboration with Huawei's automotive division.
Larger than the 3, the SERES 7 has room for three rows of seats, and comes with either rear or all-wheel-drive internationally.
5. Denza
Background: We're cheating slightly here - and venturing out of the Convention Centre to the Level 1 atrium of Suntec City. Nonetheless, this name well deserves its spot amidst the bustling activity of the Motor Show-weekend.
Denza might sound unfamiliar initially, but dig deeper and you'll realise that its parent company is a name we've actually grown quite familiar in recent years: BYD.
BYD's grand ambitions are probably already clear for all to see; it surpassed Tesla in EV deliveries in 2023. As such, Denza's positioning as a luxury carmaker makes complete sense as the logical next step towards widening the brand's reach.
There are serious credentials to back up that 'luxury' claim too, since Denza actually has the backing of one of the most recognised names in the luxury world: The Mercedes-Benz Group. While Denza started out as a 50:50 joint venture between the German company and BYD, however, the former's stake has been reduced over the years to just 10%.
What's in Singapore now: The first Denza model that Vantage Automotive has brought to our shores for a special showcase is the D9, an all-electric MPV that looks set to take the fight straight to the Toyota Vellfire, Maxus MIFA 9 and Hyundai Staria.
Technical details for the D9 cannot be confirmed yet, but based on first impressions (both during our time in Shenzhen last year, and with the display unit at Suntec), BYD's claims of luxury are well-founded. As with a MPV of this stature, second-row passengers in the D9 can be treated to plush and reclinable captain's chairs, their own infotainment screens, and detachable touch displays for controlling a multitude of functions.
Internationally, the D9 comes as a plug-in hybrid or a full BEV (battery electric vehicle), with either a single or dual-motor setup. Given BYD's status as a fully-electric brand here, our bets are on the sole arrival of the BEV variants.
Future of the brand?: Denza has two more models in its lineup currently - the N7 and N8 - both of which are compact SUVs that are similarly offered as either plug-in hybrids or BEVs. However, it is unclear for now if Vantage Automotive has plans to bring those models in at the moment.
Don't forget to check out the rest of our coverage of the 2024 Motor Show below!
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