The new Geely EC7: Technical detail and performance

• More than spacious occupancy
• Comfortable ride
• Abundant storage space

Spacious, comfortable and responsive

Geely’s brand-new EC7, also launching the new luxury sub-brand Emgrand in South Africa, offers a spacious interior, comfortable ride and abundant storage space. This new offering from Geely’s luxury Emgrand range also offers a host of luxury and safety features at a price that will be noticed by buyers and competitors alike.

The chassis of the new Emgrand EC7 has been tuned by PDE, a Dutch company and word leader in chassis tuning. PDE also works with various German and other European luxury car manufacturers, other world-renowned luxury and executive car brands, as well as Geely’s new affiliate, Volvo.

Extensive acoustic testing and development for the improvement of noise and vibration transfer to suit the Emgrand product has also been undertaken by PDE. Sound insulation foam, alongside high quality sound insulation strips and pads, ensure that the interior is a quiet and peaceful private space.

This is needed to insulate the cabin from the otherwise beautiful humming of the powerful power plant.

Engine:

The new Emgrand EC7 is powered by the very capable GeTec-series 4-cylinder 1.8ℓ 16V DOHC petrol engine boasting an all aluminium construction and other light weight technology such as the plastic intake manifold.

The 1 792cc engine also boasts CVVT technology – continuous variable valve timing – capable of adapting the breathing behaviour of each cylinder’s 2 inlet and 2 outlet valves to not only improve performance, but also enhance economy and emissions.

The engine delivers 102kW at 6 000 rpm with 172 NM of torque at 4 200 rpm, with most of it available from between 3 500 and just below 5 000 rpm. This helps the engine to deliver outstanding performance figures of up to 57,2kW/ℓ, making it efficient and economical.

Acceleration at reef altitude is expected to be 10,5 sec from 0 to 100km/h, reaching a top speed of 185 km/h.

Transmission:

The two 1.8-litre launch models are matched to a 5-speed manual transmission as standard, which offers accurate and rapid gear shifting and sensitive and smooth acceleration.

A 6-speed automatic version for the new Emgrand EC7 will be introduced to the local market before the end of the year and as soon as it becomes available for right-hand drive models.

The electronic throttle has a “blip” function, maintaining higher revolutions for a split second while the driver lifts his foot to engage the clutch and change gear. This allows for a smoother and quicker gear change, improving driver control and offering a more engaging driver feel.

Dimensions:

One of the key features of the new Emgrand EC7 is the leg and head room for the front and back occupants.

The vehicle is 4 635mm long, 1 789mm wide and 1 470mm high, with a wheel base of 2 650mm, leaving ample space for occupants. Rear passengers have a massive 931mm from the rear seat back to the back of the front seat, leaving enough legroom for even the tallest of South Africans – even when the front seats are pushed all the way back.

The rear seat configuration includes a 40/60 split with load-through ability, allowing objects of up to 1,8m in length to be transported. The luggage space is 680ℓ with the seats in normal use.

As far as interior storage is concerned, the EC7 has no less than 9 interior storage compartments and 4 cup holders.

The new car, which has an estimated fuel consumption of 7,6ℓ/100km (Chinese test figures) is fitted with a 50ℓ fuel tank, allowing a single trip distance in excess of 660km between fuel stops.

Chassis:

After its PDE treatment, the Emgrand EC7 chassis is described as “more solid and reliable with excellent operability and comfort”.

The suspension is made up of fully independent MacPherson strut type in the front, and semi independent MacPhersons with trailing arms at the rear.

The car has disc brakes all round, coupled to ABS and EBD for maximum stopping power.

Both models are fitted with stylish 16” Alloy wheels with 215/55R16 tyres to ensure outstanding road holding without compromising in-cabin road noise. The EC7 also comes standard with a full-size alloy spare wheel.

ENDS

**Please note this is subject to change without notice**

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GEELY EMGRAND EC7 – THE CHINESE FUTURE IS HERE

• New luxury sub-brand launched
• New EC7 – Top class model at surprising cost
• European quality, safety and spec

VALUE FOR MONEY AT LEVELS NOT SEEN FROM CHINA BEFORE

Geely is about to surprise the South African market with the launch of a new brand and arguably the best value for money sedan in the country. It is the Geely sub-brand Emgrand, much like various top-selling Japanese and German brands with luxury car sub-brands.

The new Geely Emgrand EC7 is exactly that – a high-quality vehicle with high spec as part of a vision to establish a new range for the discerning buyer, but at an affordable price.

Launching from a sniff below R150 000, the high-quality and full-specced new EC7 is a confident competitor in a market flooded by much more expensive cars offering this kind of quality and spec. Two models will be available at launch – the EC7 GL Luxury and the EC7 GT Executive.

With all the electronic bells and whistles expected in anything on offer in this class out of Korea, Japan, Europe and the USA, the new Geely Emgrand EC7 is scheduled to get noticed by buyers and competitors alike.

The EC7 is the privately owned Chinese automaker’s first world model and the result of three years of intense research, testing and development.

“The new EC7 embodies the Geely Automotive Group’s dedication to the highest international standards, and is the ideal model to launch the new luxury Emgrand sub-brand in South Africa,” says Henri Meistre, Managing Director of Geely SA. “It is a car of many firsts, with particular reference to its country of origin and the subsequent competitors.”

The EC7 is based on an entirely new Emgrand platform developed according to a first-class internationally-derived development process. The entire vehicle meets multiple European safety and environmental standards, and is the first and only Chinese vehicle produced by a stand-alone manufacturer to score a full-house of 5 stars in the Chinese NCAP crash tests, and 4 in its very first attempt at the stringent Euro-NCAP collision tests.

Offering outstanding value for money at an unmatched price, the new EC7 is launched with a powerful 1.8-litre 4-cylinder DOHC engine matched to a 5-speed manual transmission with a
6-speed auto version (not yet available for right-hand drive models) following later this year in various international markets.

The new EC7 is a C-segment sedan aimed at families looking for an economic short, medium and long distance vehicle, professionals who need a bigger car offering great value, representatives who spend a lot of time – and distance – behind the wheel, as well as fleet operators and private buyers who do not want to break the bank.

Emgrand is positioned as the luxury sub-brand of Geely Automotive, with massive success in its home country and export markets where the car has been available for the last year. The South African version is fully manufactured in China, and both Egypt and Russia assemble the EC7 in CKD kit form.

The new model is yet to be launched in the UK.

During the research and development phase of the new EC7, the Geely Automobile Research Institute has worked with many internationally renowned specialists, including various European companies. Feedback for local conditions has also been provided by Geely technicians from the Geely SA Research and Development Centre at the company’s independent South African head office in Midrand.

The design team was led by Zhao Fuquan, a former research director at Chrysler’s Global Technology Centre, and now President of the Geely Automobile Research Institute.

From the outside, the new EC7 looks right at home in any European car park. The stunning frontal design boasts a “Black Magic” headlight cluster giving the vehicle an aggressive yet serious look. Features such as height adjustment, daytime running lights and front fog lights come standard in both models.

The new-to-South-Africa red, gold and black Emgrand logo dominates the front grille with chromed horisontal fins beneath a chromed lip on the bonnet. From behind the new Emgrand has a wide but elegant and mature presence, boasting the same prominent logo on the lip of the luggage lid.

The car has a very fashionable and comfortable interior, with abundant space all around. Rear seat passengers will find a surprising amount of leg and head room, as is the case with the front occupants.

The interior design of the EC7 features two and three colour tones on the dashboard and door panels as well as the instrument cluster and middle console. Something that immediately catches the eye, is the soft, but clear blue backlighting of the instrument panel. The centre console houses a CD/radio combination and an easy to operate climate control system standard on both South African launch models.

Powered by the GeTec 1.8-litre engine delivering 102 kW with 172 Nm of torque, the EC7 accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in 10.5 seconds (Chinese figures), reaching a top-speed of approximately 185 km/h. The light-weight all-aluminium engine boasts technological advances such as a plastic intake manifold and CVVT (continuous variable valve timing), to name but a few.

At a launch price of under R150 000, and depending on the model, the new EC7 is loaded with standard equipment, ranging from comfort and luxury features to safety and security systems.

The layout of the cockpit is as ergonomic as it gets, with the main focal point of the driver the small, but easily visible instrument panel. The instrument cluster houses two main dials for speed – vehicle and engine speed – and a unique fuel gauge and water temperature meter made up of the vertical halves of a circle.

Other driver aids include electrical operation for the exterior door mirrors and windows (both models) and driver’s seat (GT only), with the window, central locking and mirror control buttons within arm’s length on the driver’s door.

As far as comfort is concerned, both launch models have leather interior, climate control with easy to control dials in the centre console, and the sound system (radio/CD player) situated directly above. The fully adjustable air vents on the extremes of the dashboard and in the centre console will surprise many with its high quality mechanism absolutely free of even the tiniest of rattles…

Also unexpected from anything out of China – and a direct result of Geely’s new vision for quality – are the low levels of Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) in this car. Transfer of noise from the wind and road surface at any speed is unobtrusive, while engine noise – even at high acceleration – is at just the right level, yet negligible, to realise a positive driving feel. The opening and closing of the doors – usually a tell-tale sign of build quality, or the lack thereof – gives a solid feeling and has a deep, quality sound, not an empty clank as in many modern cars of this day and age.

The new Emgrand EC7, which will be available through each of Geely’s 40 plus dealerships all over South Africa and in Namibia, will be launched at the very competitive price of R149 990 for the GL Luxury and R164 990 for the GT Executive, which apart from the electric driver’s seat also boasts ESC (electronic slip control), 4 additional airbags and an electric sunroof.

Seven exteriors colours are available – Mocha Red, Danaube Blue, Gothic Black, Scotland Red, Athens White, Vienna Gold and Alps Silver.

Both vehicles will be covered by Geely’s 5-year/100 000 km warranty (optional service plans are available) as well as 2-year road side assistance for the ultimate in peace-of-mind motoring.

ENDS

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From refrigerators to cool cars

• Geely started off as refrigerator manufacturer
• 25 years later biggest privately owned Chinese established car manufacturer
• Emgrand launched in 2009 as new venture into high quality vehicles

Emgrand establishes Geely as quality manufacturer

Geely’s luxury brand, Emgrand, was launched in August 2009 as an extension of the company which broke away from inexpensive, basic vehicles to quality cars at an affordable price.

Geely history:

Geely, now a massive private car manufacturer, was founded by Mr. Li Shufu in 1986. Using money borrowed from family, Li Shufu transformed his company from refrigerator-maker into a successful private automaker selling affordable products to inland Chinese consumers.

After starting manufacturing of motorcycles in 1994 when he purchased a failing, state-run firm, Mr. Li’s company started production of small vans in 1998, and three years later received state approval to make automobiles.

Between 2006 and 2008 Geely expressed an aspiration to export to Europe and the United States, and presented its wares at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show in pursuit of this goal. This was followed with a 2006 showing at the Detroit auto show.

Export to the EU and US has been postponed, but is still on the cards.

Geely approached Ford in mid-2008 about a possible takeover of Volvo Cars. On October 28, 2009, Geely was named as the preferred buyer of Volvo by the American automaker. A deal was reached in late March and completed in early August, 2010.

Volvo continues to operate independent of its new owners, but Geely wants to make Volvo-branded cars in China – something Volvo (but not the Chinese State) has agreed to. This will lead to massive synergy, and Geely communicates with the company via a special, twice-yearly meeting.

Emgrand history:

In December 2011 it was announced that Geely would begin selling Chinese designed and manufactured cars in the United Kingdom at the end of 2012, with the first model to go on sale the Emgrand EC7. This car is now launched in South Africa after its successful debut in various other right-hand drive countries, but is yet to be made available in the UK.

Emgrand vehicles will be distributed in the UK by Manganese Bronze Holdings, manufacturers of the iconic London taxi (which Geely took over in February this year), trading under the name Geely Auto UK.

Around the time Geely started negotiating the Volvo take-over, the company had already identified the need for better quality cars, albeit at a slightly higher price. Value for money remained at the top of the agenda, and the Emgrand sub-brand was born.

The Emgrand sub-brand was publicly unveiled at the 2009 Auto Shanghai motor show.

Emgrand EC7 production models were completed in July 2009 at the Geely plant in Ningbo, Zhejiang. The EC7 went on sale in China in mid-August that year as Emgrand’s launch model. The second Emgrand production model, the EC8, was launched in October 2010.

In April Emgrand unveiled its KC concept car at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show. This new car is a full-size sedan which previews the Emgrand EC9 production model based on the platform of the Volvo S80, and is scheduled to be launched in 2015.

ENDS

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