Great Wall Motor Just Put Down The Funky Cat

Chinese EVs aren’t the most exciting things in the world. They tend to offer pretty good value and lots of equipment, but fun is a rarity. At least some of the names are interesting - think BYD Seal and Dolphin, and the Ora Funky Cat.

Well, the last one just became a little bit boring, with the Funky Cat being no more. Instead, parent company Great Wall Motor has decided to suck any joy as it renames the hatchback the GWW Ora 03. Why? It wants to show “commitment to a more cohesive and recognisable global presence, particularly in the European market”. Eurgh.

Without the name, the Funky Cat - sorry, Ora 03, just becomes another unexceptional EV. There’s some interesting tech like a facial recognition system that can change various car settings based on who is behind the wheel, but a 193-mile WLTP range is nothing to write home about and at £31,995 it’s hardly a bargain prospect.

Worse still, the next car from Ora was set to be a saloon called the Lightning Cat - known in other markets as the Good Cat, Next Cat and Ballet Car (we’re 100 per cent serious). However, that litter has been abandoned in favour of a renaming to 07.

Similarly, its brand Wey which initially launched a range of SUVs in China and some bits of Europe called the Coffee 01 and 02 will now simply be the Wey 05 and 03. No word yet on whether these will be coming to the UK, but we’re not exactly waiting with bated breath.

GWM thinks the wide-scale rebranding will make it “even more enjoyable” for customers. We’re inclined to suggest anyone who actively chooses to spend money on a car called the Funky Cat would disagree.