A tale of two: Changan Auto and Chongqing are rising together – Feature
Changan Auto Philippines has been around for a few years already, although the brand has had relative success it never really caught on. Ever since it changed hands though, global vehicle distributor Inchcape Philippines was determined to tell the Changan story right.
The revitalized brand decided to show us auto journalists what the automaker really means and brought us to their home turf in Chongqing China. What follows is a narrative of trepidation, awe, and newfound belief in the marquee.
Changan Auto China Showcase
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Having never been to mainland China myself, I was trepid about what to expect especially since Chongqing is not necessarily a place people have spoken to me about. However, Chongqing proved to be very different and had endeared itself to me personally.
Situated in the “Mid-West” of mainland China, this relatively unknown city is not what prejudice paints in one’s mind. Chongqing is dubbed the Motortown of China, as well as the bridge capital of the country. It straddles 2 vital waterways namely the Yangtze and Jialing, which gave the city a stamp of importance when it comes to trade and industry.
With such an important location, Chongqing has risen to become one of the most developed places outside of the usual, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing. It boasts a population of around 30 million people and is predominantly surrounded by skyscrapers and condominiums that would make Dubai and New York blush.
Carved into the mountain ridges alongside the banks of the major rivers, Chongqing provides a picturesque landscape that becomes even more eye-catching as night falls with almost all buildings illuminated by LED lights and screens, almost flexing to the world just how advanced China has become.
Changan and Chongqing
This metropolis is where Changan Automotive calls home, it is in this municipality where the brand and the city have grown together and blossomed into entities that should be taken seriously.
On our first day, we were transported to Changan’s HQ situated on the outskirts of Chongqing, and inside we were treated to a showcase of just what the brand is doing, stands for, and plans to become. Changan is relatively lowkey in terms of where it stands in the line of brand recognition, but that has enabled it to improve and craft away from the spotlight.
Without the prying public eyes and expectations, they have emerged almost out of nowhere to become serious contenders on the world stage. Now the mother company (Changan Automotive) boasts a strong lineup of sub-brands that cater to EVs, normal vehicles, and almost everything in between.
After a short presentation, we were given a chance to sample some of their highlight vehicles around a small but usable test area.
Deepal S7 EV
Deepal is a sub-brand of the Changan umbrella and has mainly focused on taking on the affordable EV segment. The S7 is the crossover variant and at first glance, it gives off a really sporty and dynamic vibe, from the angular aggressive lines to the imposing rim design makes the vehicle look like something Lamborghini thought of.
Inside, the interior is modern with a minimalist approach. It features not much more than a massive infotainment screen (that faces the driver upon sitting down), and a fully digital instrument cluster. What I like about the Deepal S7 is that the brand chose to make the interior a nice place to be in, the majority of the panels feel soft and upscale as well and the color palette is pleasing to the eyes.
As an EV the Deepal is immediately quiet and responsive to drive, but what sets it apart for me is the build quality fit, and finish are up to par with other international EVs, it has the space and the looks to make it a worthy consideration should they bring it to the Philippines.
Changan Uni-V sport sedan
I’ve been going on and on about how the sedan segment in the Philippines is in need of a proper shake-up, as a fan of the segment I knew that sport sedans would be the saving grace.
When I chanced upon the Uni-V I wasn’t quite sure what it was because of the unassuming design and grey color, but closer inspection revealed that it was hiding some evil intentions. I noticed the aggressive fast-back design, the bulging square-shaped dual tailpipes, and the deep rumble it made at idle. I knew it wasn’t just any mundane sedan, and I scampered across the test area to get into it, and I’m glad I did.
The interior reminds me of something a sportswear brand would make, very dark tones with hues of orange accents, accompanied by the F1-styled steering wheel. The seating position is perfect for drivers and the big orange button labeled “Super Race Mode” beckoned me to drive.
I pressed the button and went for it, the car immediately responded with quick acceleration and shift response from the dual-clutch. I floored it and it roared up to 130kph in no time with the stability and poise anyone would need in spirited driving conditions. A few days later a test driver took me around the Chongqing automotive proving grounds high-speed banked track at over 210 kph, and it performed well. It was stable and it felt like it could easily climb up to 250kph without breaking a sweat.
After getting out, I ran immediately to the Changan PH representatives and voiced my concerns regarding the vehicle’s absence from our local lineup. They simply told me that it was still being studied and demand could be low, I spent the rest of the 5-day trip begging them to reconsider, and hopefully, with fingers crossed they bring it in.
Avatr 11
The most memorable car by far though is the Avatr 11, Avatr is another sub-brand that is aiming squarely at the Tesla market. Avatr is relatively new but has produced an amazing vehicle. The 11 is a curvy and stylish SUV that is a welcome break from the spaceship-looking EVs on the market. It has sculpted lines as opposed to angular angles, the 11 is a marble sculpture in a world full of avant-garde metal welded abstractness.
The interior is more than plush enough to garner looks from even the snootiest of customers, with soft-touch panels, leather everything, and features only found in more expensive brands like Rolls-Royce and such. It is a blend of old and new, as it showcases the forward-thinking automotive future with big digital screens that control the vehicle.
To drive though, it feels otherworldly, despite all its heft it surges into warp speed rather easily without so much as a sound except for the EV whirring we have become accustomed to. Blasting from 0-100 plus kph is intoxicating because the 11 does it so well and without upsetting the tranquility of the interior.
Since Avatr is a new brand no word yet as to when or if it will make its way to the Philippines, but maybe when the time is right it could and we’d be very lucky to have it as another EV choice.
Megafactory
With so many models and sub-brands it wouldn’t make sense if they couldn’t meet demand right? A quick tour of the Changan welding and assembly plant confirmed many of our suspicions, China is equipped for the automotive world domination. Some key facts from the plant are that apart from the human input, it is 80% robotic with some motorized robots transporting parts across the acres of land accompanied by the robots assembling the cars themselves.
This translates to a factory that produces a new car ready for sale every 53 seconds, yes every 53 freaking seconds a new car is rolling off the production line. After we picked up our jaws from the floor, we exited the mega factory and saw newly produced vehicles in the thousands awaiting transport all over the globe, our jaws fell back down.
Together they rise
Coming up with an idea on how to summarize a media trip is always tricky, but on our last night in Chongqing while staring out my 50th-floor hotel window at the bright metropolis below me I came to a realization. Both Changan and Chongqing are intertwined perfectly by fate, the brand, and the city’s destinies are linked by some stroke of coincidence or cosmic interference.
From relative obscurity, both have blasted onto the world scene as forces to be reckoned with, but both still boast their simple and humble provincial roots. As they say, home is where values come from and Changan couldn’t have picked a better one. Neither the brand nor the City feel the need to shout about how far they have come, or what they are planning for the future, which in return has made an indelible mark on a skeptic like me.
Changan Auto PH has a tough task ahead in restoring and rebuilding the brand locally but with sensible minds and above-par products, the path ahead isn’t as dark as many would think.
