With the Zeekr 9X, the Chinese want to compete against Bentley and Rolls-Royce. But they offer a lot of comfort. But is a low price enough for demanding customers?
Zeekr brings its flagship 9X to Europe. Photo: Zeekr
Hamburg. The name Zeekr is unlikely to be really familiar to a German driver. No wonder, after all, the Chinese brand has only been on our market since the end of last year. So far with four models, the sporty crossover 001, the compact SUV called X, the mid-range SUV 7X and the five-door performance coupe 7GT.
However, what sets Zeekr, pronounced “Sieker,” apart from other Chinese automakers is its strategy. Zeekr directly targets the established premium and luxury manufacturers in Europe, primarily BMW, Mercedes and Audi in Germany and Bentley and Range Rover in England.
An ambitious undertaking, after all, the customers of the brands mentioned above are among the most loyal of all. You need convincing arguments to get them to change. This is exactly what Zeekr wants to deliver with its new flagship 9X, which the Chinese are offering at a price starting at 119,900 euros.
Visually, the luxury SUV, which is over five meters tall, is a mixture of the BMW X7, Range Rover and Rolls-Royce. The Zeekr 9X is reminiscent of the British luxury icon primarily because of its huge, vertical radiator grille. 9X designer Charles Trelogan calls it the waterfall look. Without a doubt: The China suitcase is immediately recognizable as Zeekr from a distance, even without a brand emblem or lettering.
By the way, the design was created in Gothenburg, Sweden. Zeekr belongs to the Geely Group, which has also incorporated the Volvo, Polestar, Lotus and Smart brands. However, the 9X does not share a platform with Volvo. Underneath the Zeekr there is a technical specialty that does not exist anywhere in the world in this form and in this form.
First electrically, then with petrol
Zeekr developers speak of a superhybrid. Although the combination also consists of an electric and petrol engine, the drive is designed to be “electric first”. Driving is primarily electrical. The 55 kWh battery in the floor allows a range of almost 180 kilometers.
When the capacity approaches the end, the gasoline engine starts and generates electricity, but does not intervene in the drive under normal conditions. It therefore fulfills the principle of a range extender (REX). If you drive cautiously, you can cover a total of 737 kilometers before you get back to the charging and gas pump.
Visually, the luxury SUV, which is over five meters tall, is a mixture of the BMW X7, Range Rover and Rolls-Royce Photo: Zeekr
The combustion engine only helps when full power needs to be accessed above 90 km/h. And then things really get down to business, because the pure performance values that Zeekr communicates for the 9X are likely to make even many a super sports car owner green with envy. 660 kW/897 hp are compared to 935 Newton meters of torque. The sprint from zero to 100 km/h takes just 4.1 seconds. The top speed is 240 km/h.
But this is not Zeekr's claim. The buyer should be pampered by comfort and luxury. And here the Chinese have made a big impact. Lounge chairs in the rear offer more space than you find in Lufthansa's business class. With just a click, the rear room can be transformed into a private cinema thanks to the huge, pivoting screen.
The sound system is provided by none other than Naim. The British specialist otherwise only works with Bentley in the automotive sector and installed a total of 32 speakers and eight bass shakers in the Zeekr 9X. Total power: 3,868 watts.
Luxury in the cockpit
The cockpit is dominated by two large screens, with the right one extending far into the passenger side. The materials are at a luxury level and the workmanship shows attention to detail. It seems like Zeekr doesn't just want to recreate premium interiors, but wants to set a benchmark here.
The cockpit is dominated by two large screens, with the right one extending far into the passenger side Photo: Zeekr
Lounge chairs in the rear offer more space than you find in Lufthansa's business class Photo: Zeekr
Related topics
BentleyChinaGermanyGeelyEuropeLufthansa
The question remains how potential customers in Germany will react to the new model from China? Large quantities are not to be expected, even if the price for all the luxury is tempting and undercuts the competition by many tens of thousands of euros.
It takes courage to drive up with a Zeekr 9X, be it at the golf or yacht club or among friends. The owner has to justify his purchase decision, which he doesn't have to do with a Range Rover, for example. He is undoubtedly making a statement with the Chinese luxury liner. The Zeekr 9X only lags behind when it comes to prestige and status. But that could soon change. Geely is a powerful car company and has staying power.
More: The new electric model is the cheapest Bentley
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