Editor-in-Chief | Zhong Kun
Author | Hulu Man
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Reports from car hoist circles
A unique company in the MPV market not only makes Buick earn a lot of money, but also makes it difficult for subsequent new cars to stand out...
Saic-Volkswagen's high-end medium and large MPV Launch in 2020 is a living example. Volkswagen Weiran was listed much earlier than last year's fiery Jiahua and Xena, but this car got up early and rushed to a late set, and after nearly 2 years of listing, this high-end MPV has been tepid. Judging from the sales data in 2021, Weiran's average monthly sales are about 1,000 units, which has been "low-key" for a long time.
When the time enters 2022, SAIC Volkswagen is not willing to let this MPV of the benchmark GL8 sink. Therefore, in the redesigned model launched this year, it tried to enhance the influence of the vehicle through a series of optimizations and enter the mainstream. So, from the actual performance of the model, does the new Weiran have such strength?
A different way of technology business style
Can you take back a city?
The 2022 Weiran and the old model in the design level, in fact, there is not much difference, one of the more conspicuous differences, is the addition of IQ.Light headlight technology, for the entire front of the car to do a bright, but also a finishing touch. In fact, from the progress of the headlights, we can see that Weiran, as an MPV that focuses on business luxury styles, is actually moving closer to the technology business style.
When you open the car door, the interior furnishings of the new Weiran may make people sigh.
The interior design of this car can be said to strip away the tone of the traditional MPV. The embedded central control screen has been replaced by a 12-inch suspension screen, and the traditional mechanical barrier has also been replaced by a small and exquisite electronic barrier... Inside the new Viran, a more modern Style of Volkswagen family design is presented.
Of course, the new Weiran is not just about redesigning the interior for technology. At the same time, this car has also brought a lot of new technology configurations. For example, with the new central control screen design, it is a new intelligent vehicle connection system. In the new system, a series of new features such as remote car control, group travel, food navigation, and smart home are included.
Seeing this, you may have some questions: For an MPV that focuses on business, are these networking functions necessary? In fact, in today's days, the two attributes of MPV are no longer clear-cut. For example, the current New Models such as Jiahua and Xena are also mainly focused on high-end households. Therefore, the new network connection system is actually conducive to the transformation of Weiran's home, helping it to become an IKEA MPV and open up a wider market.
In addition to the new network connection system, the new Tuon also added a set of L2 level intelligent assisted driving functions. From the PLA3.0 intelligent parking system to lane keeping, adaptive cruise and other functions are readily available, helping drivers reduce the intensity of driving, improving safety and bringing a more convenient travel experience.
From the refreshing interior design to the all-round innovation of scientific and technological functions, the 2022 Model Weiran ushered in "great changes" with "small adjustments". In fact, from the perspective of these optimizations alone, this car is actually ready to cope with the demand for complex vehicles in the future, and has opened up the future market with a perfect attitude.
As an MPV
How does Verran ensure traditional advantages?
More exquisite interior design and more cutting-edge intelligent technology can certainly become a plus for a high-end MPV. However, for models like Weiran, its own comfort and luxury are the most important hard strengths. So, from this perspective, does Weiran still have an advantage at present?
First of all, we need to talk about the pricing of the new Weiran, which is priced at 266,800-399,800 yuan, and its price is basically the same as that of the Buick GL8, Toyota Syna and other models. Standing on the same starting line, the only model that can win can compete through product strength.
The new Weiran has a certain spatial advantage in the same level. Even in the face of models such as GL8 ES Lu zun, Weiran still retains a lot of advantages in terms of length, width and wheelbase. And such an advantage can be directly reflected in the interior space of the car.
Leaving aside the space in the first two rows, just talking about the third row, Weiran can bring similar enjoyment to the rear of the B-class sedan; while the third row of the Buick GL8 ES Lu Zun is more like an A+ class sedan.
In addition, in terms of seat comfort, Weiran is also not inferior to any MPV model at the same price. The second row of seats, known to the public as the Captain Chair, is not only ergonomically optimized, but also achieves a ride with near-zero gravity. At the same time, SAIC Volkswagen has also added a variety of functions, such as massage, heating, ventilation, multi-functional armrests... With the upgrade of these features, it is enough to enhance the luxurious feeling when riding.
As a German MPV, Weiran is not only good at improving the comfortable and luxurious quality of the vehicle at the macro level, but also good at polishing its own intimateness in the details. For example, at the sound insulation level, Weiran's acoustic glass can effectively block external noise and create a truly quiet cabin environment; at the air environment level, this car is also equipped with Clean Air PM2.5 air purification device to ensure that the air in the cabin is fresh enough...
In fact, although Weiran is not the highest-selling high-end MPV, it has set a good example for other models. That is, from the macro to the details, all aspects of control are carried out to ensure that the passengers in the car can feel the comfortable and luxurious experience brought by a high-end MPV at every moment. In fact, after having such qualities, the new Weiran has already won half...
The remaining half
It also depends on the intrinsic quality of the vehicle
For MPV models, half look at the design and materials, and half look at the mechanical quality and intrinsic quality of the vehicle. The excellent three major parts can provide a comfortable dynamic driving texture for the vehicle, and the excellent body-in-white structure can effectively make up for the weak problem of the safety link of the MPV model.
First of all, at the powertrain level, the 2022 Visan still offers the third-generation EA888 2.0T engine and the 7-speed DSG wet dual-clutch transmission with both high and low power. In terms of power, this "golden power" combination is naturally no problem, and most MPV users do not pursue intense driving. Therefore, the smoothness and stability of the vehicle are even more important.
Although it is a dual-clutch transmission, Volkswagen's DSG dual-clutch is one of the best dual-clutch transmissions in the current ordinary joint venture brand. Fast gear changes, small setbacks and low fuel consumption are its advantages. Therefore, even in the face of many MPV equipped with 8AT and 9AT transmissions, Weiran with dual clutch is still not inferior in terms of driving quality.
So, under the MQB platform, how does Weiran's chassis perform? In fact, before Tuon, the models built using the MQB platform were generally not large, and the largest models were the Passat and Maiten, which were positioned as medium-sized cars. With the birth of Tuon's medium and large SUV, MQB has also been given a heavier task, and engineers also need to adjust and optimize from scratch.
In the years since the birth of Tuon, the MQB platform has gradually adapted to the rhythm of medium and large cars. On the medium and large MPV of Weiran, it retains the flexible driving experience of the MQB platform, but at the same time, it also adds the characteristics of thickness, comfort and softness, making the overall feeling and comfort of the vehicle chassis very good, which is comparable to the GL8 ES Luzun and Jiahua MPV that focus on the texture of the chassis.
In terms of vehicle safety, the safety upgrade of volkswagen's MQB platform in the past two years has also been obvious to all. On the MPV, in addition to the integrated high-strength cage body structure adopted through the MQB platform, it is also equipped with 9 sets of airbags, even the third row of passengers, can be taken care of by the side air curtain. Solid passive safety performance, coupled with a wealth of intelligent driver assistance configurations, also makes Weiran's own safety performance good enough to meet the needs of current users.
epilogue
New tactics, new ways of playing, can also bring new results. In this revision, although SAIC Volkswagen did not make drastic changes to Weiran. However, this car is constantly improving and optimizing. Today, Viagran has also realized the dual characteristics of IKEA by consolidating itself. It is believed that in the future MPV battlefield, this new car has the opportunity to enter the mainstream range and truly harvest market-level success.
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