Chinese UV manufacturer Great Wall Motors recently filed a trademark for the ‘Aure’ name in India, prompting speculations about its anticipated entry
Last year, at the Auto Expo, Great Wall Motors had showcased a slew of SUVs in India and was planning to enter our market. The manufacturer went ahead and acquired the General Motors manufacturing facility in Talegaon, committing to a massive investment. However, due to tensions on the Indo-China border at the time, the Maharashtra government had put a hold on the project.
Following a late FDI approval, the Chinese manufacturer changed its strategy earlier this year, from local manufacturing to importing CKD and CBU vehicles. Now, it seems like the automaker is preparing for its debut in our market soon, as it recently trademarked the name ‘Aure’ in India for a new vehicle, likely an SUV.
Great Wall Motors has different brands under its umbrella – Haval, Wey, Tank, Ora, and GWM pickup. Haval is one of the largest SUV brands in the world, and its line-up consists of SUVs and crossovers across different segments. Wey specialises in luxury SUVs, while Tank was recently established as an individual SUV brand with a focus on luxury and off-road capabilities.
Ora is an electric vehicle brand, and GWM Pickup, as the name suggests, is responsible for pickup trucks. We’re not sure under which brand the Aure would fall, or if GWM is planning to bring its various individual brands here or keep everything simple with the introduction of just one marquee.
Considering that GWM is planning to bring in imported vehicles, we believe it would establish itself as a premium, niche brand. Also, with the Indian automobile industry shifting focus towards electric mobility, we expect GWM to drive in with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric powertrains in its vehicles. These are just speculations though, and we can only confirm this once further information is available.
We expect Great Wall Motors to make an official announcement in the coming months. The brand will likely unveil its maiden offering for the Indian market towards the end of this year or early next year, and sales operations would likely follow a few months after that.