Don’t let the name deter you – this sedan is as handsome as its Japanese and Korean competitors
The Chinese automotive industry has shown exponential growth in recent years. In that period, we’ve seen many interesting designs from the People’s Republic – some are just bad rip-offs of existing cars, while others are beautifully penned from the ground up. While GAC Motor’s Trumpchi EMPOW55 is not exactly the latter, it is undoubtedly a very good looking sedan that should grab the attention of target customers when it hits the market this year.
In case you missed it, the EMPOW55 made its first public appearance at the 18th Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition held in November 2020. The sporty sedan was displayed alongside 70 other vehicles from eight major brands under the GAC Group but stood out thanks to its sharp looks, which the manufacturer liken to a ‘war machine’.
At the front, its angular headlights with vertical daytime running lights, sharp creases on the hood as well as gaping grille help form a mean-looking face. Like the show car, the car featured here appears to be a sportier ‘S’ version that differentiates itself from the regular version with a more aggressive grille design and yellow highlights.
That being said, the fascia is not the most original design as it reminds this writer of the pre-facelift sixth-generation Hyundai Elantra. The corners of the bumper, meanwhile, are obviously taken straight out of Audi’s design book.
Moving over to the side, the swoopy roofline and short rear deck lid give the EMPOW55 a fastback profile, while prominent character lines continue the bold design theme. The chrome strip that runs along the top of the window is now in black, while the calipers are in yellow.
The rear section of the car is not as dramatic as the front but still appears very attractive with the presence of darkened tail lights and properly designed diffuser that houses the quad tail pipes. Perhaps what is missing here is a ducktail spoiler.
For the interior, GAC Motor seems to have taken a more simplistic approach, as demonstrated by the clean dashboard and centre console. Again, the air-con vent that runs the length of the dashboard is inspired by Audi, while the freestanding display the combines the instrument cluster and centre display is a nod to Mercedes-Benz’s revolutionary MBUX infotainment system.
On the mechanical front, we know that the EMPOW55 is built on GAC’s Global Platform Modular Architecture (GPMA) that boasts a low centre of gravity, a long wheelbase and wide tracks.
As for what’s under the hood, the S version here is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that is mated to a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox driving the front wheels. Codenamed GAC 4A15J1, the engine produces a healthy output of 177 PS and 270 Nm. This makes it slightly more powerful than the Honda Civic, which has 173 PS and 220 Nm at its disposal.
