Funky Cat

Great Wall Motors' all-electric brand Ora has been selling the Ora Good Cat (好猫) in China for a while.

It is, by all accounts, a good car. About the size of a VW ID.3, but with far better materials and ergonomics.

They're launching it in Britain now.

They did a walkaround for journalists a few months ago - there are a couple of reviews below.

Contrary to the title above, it looks like it's got a bit more expensive and will no longer be Britain's cheapest EV.

At the time of the walkarounds, it was going to be called the Ora Cat in Britain, rather than the Ora Good Cat. I thought this was a shame, as Good Cat was kind of a cool, entertainingly-weird name. Cat was OK, but Good Cat was.... well, it was Good.

But now they've announced prices and market positioning for Britain, and it's not going to be called the Cat, or the Good Cat.

It is going to be called the Funky Cat.

This is the best name for a car ever. I think it is better than the Mitsubishi Lettuce. I hope it succeeds, just on the basis of the name.


New 2022 Ora Funky Cat electric hatchback to reach UK in Autumn | CAR Magazine

https://insideevs.com/news/588964/30495-gbp-ora-funky-cat-first-edition-kickstart-uk-sales-this-fall/

 

It kind of does. I see a hint of Porsche 356 Speedster in there too.

However, Ora's larger (Model Y sized) car, the Ora Punk Cat (another excellent name), doesn't look like it has any Cooper DNA in it. Or Porsche 356.

But there's.... a certain something. Not sure what it reminds me of.



https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ora-punk-cat-is-more-than-an-ev-it-is-a-volkswagen-beetle-on-steroids-183920.html#

No.... It's on the tip of my tongue. I'm sure it reminds me of something.

 

They really have nailed the naming.

There is also a "Ballet Cat". It's like a Punk Cat, but for ladies. Seriously.

ORA Ballet Cat Launched On The Chinese Car Market - Aimed At Females With A "Warm Man Mode" For Those Cold Menstruation Periods

It comes in soft colors, with extra female-focused applications, and one truly bizarre feature aimed at reducing a women’s discomfort when she is menstruating.​

 

Not yet. But if it ever does, I bet it'll be cooler than the ID.Buzz.

For the moment, though there is a sister car to the Punk Cat and Ballet Cat. As well as Ora, Great Wall has a premium brand called Wey (the owner's surname). The Wey Dream is a Wey version of the Punk/Ballet Cat, and it has something of the 40s Chevrolet about it.

Great Wall WEY's Retro Vehicle Finally Named "Yuan Meng" - Chinapev.com

 

Yes. That's the interior of the Wey Dream.

But I really like the interior of the Punk Cat too. There are a couple of different trims below. The first is VERY Beetle, the second less so.





I really like both of them. It's nice to see something that isn't all black and sharp-edged and "sporty". I think they're fun.