Gasgoo Munich-On April 24, Great Wall Motor President Mu Feng took the stage at the Beijing Auto Show to deliver a keynote titled "Return to Essence, Keep the Covenant (Gui Yuan Shou Qi)." His message was clear: the auto industry wins the future by returning to its roots. Amid an industry obsessed with spec wars and price battles, Mu defined "returning to essence" as stripping away the noise to focus on what matters—long-termism, pragmatism, and integrity. "Keeping the covenant," he added, is the execution: staying true to the company's original mission while delivering on promises to customers and partners.Image Source: Great Wall MotorTechnologically, the new "Guiyuan" platform draws inspiration from movable type printing, deconstructing vehicles into more than 300 standardized hardware units and 2,000 software tags. It is the world’s first architecture compatible with five powertrain types: internal combustion, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, pure electric, and hydrogen. With a parts commonality rate exceeding 95%, the platform slashes development costs—building four new models now costs the equivalent of just 1.8 in the past.The Hi4 family received a simultaneous update. The new Super Hi4 boasts a 0-100 km/h time in the 4-second range alongside a pure-electric range exceeding 400 kilometers. The automaker also debuted the Hi4-Z and Hi4-T, alongside performance models featuring V8 engines.Image Source: Great Wall MotorOn the global front, the world's first ethanol flex-fuel plug-in hybrid is set to launch in Brazil tomorrow. It features a "Real-time Wine Tasting" system for seamless adaptation to ethanol blends ranging from 0% to 100%. In Thailand, the company has tailored anti-corrosion coatings for high heat and humidity, while in Australia, local drivers were invited to help tune the chassis. Mu described GWM’s global strategy as "local presence for local needs; local perspective for global vision." Additionally, a hybrid racing version of the Tank 700 will compete in the T2 category of the Dakar Rally in 2027.For the Chinese market, Mu emphasized offering "multiple powertrains for a single model, letting users decide." He laid out a "Three Nevers" pledge: never engage in price wars that sacrifice safety and quality; never use exaggerated marketing that erodes trust in "Chinese smart manufacturing"; and never pass operational pressure onto upstream or downstream partners. To illustrate his commitment to quality, he cited a customer in Guangxi who drove 990,000 kilometers without a major overhaul. Mu also revealed that Great Wall has conducted 1,000 vehicle quality reviews over the past 21 years.
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