Geely Borui GE is a front-wheel drive sedan of the full-size category (to be more precise, the "E-segment" by European standards), which is the "commander-in-chief" of the model range of the Chinese automaker, which boasts an elegant design in the spirit of "four-door coupes", a noble and spacious interior and a hybrid powertrain ... The main target audience of the car is self-confident men over the age of 25 (usually family) who are not indifferent to the "ecological situation in the world", but they are not ready to switch to electric cars ...
The world premiere of the Geely Borui GE hybrid sedan took place in April 2018 at the stands of the Beijing International Motor Show, and a few months later - in late August of the same year - it also celebrated its Russian debut as part of the Moscow Motor Show.
The car, which is actually a petrol-electric modification of the Emgrand GT four-door model of 2014, not only became the first-born of the brand with "stuffing" (but there is no talk of a platform here), borrowed from Volvo cars, but also received two hybrid versions at once - MHEV ("Soft" hybrid) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid).
Exterior
Outside, Geely Borui GE boasts graceful, proportional and energetic outlines, which is why it is perceived not as a classic sedan, but as a so-called “four-door coupe”.
The front part of the three-volume box is decorated with frowning headlights with LED "internals", a branded "pentagon" of the radiator grille and a raised bumper, and its stern displays elegant lanterns connected by a chrome bridge, and a powerful bumper with two "curly" exhaust pipes.
But the car looks most advantageous in profile - it is distinguished by a harmonious and impetuous, but presentable silhouette, an eye-catching long hood, a sloping roofline that smoothly "flows" into the luggage compartment, expressive sidewalls and large cutouts of wheel arches.
Dimensions and weight
In terms of dimensions, Geely Borui GE corresponds to the full-size class (aka "E-segment") according to the European classification: the four-door is 4986 mm long, 1861 mm wide, and 1513 mm high. The distance between the pairs of wheels of the car is 2870 mm, and its ground clearance is 120-135 mm.
The curb weight of the "Chinese" varies from 1600 to 1840 kg, depending on the version.
Interior
The interior of the hybrid sedan looks beautiful, modern and really solid, and its main feature is the glossy lining covering the entire front panel, under which the 12.3-inch (10.2-inch in the base) screen of the infotainment system is organically "inscribed" ... Perfectly fit into the overall style and fully digital "instrumentation", and "chubby" three-spoke multi-steering wheel with a truncated at the bottom of the rim, and an elegant center console, carrying a pair of symmetrical ventilation deflectors and a number of keys that control secondary functions.
The interior of Geely Borui GE is designed to accommodate the driver and four of his companions, and a sufficient supply of free space is promised here in both rows.
The front seats are equipped with seats with an ergonomic profile, well-defined lateral support, a large number of adjustments and all the "blessings of civilization." Inhabitants of the back row have a comfortable sofa, a folding armrest with cup holders and ventilation deflectors, and in the "top" versions - also their own control of the "microclimate".
The trunk of a hybrid sedan in its normal state is capable of taking over 500 liters of luggage, but it has an intricate shape (and the hinges, although closed by the casing, take up a lot of space).
A spare wheel and a minimum set of tools are hidden in an underground niche near the four-door.
Specifications
Geely Borui GE offers two hybrid versions, each of which is based on a three-cylinder petrol unit with a working volume of 1.5 liters with turbocharging, direct fuel injection, 12-valve timing and variable valve timing, developing 179 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 265 Nm of torque at 1500-4000 rpm and combined with a 7-band "robot" with two clutches:
- The first is the so-called "mild hybrid" MHEV without plugging in, equipped with a belt-driven 48-volt starter-generator that assists the petrol engine with an additional 14 hp. when accelerating and also helps to save fuel.
- The second is a plug-in hybrid PHEV, equipped, in addition to the aforementioned 1.5-liter "three", also with an 82-horsepower electric motor (160 Nm) and a lithium-ion traction battery that can be recharged from a regular household outlet. The total power of such a power plant reaches 261 hp. and 425 Nm of torque.
Depending on the version, the full-size sedan accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h after 7.4-8.9 seconds, and its maximum capabilities "rest" at 210 km / h (in both cases).
The MHEV modification requires an average of 5.8 liters of fuel for every "hundred" mileage in the combined mode, while the PHEV version is content with only 1.5 liters of gasoline, and is even capable of covering up to 60 km on pure electric traction.
Design features
Geely Borui GE is based on a "front-wheel drive" architecture with a transversely oriented engine and extensive use of high-strength steel grades in the load-bearing structure of the monocoque body.
On both axles of the hybrid sedan, independent suspensions with passive shock absorbers, steel springs and anti-roll bars are installed: the front is a system with double A-arms, and the rear is a multi-link system.
By default, the vehicle is equipped with a rack and pinion steering system with active electric power steering. All wheels of the four-door are equipped with disc brakes (ventilated on the front axle), supplemented by ABS, EBD, BAS and other electronic assistants.
Options and prices
In the foreseeable future, Geely Borui GE may appear on the Russian market, moreover, straight from the Belarusian city of Borisov, but if this happens, it will not be earlier than the first quarter of 2020 (therefore, prices are still unknown, even approximate ones). But in the Celestial Empire, the car is offered at a price of 136,800 yuan (~ 1.23 million rubles) for the MHEV version and from 181,800 yuan (~ 1.64 million rubles) for the PHEV version.
The basic equipment of the car includes: front airbags, ABS, EBD, ESP, cruise control, electric drive and heated outside mirrors, a media center with a 10.2-inch screen, a rear-view camera, power windows for all doors, dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheel disks, keyless entry and engine start, electric boot lid, full LED optics, audio system and some other options.
