Great Wall Motors of China caught attention of international motoring media and auto enthusiasts when it unveiled the ORA Punk Cat at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2021. ORA is a sub-brand that comes under the umbrella of Great Wall Motors and the reason why it got attention was the fact that Punk Cat looked blatantly inspired by the classic Volkswagen Beetle.
Now reportedly Great Wall Motors has patented two Beetle-like designs not only in China, but in the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EU IPO) as well. One of the design closely resembles the Punk Cat and the other is fairly similar but with a smoother shape and different set of headlights and taillights.
ORA Punk Cat design patents
Back in April when the ORA Punk Cat was unveiled, Volkswagen commented:
“We will check this matter with regard to any violations of utility model or design rights of Volkswagen AG and reserve the right to take any necessary legal steps.”
From the circular headlamps to the bulging fenders, the protruded tail lamps & the similar fashioned bumpers, as well as the interior design elements are all taken from the Beetle, which officially received its farewell in year 2019. However, the Punk Cat comes as a 4-door vehicle as opposed to the classic Beetle which had 2 doors.
Inside the retro-inspired dual-tone interior does give us a hint of the original Beetle especially the steering wheel and circular speedometer as well as circular air vents however, there is a large touchscreen mounted in the center of the dashboard, power window switches, electrically adjustable seats, panoramic roof and electronic drive selector since the Punk Car is going to be an electric vehicle. The company hasn’t given technical details related to the ORA Punk Cat however as per sources it will come equipped with a 145hp/ 210Nm setup with a drive range of over 500km.
Related: ORA Punk Cat Debuts at 2021 Shanghai Auto Show
According to Chinese media the production version of the Punk Cat will be launched in China towards the end of this year. And it certainly seems Great Wall wants to sell it in Europe too, it will sure be interesting to see whether they will be able to do it? Click here to read more about the ORA Punk Cat.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
