China’s Zeekr, a sub-brand of auto giant Geely said it will launch its first luxury sports car, which will be priced above 1 million yuan ($140,000). Dubbed Zeekr 001 FR, and based on the regular 001 EV liftback, the electric sports car will be unveiled within weeks with deliveries of the first batch to commence within this year.
The first line of the tweet by Zeekr earlier today states bluntly, “Plaid is dull.” The Zeekr 001FR, according to the Chinese carmaker, is “a new type of beast,” though that is all that has been revealed so yet.
Plaid is dull. The #ZEEKR001FR is a new type of beast. Standby for more information. pic.twitter.com/phlcxiYcLG
— ZEEKR (@ZEEKRGlobal) August 10, 2023
Zeekr is unmistakably attempting to compete with Tesla in China, but being confident enough to call out Plaid – a badge connected to Tesla’s flagship performance sedan Model S Plaid, one of the world’s fastest production EVs with a tri-motor all-wheel-drive setup, Zeekr must have some pretty great specs to brag on the 001 FR.
Zeekr currently has 3 models on sale, the 001, 009, and Zeekr X. The budding brand which is barely less than 2 years old, already has plenty of things to boast upon. For example, its 001 liftback is a multiple Guinness Record holder, and Zeekr is also the first carmaker in the world to use CATL’s high-efficiency Qilin battery enabling it for over 1,000 km of driving range. Two of its models – 001 and X are already available in Europe while the 009 luxury electric MPV is currently sold in China.
Related: How Did China Come to Dominate the World of Electric Cars?
Coming back to the 001FR, it maintains the overall design of the ‘regular’ 001 liftback, with a few modifications. The most obvious of them is the new front bumper which features aggressive air intakes, a front spoiler, and the red stripe that underlines its performance capabilities. The rear end has a reworked bumper and a rear spoiler.
As far as the specifics of Zeekr 001FR are concerned, everything is currently a mystery, but we won’t have to wait long to find out all we need to know. Stay tuned for more information.
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
