Silly name aside, the Trumpchi EMPOW55 is actually quite an attractive sporty sedan.
The new year ahead looks to see a host of new Chinese cars that will be hitting its home (and perhaps international) market pretty soon. And it just so happens that one of the most interesting models to be officially debuting in this time is this new Trumpchi EMPOW55.
First previewed last year at the 2020 Guangzhou Auto Show in semi-concept form, the marque’s first entry into the sporty sedan market had made waves in the local Chinese auto media. Come 2021 though, newly released official photos of the production version of this weirdly-named sporty sedan has continued the generate moderate hype around this particular upcoming Trumpchi model.
A sharp looking car in any sense of the word, Trumpchi actually says that the exterior design of the EMPOW55 to be like a ‘war machine’ that is supposed to produce a powerful visual attack on the senses. While it may not actually be the most macho of designs out there however, from the front at least, its large hexagonal grille, LED headlights and aggressive air intakes does gives this sedan a sporty, aggressive demeanour, that is not unlike a cross between an Audi A3 and the Hyundai Elantra.
Moving down the side meanwhile, this Trumpchi is equally striking too. Featuring a sculpted side profile, black door mirrors, large alloy wheels, as well as an interesting chrome detail that runs over the top of the window line and continues part way down on its rear flanks.
Its fastback rear end continues this sporty aesthetic, but it does also appear to be heavily derived from both the current generation Toyota Corolla and a Lexus IS. Especially with its sloping rear tail light design and the vertical rear air intakes on either side that are really reminiscent of those Japanese sedans.
To be based on GAC’s new Global Platform Modular Architecture, powertrain options that are tentatively slated for this front-wheel drive sedan supposedly range from a 1.5 litre turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, to a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-pot mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. There is also rumoured to be an all-electric variant too, though that is apparently to be sold under GAC’s Aion EV division.
As for the interior of this upcoming Trumpchi, official details on this department are still rather thin on the ground. Looking at the sole spy shot obtained however, the cabin of the EMPOW55 seems like a rather posh and sporty affair featuring the usual array of tech gadgets, which includes an MBUX-esque twin screen layout, sporty bucket seats and a thick-rimmed multi-function steering wheel.
Due to officially be launched in its home market sometime around the middle of this year, this sporty new Trumpchi sedan will probably be a rival to the equally-sporty Geely Bin Rui F-Type Sport that was also recently announced. No word yet however on how much this EMPOW55 will cost when it eventually arrives in dealerships over there, or whether it will actually make it to markets outside of China.
