We get a better look at the new interior of the Preface.
Geely has just shared official pictures of its upcoming Preface sedan. What is intending to be Geely’s next flagship sedan within its line up, maybe this might also be the next Proton Perdana perhaps?
Based on Geely’s Compact Modular Architecture, which incidentally underpins the Volvo XC40 and the Polestar 2, this new flagship production Geely sedan is certainly a handsome looking car. Which is to be expected as the design was lead by Peter Horbury, the same man who dragged Volvo out of its boxy design in the early 2000s.
There are certain elements of Buick/Vauxhall in the front end with its menacing look accentuated by the signature Geely ‘cosmos grille’, while at the rear there are hints of Kia Stinger from the Preface’s fastback design. Nonetheless it certainly is a striking looking design, especially in the cyan blue colour of the promotional pictures.
Stepping inside the Preface, the first things to catch the eye would be the floating screen on the dashboard. Looking past the large screen that dominates the dash however, the rest of the dash layout of the latest Geely is certainly fitting of a flagship model. The dash is split into three distinct sections and adopts a more flowing design instead of the slab sided design of most dashboards.
The top layer appears to be covered in blue leather, a theme that continues onto the door tops and is accented on the seats and the centre armrest. The bottom two layers of the dashboard meanwhile flows further into the cabin, creating a sloping platform that is wrapped in stitched white leather with a metallic accent piece on the passenger side for added style. This sloping platform also allows buttons to be place on it, as evidenced by the control panel to the left of the steering wheel.
Those buttons on the control panel however are nearly all the buttons on the dash. The only other set of buttons are in a solitary row on the centre of the dash. Geely appears to be going down the minimalist route that Volvo has already taken, with only buttons for the climate control setting that is to be found on that central row. Aside from the starter button of course that is adjacent to this row of buttons of course.
Further down on the centre console lies a conventional looking gear lever and the usual array of switchgear which includes the electronic parking brake, hazard warning light and an almost Volvo-esque drive mode selector. Next to that appears to be a roller cubby hole that should reveal two cupholders when slid back.
Overall, the interior of the flagship Geely appears to have all the bells and whistles typically found in this class of car. The digital display and steering wheel is very similar to the ones currently found on the Proton X70, while the sunroof, rear air vents and padded door panels add an air of luxury befitting of a luxury sedan. Geely has even teased a Bose sound system that would make an appearance on the Preface.
With the Preface entering production sometime within the forth quarter of 2020, perhaps there might be a new Proton Perdana on the way soon too? And from looking at the pictures here, there is little doubt that a rebadged Preface will probably be leagues better than the Accordana currently in Proton showrooms today.
More information can be found in the press release below:
Geely Auto (Geely) today unveiled the Geely Preface, a forthcoming flagship sedan that will be based on Geely Holding Group’s award winning Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) that has been used to underpin a series of products from across the wider Geely Holding Group.
The Preface Concept was first aired at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show where it was widely praised for its wide proportions, wide wheel track and highly balanced design language that was created by Geely Design, the global network of design studios operated by Executive Vice President of Design, Peter Horbury. The Preface Concept has now transitioned into a production vehicle with an expected launch date expected for the fourth quarter of 2020 with production taking place in Geely Auto’s Hangzhou Bay facility.
Original design aspects shown on the Preface Concept such as the wider body paired with larger wheels give the production Preface sedan a true level of confidence and road presence, especially when paired with Geely’s iconic ‘cosmos grille’ that gives the face of the car a stronger bite, enhancing the sports credentials.
The ‘cosmos grille’ which has matured and evolved since its first introduction on the 2015 Geely Bo Rui sedan has evolved into being a stronger and wider shape, reflecting the growing confidence of the Geely Auto brand both domestically in China and internationally. The side profile of the production Preface also mirrors the concept with neat flowing lines that taper into the roofline and down into the rear of the vehicle, perfectly tapering the technology-focused design into the rear of the vehicle.
Guy Burgoyne, Geely Design Shanghai Vice President commented: “We have strived to retain many of the aspects of the Preface Concept sedan that we showed in 2019, and with added feedback from Geely Auto users and our global fans we have retained many aspects, and also introduced several improvements to the production Preface. This is a vehicle that reflects our continued growth and our commitment to users.”
As Geely Auto enters into Geely 4.0 – the fourth generation of Geely Auto products since the brand was formally established in 1997 – the Geely Auto brand will focus heavily on the use of modular architectures that allow for leading levels of connectivity, intelligence, and quality that include safety as a standard.
The Geely Preface is the second vehicle within the Geely Auto range to use the CMA Architecture. The first, the Geely Xing Yue SUV, was launched in mid-2019 with a focus on driver orientated performance and will soon launch into global markets. Powertrains for the Geely Preface sedan will be announced in due course.
