How will this hotter spec of GWM Ora 07 fare when pushed to the limits around Sepang?
The following piece here is perhaps to be up there as one of the most irrelevant reviews done on the new Ora 07 Performance, as no one would likely ever take one out on to a track. But since GWM Malaysia had already graciously extended an invitation to spend some time spanking this sporty all-electric sedan round Sepang, here therefore are some just remarks of it when pushed to the limit.
Before getting to that however, let’s just explain what exactly the Ora 07 Performance is. And as its name suggests, this is to be the sporty sibling to the existing Long Range Ultra variant of this recently revealed e-sedan.
This particular performance variant of Ora 07 packs a significant power bump over its Long Range Ultra counterpart, with said added oomph coming courtesy of an additional rear mounted motor to complement the single front unit found on the aforementioned lesser spec. Total combined output on this sporty spec of EV is to currently be rated at 408 PS and 680 Nm, which is incidentally more than what is to be churned out from the boosted V6 in its purely petrol lookalike from Porsche.
Among the more notable sporty accessories added to this Performance trim over Long Range Ultra sibling too includes a set of 19-inch oval-spoked alloys (upsized from the 18s on the Long Range Ultra), that in turn come shod in sticky Michelin Pilot Sport EV rubber. There is also to be a dedicated Sport Plus button on its leather-wrapped steering wheel too, for which with the ESC off makes available launch control at one’s disposal.
Thus transitioning neatly from the mention of launch control to discuss the track driving experience with this Ora 07 Performance, sending this sporty e-sedan right off the line with this system engaged sees for it to return a IRL 0-100 km/h time of around between 4.45 to 4.58 seconds. And while it may not be as quick as some other EVs out there that it competes with (nor match its manufacturer-rated time of 4.3 seconds), it was nevertheless still certainly quick enough to give that signature all-electric punch in the gut from.
Moreover, the Ora here still remained surprisingly quick to gather speed when it came after the 100 km/h mark. In fact, keeping one’s foot continually pinned down the main straight at Sepang would before too long easily see for its speedometer to be reading 190 km/h.
Perhaps even more remarkable than that too though is that when flying down the main straight at 190 km/h, the Ora certainly did not feel like it was doing just that. This admirable high speed stability could be attributed equally in parts to an adequately insulated cabin, in addition to a weighty enough steering, which instills confidence in maintaining control of the vehicle at those speeds.
What was very much felt however with this Ora 07 Performance is the heft of it when coming to a stop from said speed, with the brakes not really being all too there in stopping this 2.1 tonne behemoth after more than one flying lap around Sepang. This though is admittedly perhaps not exactly entirely a fair criticism of it, seeing as the stoppers on the particular example tested that day had undoubtably been put through more consistent hard use than what any reasonable driver would be getting up to on the street.
Another similarly unfair critique regarding the Ora 07 Performance was for it to perhaps be leaning into the corners more than what is expected from a car that one would properly cane with confidence on the track. Such is as the body roll was actually to be within reasonable expectations of what is essentially a sporty variant of an otherwise street-spec car, and having its suspension set up any firmer than what it is right now will likely make it unbearably harsh on regular roads.
One final minor nitpick here when it came to tracking the Ora is for its accelerator to be a tad twitchy upon initial depression, with the lack of weight to the pedal further making it rather difficult to modulate that instant EV torque when trying to progressively apply power out of a corner. In the interest of balance however, one little delight with this EV is for its cabin design to share more than a passing resemblance to the Bugatti Chiron, which certainly makes a really good first impression of sportiness every time upon entering the vehicle.
The Ora 07 Performance currently serves as GWM’s answer to the BYD Seal Performance and Tesla Model 3 Performance, with both those aforementioned competition admittedly beating it soundly when it comes to comparing performance metrics on paper. As (hopefully) alluded to in the prior paragraphs above too, this particular sporty e-sedan isn’t exactly to be a true blue track weapon that really shines at Sepang.
Having said that, this little track session does still show that the Ora 07 Performance still packs sufficient sportiness that will likely more than impress anyone with a heavier-than-normal right foot out on the road. And with a price that undercuts its rivals by a significant margin, this particular EV should certainly be seriously considered by anyone looking to splash their cash on a sporty all-electric four-door sedan.
Just adding all the way down here as well a quick point on range while out on track, each flying lap saw for the Ora 07 Performance’s 83.5 kWh pack to drain by about 10%. So those wanting to track their EVs best hope that it is either a short session, or start lobbying for circuits to install some DC fast chargers nearby…
GWM Ora 07 Performance Technical Specifications
Motor: Twin permanent magnet synchronous motor (AWD)
Battery Capacity: 83.5 kWh
Range: 483 km
Max Power: 408 PS
Max Torque: 680 Nm
Top Speed: 180 km/h (official)
0-100km/h: 4.3 seconds
Charging Speed: 88 kW DC peak (30-80% in 32 mins), 11 kW AC (30-80% in 15 hours)
Price: RM 189,900
