Ora drops Funky Cat name as firm adopts new ‘direction’

The GWM Ora Funky Cat was one of the more fun and distinctive Chinese-made cars to be launched in the UK in the past year.

Standing out with its quirky Mini-like styling, the Funky Cat name was also a talking point. However, its parent company Great Wall Motors (GWM) has now announced that the feline-inspired naming strategy will be dropped from the start of 2024 as it looks for ‘long-term success in Europe’.

It means the Ora Funky Cat electric hatchback will be renamed as the ‘Ora 03’, while the upcoming Lightning Cat saloon will be renamed as the 07. The numerical naming strategy will help to indicate where it sits in the firm’s line-up, similar to Audi’s naming of A1 to A8, for example.

All European markets are set to drop the ‘Cat’ name from January 2024, though the firm says the UK will ‘adopt a phased approach to the implementation’ of the new naming. GWM Ora adds that the models will ‘remain unchanged’ aside from the name change.

Toby Marshall, managing director of GWM ORA UK, said: “After one year of operations in the UK market, the GWM ORA UK team has made exceptional progress. This latest band strategy update affirms GWM’s commitment to the European region and the UK market in particular, where ORA Funky Cat has made a real statement already.

“We now move forward into 2024 and beyond with a new global brand strategy and many exciting new products on the horizon.”

GWM Ora launched in the UK in November 2022 with the Funky Cat, which offered a range of up to 193 miles from its 42kWh battery. The firm has recently introduced a ‘First Edition+’ model that packs a larger 63kWh battery that unlocks a range of up to 260 miles.