What's this new car all about then?
There's a new large sedan in town: sleek styling and rear-wheel drive. Is it like 2006 or something?
Well no, because the Dongfeng 007 is Chinese and pure-electric. The 007 is the new flagship model for the brand in New Zealand, joining the Box city hatchback and Vigo compact-SUV. Those two are definitely the volume models, whereas the 007 is intended to be more of a treat on top - a hero model to garner some extra attention for a brand that only launched here late last year.
"I don’t think the dynamics of the market segmentation are going to hugely change [because of 007]," says Simon Rutherford, chief executive of Automotive Distribution Holdings (the company that imports Dongfeng into NZ). "But I do think there’s a target market out there that really enjoys driving.
"I don’t think this segment’s massive; our expectations are probably in line with that. But do we think it’s something that can be really strong as a halo product for the brand? Absolutely."
The 007 comes in two models, both with a 70kWh LFP battery: the Long Range RWD (range 520km) and Performance AWD (389km). Single or dual-motor obviously, and nice and simple because power and torque doubles from one to the other: 200kW/320Nm versus 400kW/640Nm.
The 007 is a hero model to garner some extra attention for a brand that only launched here late last year.
The RWD is quick with 0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds, but the AWD is rapid indeed: 3.9sec.
There's quite a bit of detail to attract tech-enthusiasts. With a drag coefficienct of 0.209, Dongfeng claims it's the most aerodynamic car on the market in NZ. The cabin runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip. Thanks partly to a 1.82 square-metre panoramic roof, three-quarters of the car's surface area is glass. The "Ultra-Clear" 360-degree camera system features Transparent Chassis View.
The Long Range is $54,990, while the Performance is $59,990. It's hard to think of any way you can go faster for less.
By the way, don't get all James Bond-obsessive about the name. Chinese brands are very keen on the double-0 prefix (see Zeekr 009) in general, and the 007 is simply part of a model series from the Dongfeng Pi sub-brand at home. In the domestic market there's also a 008 SUV.
And another "by the way", we're caling it a sedan because that's the look and feel, but it's actually a 5-door fastback.
How much is it?
Sharp prices are a big part of the proposition. The 007 Long Range is $54,990, while the Performance is $59,990. It's hard to think of any way you can go faster for less.
"We’re trying to deliver value in a different way," says Rutherford. "We know we’re a new brand and we know that in order to conquest customers, we have to offer value."
As has become a thing with EVs, there's one free colour and you have to pay for the rest. So Morning White is standard, or for an extra $499 you can have Stone Grey, Sun Gold or Shadow Black. The very striking Orchid Purple is reserved for the Performance.
What are they like to drive?
As with the Vigo compact-SUV launched at the same venue on the same day, our 007 drive was a brief lap of Hampton Downs National Circuit punctuated by acceleration, braking and steering exercises, and 10 minutes on-road near the track.
It was the Performance AWD only for us, and it's certainly quick and smooth. You can really feel the AWD working in extremis. It's notable for a "Combat" mode that turns the powertrain up to 11 for maximum acceleration.
All outwardly quite impressive, although we need to spend more time and undertake a proper review. That's coming soon.
What’s the pick of the range?
On the surface, the Performance looks like top value given all the extra power (and the extra motor) for a $5k premium.
But if past experience of fast EVs is anything to go by, we'd say give the RWD a try before you decide. It has virtually the same standard equipment as the Performance; the only significant omissions are fatigue/distraction warning functions. Same basic suspension setup, same 19-inch wheel and 235/45 tyre combination... which is another way of saying the fast version doesn't get any chassis upgrades to help with the extreme acceleration.
It might come down to colour. Not the outside, athough that Orchid Purple is exclusive to the Performance. We're talking about the inside, because the Long Range has black upholstery with white detailing, whereas the Performance can only be had with a very bold white and grey trim.
What other cars should I consider?
So, you want an EV with a distinctly non-SUV sense of styling proportion? Here's where the 007's extreme sense of value comes in.
The BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3 are both a full size down on the 4.9m-long Dongfeng, but they cost $59,990-$76,990 and $63,900-$84,900 respectively.
It's a bit of a stretch (and Dongfeng is making no such claim, just to be fair), but the 007 is closer in size and concept to premium EVs like the Polestar 4 ($99,900-$119,900). Ideally we'd reference BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE, but neither are currently listed for sale in NZ. Sedans are a nice-but-niche thing.
