Great Wall Motors is about to spring its V8 hybrid supercar

Great Wall Motors (GWM) Chairman Wei Jianjun has teased the company’s first supercar in a photo taken to celebrate 35 years of his company leadership.

The model is likely to feature the company’s plug-in hybrid 4.0 V8 powertrain it has been developing.

And the supercar may go on sale later this year. It will fall under a new sub-brand dubbed Zixin Qiche (Confidence Auto)..

The image shows the chairman alongside other company executives in front of the upcoming supercar.

Under the covers, there appear to be circular headlamps similar to a Porsche 911’s, bonnet fenestrations, and a flared air inlet in the lower bumper.

Moving rearward, there is a large air inlet behind the door confirming the new supercar will have a mid-engined layout. And there would appear to be an extended tail with an integrated spoiler at the rear.

Technical details of the powertrain have not yet been disclosed. But there’s speculation that the biturbo V8 can produce 450kW and 800Nm on its own. Output of the PHEV will be far greater. We do know that the underpinnings comprise a carbon fibre tub.

Once launched, it will compete with the likes of the Yangwang U9 and GAC’s Hyptec SSR. These all-electric supercars have 0-100km/h times of 2.36 and 1.9sec, respectively. European rivals include the McLaren Artura, Ferrari 296 and Lamborghini Temerario.

GWM’s supercar project has been five years in the making. The teaser image is the first official glimpse of the model.

The Chinese supercar market is small but growing. We should know soon how GWM’s effort compares with its rivals.