Der "elektrische Cullinan" ist allgegenwärtig. Chinesische Marken verfolgen das "Geschmack älterer Leute". Können die gefälschten Rolls-Royce wirklich wie heiss gebackene Brötchen verkauft werden?

Recently, I've noticed a rather dark - humored joke: "If a Rolls - Royce designer worked in China, he probably wouldn't even make it through the probation period because there are too many competitors."

The reason lies in the concerted presentation of a series of Chinese electric models like the Voyah Taishan and the Zeekr 9X. These quasi - flagships in the price range of 400,000 to 600,000 yuan have all adopted a similar design language: a square and massive vehicle design, a grille with vertical chrome strips, a floating roof structure, wide C - pillars, and that certain "majestic impression" that convinces even without an aggressive appearance. In short, it's an imitation of Rolls - Royce.

Image source: Voyah

Internet users have given this style a nickname - "Grandpa Aesthetics" - and have referred to the Voyah Taishan as the "Wuhan - Cullinan" and the Zeekr 9X as the "Hangzhouwan - Cullinan".

Interestingly, the brands don't reject this nickname. On the contrary, they deliberately direct their advertising in this direction, similar to how some mobile phone manufacturers point out an "Apple touch". Different from the past, the protagonists of this "homage" to Rolls - Royce are not the productions of small car companies, but a collective decision of leading brands. Why do top brands all embrace the "Grandpa Design"? Is it a sloppy and lazy design solution, or is it all about meeting the aesthetic needs of customers and achieving the so - called "aesthetic equality"?

Everywhere "Cullinan", Chinese luxury cars collectively in Grandpa style

The term "Grandpa" in the online context refers to middle - aged older men who have a certain social status, wealth, and family responsibility. They need a vehicle that both underlines their success and looks dignified and serious.

The square Rolls - Royce - style design exactly meets the psychological needs of this group for "authority" and "status". Rounded and aerodynamic shapes may seem more modern and technology - friendly, but square and majestic lines can better convey visual signals of power and stability.

Image source: Rolls - Royce

In the era of internal combustion engines, luxury brands have built design barriers over centuries. Electric vehicle manufacturers, on the other hand, can quickly build a luxury image by adopting proven luxury design features.

From this perspective, "Grandpa Aesthetics" is a springboard for Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers to enter the high - end class and a transitional phase in market formation.

Currently, a silent design formula for "Grandpa Aesthetics" has been established in the automotive industry:

In design, aerodynamic, backward - inclined shapes and low air resistance are abandoned, and the design returns to a boxy vehicle shape. With a length of over 5,200 mm and a width of over 2,000 mm, the vehicle has the necessary size to make an impressive impression from the start. Even with closed fronts, dense vertical chrome strips or LED strips are used to create a kind of "ritualness" like that of the Parthenon. Wide, massive C - pillars with chrome decorations are the highlight of the side view. They give the vehicle a weighty appearance and can also keep a 5.20 - meter - long car in shape.

Image source: Zeekr

In terms of equipment, all features that convey "visible and tangible luxury", such as a starry sky roof, electrically closing doors, a 30 + speaker sound system, or three - chamber air suspension, are consistently used.

In summary, the goal is to convey a Rolls - Royce impression. This design direction may seem off - the - wall at first glance, but it has a logical basis.

At the beginning of the electric vehicle era, automakers aimed for low air resistance to increase range. Therefore, aerodynamic design was the first choice. With the improvement of battery technology and the expansion of charging infrastructure, range anxiety has decreased, and the influence of air resistance on range has diminished.

When the range of electric vehicles is generally over 600 kilometers, designers have more room for design. Sacrificing low air resistance for a distinctive design is now a feasible option in the high - end market.

At the same time, the integration and miniaturization of electric vehicle technology have made the mechanical arrangement of vehicles more flexible and created more space for design. With the decrease of technical restrictions, the electric vehicle design direction returns to its original function of emotional expression and identity marking - in other words, the electric vehicle market can now offer "emotional value".

"Grandpa Aesthetics" is boring? But the orders are exploding!

Although we make fun of "Grandpa Aesthetics", the sales figures of vehicles with this look are impressive. The Voyah Taishan received over 5,000 orders on its launch day, and the Zeekr 9X achieved over 10,000 reservations within 13 minutes of its launch. This proves that this strategy works.

Image source: Zeekr

The reason for the successful sales is simple: "They look expensive." In China, a car is not just a means of transportation. It's like a mobile property certificate and can speak for you in certain social situations.

But in the era of intelligent electric vehicles, this criterion no longer holds. An entrepreneur driving a NIO ET7 and a programmer driving a Tesla Model 3 don't have a significant difference in brand value. Both belong to the "new forces" and lack historical depth.

In such cases, it's most effective if a vehicle "looks like a Rolls - Royce".

It must be admitted that a Chinese Cullinan in the 500,000 - yuan price range is much more eye - catching in social situations than an ordinary vehicle from premium brands like BMW, Mercedes - Benz, or Audi. It sends the signal: "I can afford real luxury, but I choose an intelligent Chinese vehicle instead." Brands like Hongqi and Voyah, which are regarded as "state - owned enterprises", avoid the ostentation of Western premium brands and still maintain the necessary dignity through their size and presence. Names like Taishan and Guoya already have political correctness.

Image source: Hongqi

Moreover, a full - size SUV is suitable for both business events and weekend family outings. From the practical perspective of a vehicle's versatility, the "Grandpa style" has the greatest universality.

From the perspective of automakers, "Grandpa Aesthetics" is also the least risky business directive.

First, there is a path dependence in the perception of luxury. The over - hundred - year - old automotive industry has proven that square shapes, large dimensions, and a massive presence are synonymous with luxury. From Rolls - Royce and Bentley to American full - size SUVs, this visual language is recognized worldwide. Instead of spending ten years shaping the market, it's easier to use established visual means.

In the era of internal combustion engines, Chinese automakers couldn't build real full - size luxury cars because the core components were not up to the required level. However, electric mobility has changed the rules of the game and solved the central problems in building large vehicles:

First, there is more freedom in chassis construction. Since the battery is placed flat on the floor, the vehicle naturally has a low center of gravity, which solves the problem of the "floating driving feeling" of large vehicles. The combination of three - chamber air suspension and rear - wheel steering enables a 5.20 - meter - long car to have a turning circle like a small car. The technology has eliminated the disadvantages of size in terms of drivability.

Second, there is an overabundance of power. Dual motors can easily reach over 400 kW, and the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is under 5 seconds. With the increasing availability of power, the "power - power solution" becomes the simplest and crudest way to convey luxury. The larger the vehicle, the better the smooth and quiet power of the electric motor can be demonstrated.

Third, there is more interior space. A wheelbase of over 3 meters on a pure electric vehicle platform solves the problem of limited interior space. Only a full - size SUV can provide enough space to install the "new three luxuries" - a refrigerator, a TV, and a sofa.

Naturally, the most important factor is cost reduction. Although batteries are expensive, the cost structure of electric vehicles is simpler compared to traditional luxury components such as V12 engines, complex transmissions, and mechanical all - wheel drives. This makes it possible to produce vehicles in the 400,000 - 500,000 - yuan price range with a "million - dollar impression".

In other words, cars in Grandpa style are an inevitable result of the development of electric mobility. Electric mobility gives them the courage to redefine luxury. In the past, we had the problem of small engines having to drive large vehicles. Now we are in an era of electric equality.

Similar to Rolls - Royce, but never Rolls - Royce

It's undeniable that young people also need "aesthetic equality". Imitating world - famous design classics is not the path that old luxury brands have taken. In the past, it was the "Porsche - like" Zotye that even misled Porsche managers. Today, the Xiaomi SU7 and YU7 are also successful, also thanks to the so - called "aesthetic equality" in design: The products are directly targeted at Porsche and Ferrari. Although the manufacturers claim that no single detail matches, it seems to the outside world that (in fact, about nine out of ten points) they are similar. For many young people, it's an option to get a vehicle that used to cost 2 million yuan for around 200,000 yuan. Thus, "aesthetic equality" is an urgent need regardless of age and social class.

Whatever exists has its justification. Aesthetics is subjective. The problem, however, is that the saying "XX version of the Cullinan" has migrated from user opinion to the official communication of brands. If a brand actually uses "electric Cullinan" as an advertising theme, it means that it completely abandons the building of its own brand identity.

"Grandpa Aesthetics" is essentially a "youth compensation" for the 70s and 80s generations. They couldn't afford luxury cars in their youth, and now that they can, they want to regain the feeling of admiration.

The question is: Do automakers want to serve an aging market or appeal to young people in the future?

Fortunately, not all brands have fallen into the trap of "Grandpa Aesthetics". There are already two different directions in the market:

One direction is the minimalist - modern style, represented by the NIO ET9 and the XPeng X9. Instead of focusing on size, they convey... (The original text was incomplete here)