The Chinese have been exporting crossovers and SUVs all over the world, the US included. They have been exporting sedans and compact cars, too. Now, the time is right for a hypercar made in China. Meet the GAC Lion Hyper SSR.
If you thought that China was going to settle for the segments it already penetrated, well, guess again. The Chinese seem to have found the perfect hypercar recipe. Aggressive styling, aerodynamic design, low price compared to competitors, and so much oomph that the Hyper SSR would give some European hypercars some serious headache.
Previewed by the Enpulse Concept back in 2020, the GAC Aion Hyper SSR was unveiled in September 2022 as a two-seater electric hypercar with design cues inspired by the Ferrari 458, elongated slim headlights, and doors opening upwards like on a McLaren. An active rear wing adds downforce and assists with the air flow.
With a body made entirely of carbon fiber, the Aion Hyper SSR sports a very low curb weight, but the Asian carmaker gives no hint at that just yet.
There are heated and ventilated seats on board, wrapped in leather in the most outrageous of shades (purple and orange are two of them!) An 8.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.6-inch tablet-like touchscreen provide all the driving information and functions controls.
Photo: GAC
The car is powered by three electric motors for a total of 1,207 horsepower (1,224 PS) and 907 lb-ft (1,230 Nm).
The 'SSR' lettering in the name of the model stands for Super, Sport, and Race. That is the name of the entry-level version as well, which needs 2.3 seconds to go from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 kph). It starts at 1,286,000 yuan, which translates into $176,275. That is as much as you'd pay for a well equipped BMW XM with half the output this car has.
Upper in the range, with a price of 1,386,000 yuan ($189,983), there is the SSR Spring. Meanwhile, the range-topping variant, the Hyper SSR Ultimate, is the 1,686,000-yuan ($231,105), the one that hits 62 mph in 1.9 seconds, identical to what the Tesla Model Plaid S can do. That is also as much as Tesla claims the Roadster needs for the run. But we are still to find out, since the model won’t be ready before 2024.
The SSR, the Chinese media says without indicating which one of them, can hit a top speed of 155 mph (250 kph). A nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery pack with a capacity of 75 kWh helps it drive as far as 314 miles (506 kilometers) on a single charge.
Guangzhou Automobile Group has already started deliveries in China. It is yet unclear if the model will be exported to America or Europe.
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