Recently， Great Wall Motor (GWM) has been making waves beyond just manufacturing vehicles. First， they unveiled a V8 motorcycle named “Soul，” and more recently， a covered V8 supercar was leaked. In an era where many Chinese automakers focus solely on mass production， GWM’s display of such passion and ambition is quite remarkable.
Yes， that’s right， it’s Great Wall Motor.
Furthermore， if you consider which Chinese independent brand sells the most off-road vehicles， GWM stands out. Anyone who has traveled westward would likely have seen a Tank 300 on the road.
One might assume they only understand ruggedness， yet their foray into new energy MPVs has also been quite successful.
Coupled with the outspoken nature of Mr. Wei Jianjun， Chairman of GWM， I’ve become genuinely curious about what kind of automotive company GWM truly is.
Fortuitously， we were recently invited to tour Great Wall Motor’s headquarters， a perfect opportunity to introduce you to a different perspective of GWM.
Naturally， as an automotive manufacturer， we must first discuss their core competency: building excellent vehicles.
Many may not be aware that GWM established the **nation’s first automotive safety laboratory by a host vehicle manufacturer** back in 2008. This is the very facility responsible for crash testing.
Those who follow the automotive industry are familiar with crash tests. We often see videos of tests conducted at research centers like C-IASI or C-NCAP， including 100% frontal impact tests and 25% offset frontal impact tests.
However， have you noticed that many of these lab videos feature a single track occupying an entire room?
GWM’s facility is different; its eight collision tracks are arranged in a radial pattern. This design offers two key advantages.
Firstly， the tracks are spaced at 15° angles， enabling collision scenarios ranging from 0° to 90°， covering a total of 8 different impact angles. This allows for a more comprehensive study of how vehicles withstand impacts from various directions and how different parts of the car are affected， making crash testing as thorough as possible.
Secondly， this design significantly enhances testing efficiency， allowing for simultaneous use of multiple tracks. As seen in the photos， one track might be testing impact against a guardrail， another a rolloff test， and a third dedicated to studying collisions with obstacles.
It appears GWM even considers non-standard scenarios like barrier impacts and pit drops. This level of engineering diligence and comprehensive safety consideration is truly impressive.
GWM strategically began assembling its crash test team as early as 2005， indicating a forward-thinking approach to safety development.
The current expansive laboratory is the result of several rounds of expansion and upgrades， with a total investment exceeding 500 million yuan， making it the largest in Asia.
The scale is truly impressive.
Beyond the visible aspects， the true technical sophistication lies beneath the surface.
Those familiar with crash testing know that vehicles are typically pulled by cables.
These cables are driven by an underground traction system， which is a complex piece of engineering.
Consider this: accelerating a vehicle weighing one to two tons to a crash test speed of 64 km/h within mere seconds requires immense power. A sports car’s launch control typically takes a few seconds to reach 100 km/h， with hundreds of horsepower at the wheels.
Additionally， even a slight deviation from the intended impact point during a crash can drastically alter the data regarding vehicle deformation and dummy injuries， potentially masking critical safety issues.
Therefore， vehicle traction systems for collision testing must be powerful， durable， and capable of minimizing error.
For instance， Germany’s Messring boasts hydraulic traction systems that claim an error margin of no more than 0.1 km/h at a towing speed of 65 km/h and within 0.2 km/h at 90 km/h. The collision positioning accuracy is maintained within 20mm， roughly the width of two fingers.
Historically， due to high technological barriers， such equipment was monopolized by European and American manufacturers and came with exorbitant prices. Even after domestic production， the cost remained a staggering 90 million yuan. For context， GWM’s initial investment in its first collision laboratory was only 100 million yuan.
This prompted GWM to pursue in-house research and development. Their own traction system was put into operation in 2024， with engineers estimating a cost reduction of up to one-third. This significant saving can be reinvested into further vehicle development and， indeed， more crash testing.
Moving from forceful impacts to more subtle forces， let’s discuss aerodynamics.
As previously mentioned， GWM is rumored to be developing a supercar. For such vehicles， alongside the engine， aerodynamic design is paramount.
Indeed， GWM has established its own wind tunnel laboratory， capable of generating wind speeds up to 250 km/h – faster than Typhoon Mangkhut， which reached level 17.
However， GWM’s wind tunnel is more than just a device for generating wind. It offers a temperature control range from -40℃ to 60℃， adjustable lighting intensity and humidity， and can even simulate rain and snow to replicate various extreme conditions.
The lamps overhead in the photos can be thought of as oversized bath heaters， capable of generating a maximum light intensity of 1200 W/㎡， which is slightly more intense than the 1000 W/㎡ sunlight in the Sahara Desert.
From the ferocious typhoons sweeping through tropical regions to the biting cold of Siberian winters， from the scorching dry heat of the Sahara Desert to the torrential downpours of the Pearl River Delta， virtually any environment on Earth can be simulated here.
In addition to these laboratories， GWM has also established a high-speed oval test track， which has recently gained significant attention.
The Great Wall Xushui Proving Ground， completed in 2015， is likely the first comprehensive automotive proving ground for a Chinese independent brand.
This facility includes a high-speed oval track.
Generally， high-speed ovals are used to simulate high-load， continuous operation conditions， testing the reliability of major components like the chassis and engine. Fuel efficiency is not the primary concern here; it’s about pushing the limits.
For GWM， new vehicles must endure a rigorous 7，000 kilometers on this track， including their MPVs.
Thus， my first experience on a high-speed oval was unexpectedly in an MPV.
The Wey Gaoshan 8， a large MPV， reached speeds of 208 km/h on the oval without any instability and with remarkably low noise levels.
Furthermore， the Xushui Proving Ground has now obtained ISO laboratory accreditation， meaning its reports can be directly used for export certifications.
Remarkably， GWM also generously opens its **Xushui Test Facility for use by external automotive companies**， reflecting a spirit of chivalry often associated with the land of Yan and Zhao.
The reason we highlight these testing facilities like collision labs and wind tunnels is that while manufacturing lines can be purchased， these crucial proving grounds that validate vehicle quality are not easily acquired by all automakers.
The construction of each facility， the in-house research and development of equipment， and even the cultivation of talent teams， all represent significant financial investment.
Mr. Wei once stated that an automaker must possess “self-sustaining” capabilities to thrive in the long run. On the matter of building excellent vehicles， GWM has taken no shortcuts.
Such substantial investment has earned GWM quality and consumer trust， establishing its vehicles with a reputation for adaptability and high quality in overseas markets， truly becoming **a shining overseas calling card for Chinese automotive and Chinese manufacturing.**
This visit has revealed that alongside building quality vehicles， GWM is also strategically investing in supply chain enterprises to jointly support the entire Chinese automotive industry.
Take Mand Lights & Optics， for instance. Although a wholly-owned subsidiary of GWM， it also supplies automotive lighting to other manufacturers like SAIC and BMW.
I am very familiar with these lights; they are identical to the ones on my MINI!
GWM has many such supply chain companies that are open to external collaboration. Examples include Tehle Hydrogen Energy Testing Center， which offers hydrogen and fuel cell testing and R&D services to the public， and Jinggong Auto， a hot stamping die manufacturer that has secured orders from international giants like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
The continuous innovation within these supply chain companies is fueled not only by GWM’s open testing resources but also by a dedicated team of individuals who are “committed to their work.”
This hands-on exploration in Baoding has provided a new perspective on GWM， helping us understand why Mr. Wei is regarded as a down-to-earth leader.
Just across the street from the GWM Technical Center is a shopping mall called “Love Square.” You can probably guess who named it.
Opened in September last year， it’s described as the “nation’s first auto-themed shopping center，” a commercial complex integrating leisure， shopping， and automotive maintenance. It features a wide array of 23 automotive brands， each offering comprehensive after-sales and maintenance services.
In this snapshot of a corner of the mall， how many car brands can you identify?
The mall’s parking structure is seamlessly connected to the shopping areas. This allows you to drop off your car for maintenance， enjoy a meal and a movie， and then retrieve your vehicle. It’s truly a testament to a car company’s approach to integrated services.
I recall that operating models like this were once exclusive to developed countries. It’s impressive to see such a leap forward achieved in Baoding.
Moreover， it’s not an exaggeration to say that GWM virtually caters to every aspect of its employees’ lives， from food and clothing to housing and transportation.
Since 2009， Mr. Wei has championed the concept of “small city， great happiness，” initiating the construction of housing for GWM employees. Today， GWM not only boasts the newly built “Love Homeland” residential area but also ensures that employees’ children have access to quality education.
The Aihecheng School is conveniently located next to the residential complex， offering a comprehensive curriculum from early childhood education to high school.
The environment is exceptional， even offering elective courses in musical instruments， including drums and guzheng.
After discussing all of this， let’s return to our initial question: What kind of automotive company is Great Wall Motor?
Each GWM brand possesses a distinct cultural identity， such as the rugged off-roading of Tank， the luxurious comfort of Wey’s Gaoshan， and the free-spirited unbound nature of the Soul motorcycle.
These cultural characteristics are deeply rooted in the solid foundation of their products. From their forward-thinking investment in proving grounds to their continuous pursuit of breakthroughs in R&D， GWM can be seen as a microcosm of the broader Chinese manufacturing sector’s ascent.
The People’s Daily has lauded GWM for “gathering momentum and firmly holding key technologies in its own hands.”
From nurturing supply chain enterprises to contributing to the advancement of China’s automotive industry， GWM embodies the age-old saying， “There are many righteous individuals in the land of Yan and Zhao.”
Even more commendable is that beyond producing quality vehicles， GWM recognizes the fundamental logic of Chinese manufacturing evolving from compliant to reliable， valuing human worth by providing them with warm homes and secure lives.
In an interview with Sina， Wei Jianjun stated， “We do not seek earth-shattering achievements， but rather to do things that are right in our conscience and build good cars.”
This sense of responsibility and vision instills confidence in Chinese manufacturing for the future.
