Hitting the ground running on its local comeback with the Coolray in 2019, Geely Philippines’ star has since been on the rise. The subcompact crossover managed to retain its status as the stable’s best-selling model, even after being joined by the Azkarra compact crossover and the Okavango 7-seater SUV.
Geely Philippines is expected to release at least two more models in our market
Geely famously declared a rollout of new models for Filipino customers every six months. It’s a move that has been largely derailed by the ongoing pandemic, leading the company to adjust its timeline and shelve plans to release new models for the rest of 2021. Geely already has 19 dealerships nationwide as of this writing, so the apparent focus now is on network expansion.
But it seems that the carmaker has a couple of surprises up its sleeve. On the Geely Philippines website, there are two silhouettes of upcoming vehicles. According to a report by Carguide.ph, one of its readers apparently managed to stumble upon the identity of the mystery models.
The sedan-shaped outline showed the filename ‘ss11-thumb.png’ when opened in a new tab. One Google search later yielded the information that the SS11 is the fourth-generation Emgrand subcompact sedan. The Emgrand is actually classified as a compact in the Chinese market, but Geely will likely slot it a category below for Filipino buyers in terms of pricing, putting the vehicle squarely in contention with the Toyota Vios, Honda City, and Nissan Almera.
The Geely Emgrand rides on the same platform as the Coolray
Sharing the B-segment Modular Architecture (BMA) platform with the Coolray, the Emgrand is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine producing 114 horsepower and 147 Nm of torque bolted to a CVT. Tech is one of its selling points, with a fully digital instrument cluster and Volvo-derived switchgear.
The other silhouette bears the designation ‘kx11-thumb.png,’ alluding to the Xingyue L SUV, Geely’s biggest model to date in its home market. Underpinned by the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) used on Volvo cars, it could potentially edge out even the Okavango in terms of physical dimensions.
One of the Geely Xingyue L's selling points is full OTA updates even for chassis adjustments and safety features
There’s even more to behold on the Xingyue L in terms of gadgetry, with a 25.6-inch augmented-reality heads-up display (AR-HUD), a 5G network-powered automated valet system, and full over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine comes in two states of tune, pushing the Xingyue L forward with either 214 horsepower and 325 Nm in base form or 234 horsepower and 380 Nm of twist in the more powerful version. Buyers can choose between a 7-speed automatic or an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, with a BorgWarner four-wheel drivetrain.
For now, Geely Philippines remains tight-lipped as to when these two models will formally make their appearance. But it will be interesting to see what the brand has in store in the future.
No automotive mystery stays hidden for long at Philkotse.com.