WATCH: Omoda surprises Kyalami by showing incoming new C9

In a surprise reveal, Omoda used the Kyalami Festival of Motoring on Thursday evening (24 August) to debut what will become its new flagship model in South Africa before year-end, the C9.

Watch C9 walkaround below:

Growing Omoda range

Set to take-up station above the C5 that went on-sale this year, the C9 forms part of an extended Omoda line-up that will comprise a more powerful 1.6 T-GDI variant of the C5 in November, and from the first quarter of next year, the all-electric C5 EV.

Following the similar route as the C5, the C9 adopts a coupe-like design with dimensions of 4 781 mm in overall length, a wheelbase of 2 815 mm, height of 1 671 mm and width of 1 920 mm.

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Derived from the Yaoguang made by Omoda and therefore parent company Chery’s premium Exeed brand since last year, the C9, known outside China as the RX, will become the first Omoda model on South African soil to be offered with front or all-wheel-drive, albeit with a single engine and gearbox option.

Powered by the same 2.0 T-GDI mill as the newly updated Tiggo 8 Pro Max, the unit has been upgraded for use in the C9 from 187kW/390Nm, to 190kW/400Nm.

While paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox in Exeed guise, for the C9, Omoda has opted for a column-shift mounted eight-speed torque converter automatic it says has been tuned specifically for South African market tastes.

Packed with spec

Shown in “prototype” left-hand-drive guise at Kyalami, the C9 will come standard with features largely derived from the Exeed.

This includes the new dual 12.3-inch displays from the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max shown at the same event, heated and ventilated front seats with the driver’s chair featuring a massage function, an upgraded 50-watt wireless smartphone charger, a fragrance dispenser, active ambient lighting and an uprated Sony sound system with speakers integrated into the front headrests.

As well sporting an ottoman-type reclining passenger’s seat and panoramic sunroof, the C9 will have what Omoda calls “class leading advanced driver assistance systems” it will only reveal in full closer to the still-to-be confirmed local launch date.

No price yet

At present, pricing remains unknown and therefore open speculation, however, expect a considerable premium over the C5 that currently starts at R447 900 and ends at R509 900.

Additional information from carnewschina.com.

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