Quiet track: what the Chinese sports sedan is capable of
The only "racing" special effects are the screeching of tires in tense turns. No juicy gaslines, no loud growls on the straights. A squat and wide car flies along Moscow Raceway silently and very fast, as if you were driving in a dream. This is not a dream, but a new reality — the hybrid Exlantix ES, presented on the racetrack. Isn't that a bit presumptuous? The correspondent of Izvestia checked what the new premium from China is capable of.
Exlantix ES: what kind of car is this
Chinese manufacturers are well aware that sporting achievements are a way to demonstrate what a car is capable of. Needless to say, in this segment, which is actively being developed by brands from China, such qualities as dynamics, handling and reliability are appreciated — customers are spoiled by the German premium. It's not enough to just paint the calipers red.
Exlantix ES dimensions: 4945×1978×1474 mm. The wheelbase is 3000 mm. Ground clearance — 135 mm
In Russia, motorsport presentations can be counted on the fingers — few have dared to do this. This is understandable: the brakes of Chinese cars are traditionally not resistant to overheating. But a hybrid or an electric car are both fast and heavy cars. Therefore, launching the Exlantix ES on the race track is a more than bold decision. You need to be sure that the car will not let you down and will not spoil your first impression.
Meanwhile, it has already been tested on several race tracks around the world. Confidence in the Chinese is added by the fact that Jaguar Land Rover itself has decided to use the modular E0X platform of the Chery concern, on which the ES is built, for its future electrified models. Moreover, the new Jaguar electric sedan is a contender for the luxury segment, albeit a bit strange.
There are currently four colors available for Exlantix ES: gray, black, green and blue
However, Chery itself attracted European engineers to develop its platform, and the Italian Pininfarina was commissioned to draw the look of the car. It turned out to be a beautiful car with a body of outstanding rigidity and aerodynamics: a "thoroughbred" two-lever suspension in front. Moreover, he will try to enter the territory of German sports shops with four or five doors. The ES is positioned as a four-door coupe, but it wouldn't be a big mistake to call it a sedan.
Exlantix ES: features
Initially, we were supposed to bring an ES-electric car, which was previously tested on the ice of Lake Baikal. At the last moment, they decided to skip ahead to the hybrid, which has more prospects in Russia. The electric train is certified, and the issue of its supply to our country is open. The hybrid is inferior to the purely electric version in acceleration to 100 km/h: 4.6 s versus 3.7 s. However, its range is more than twice as high: according to the WLTP cycle, 1,231 km is claimed. All thanks to the gasoline turbo engine, which recharges the battery on the go. They promise that the generator on the car is powerful enough, so you can maintain maximum speed for a long time and infrequently stop by for electric charging. There should be no problems with the charges themselves. In order to charge a 3.7 kW battery, one liter of gasoline is required.
The total output of the two electric motors is 469 hp and 634 Nm.
The presence of the CCC 2 Combo connector will allow you not to stand in the same queue with Zikras and Lisyans, but the ability to charge from an EHS with a capacity of up to 107 kW — to quickly "refuel". In addition, for its 469 horsepower, the tax will be like that of an electric car, that is, you will have to pay for 190 "horses".
Exlantix ES: adaptation for Russia
The ES was prepared for quite a long time, and the delivery dates to our country were postponed several times. I met ES two years ago in China. Then he surprised with displays with large pixels under the headlights, which could display various patterns or emoticons. On the way to the Russian market, the ES got rid of the displays, lost the air suspension and adaptive shock absorbers — the current version of the car still has a passive spring suspension. For our climate, the plastic trunk opening button has been replaced with a rubber one that will not freeze, and the battery heating system has also been improved. The exterior chrome parts of the Russian versions are blackened, the ceiling inside is upholstered in alcantara, and the driver's seat is elongated.
A sedan with a charged battery accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, with a discharged battery in 5.7 seconds.
It is a large and wide car with a three-meter wheelbase, but it is quite maneuverable, as shown by the winding slow snake of cones. Despite the squat, coupe-like silhouette, the rear passengers are not cramped, and the glass roof, extending into the rear window, provides a reserve of space above their heads.
Exlantix ES: interior and options
The interior is minimalistic, which is traditional for modern Chinese cars: a large multimedia display, a smaller instrument panel display, and almost no physical buttons, except for two "rollers" on the spokes of the flattened steering wheel.
The interior can be pistachio or black
The unusual crystal insert on the panel glows even during the day, otherwise the finishing materials are typical for the classic premium: genuine leather on the seats, alcantara, aluminum, wooden panels (they claim that the wood is natural).
Before leaving the track, you need to get behind the wheel quickly — there are several laps ahead, even if accompanied by an Exlantix ET instructor crossover. It's not easy: to adjust the steering wheel, you need to go to the menu, search for the desired tab, and then adjust the height and reach with the right roller. It's the same with mirrors, only now two rollers are used. In China, I was shown that you can ask the voice assistant to find the right tabs, but its Russian-language version does not understand what is wanted from it.
Whenever the car accelerates on the highway, he says softly and sadly: "You exceeded the speed limit." Naturally, we exceeded it — that's why we came to Moscow Raceway.
Exlantix ES: how it rides on the track
The ET crossover, squatting on the rear axle, accelerates sharply, but the ES easily holds on to it. The spoiler on the trunk lid is extended, which should add downforce.
Acceleration takes place in silence, even the internal combustion engine is not audible. Although the battery is only 36%, acceleration to 100 km/h is impressive. After the "hundred", the enthusiasm decreases, and on the starting line it does not accelerate more than 140.
The four-door coupe is precisely controlled. Despite the synthetic bond on the steering wheel, the cornering rolls are very small. In sport mode, the focus is on the rear engine, and the car turns under traction. But wide tires with reinforced sidewalls, which would rather fit a crossover, start to squeal early, especially if you try to drive fast. This is not surprising, the weight of the ES is almost 2.4 tons.
The car slows down confidently, the pedal can be called harsh. The brake discs here are larger than we are used to seeing in Chinese cars, with a "sufficient" diameter, as Exlantix representatives say. The front brakes are ventilated with six-piston calipers. Moreover, they are controlled by wires, which allows you to flexibly vary the force from the front and back and reduce biting during an abrupt stop. In six laps, three for each test journalist, the discs warmed up, but did not give up.
Once a professional racer got behind the wheel, the brakes were barely enough for a lap, but the speed in a straight line increased to 180 km/h. Car owners are unlikely to drive like this. In addition, the single-pedal ride function, which slows down the car by recuperating, allows you to spare the brakes.
The consumption on the track turned out to be moderate. At the start, the power reserve was 845 km, after several intense laps it dropped to 818 km, and the battery charge dropped from 36 to 25%. The on-board computer's electricity consumption was 24.7 kWh, and gasoline consumption was 6.3 liters per 100 km.
Exlantix ES: price and prospects
So far, Exlantix will be offered in Russia in a single package for 5.99 million rubles. The equipment of the only complete set is rich: electric doors, three-zone climate control, front seats with massage, heating and ventilation, advanced electronic assistants. The amount is substantial, but there are also "buns" like premium service and extended warranty.
In addition, the car stands out from other Chinese cars for its spectacular design, rich equipment and good driving qualities. It also stands out for its body type, which is a rare case when it is not just another crossover, but something in between a sedan and a sports coupe. The roll in sports is still stronger than in practicality, given that the car has a small ground clearance, and the lack of an air suspension does not allow it to be changed.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
