Zeekr 7GT is a bid to redefine luxury

The portfolio of Geely brands is extensive, including Lotus, Lynk & Co, Polestar, Volvo and of course, Geely itself. While Volvo undoubtedly ticks the premium box, the massive Chinese OEM wanted to create something above Lynk & Co — as Geely’s VP of global design, Stefan Sielaff told CDN earlier this year -- and so created Zeekr. Its latest model is the grand tourer-inspired 7GT.

Zeekr's chief exterior designer Lukas Medeisis was in fact part of the early Lynk & Co team before it split into two distinct operations, each with their own design competencies. The strategy for those first Zeekr models was to use influences from the Lynk & Co cars, but uplift the premium look and feel while they matured a new design language. 

“When we started Zeekr five years ago, we wanted to move away from the cold, mechanical, automotive feel and instead move to something a little bit more elegant and warm, but still keep the technicality of it,” says Medeisis. “To support these principles and core ideas, we developed three pillars: ‘Generous Spirit’, where the space feels more like an extension of home; ‘Human Touch’ with a mixture of materials and ‘Hidden Energy’, emphasising clean, uncluttered design that ensures a relaxing feeling.”

Taking those design pillars, the team’s strategy was to create models that are unique in each segment. That started with the shooting brake-styled 001 and they attempted to do the same with the Zeekr X CUV and larger 7X SUV, all the while integrating both practicality and technology. The Zeekr 007 sedan was designed for the Chinese market, and with sales of sedans in decline in Europe, the decision was taken to translate the Hidden Energy design language into something more suitable. 

Between the massive research and development centre in China and the design centre in Sweden, they identified the solution as a grand tourer, a sportier option that also delivers daily practicality. The result is the 7GT. “We wanted to amplify the sportier design expression compared to the 007,” says Medeisis. “The GT needed to be more about modernity and simplicity and we used the core of 007 to translate it into GT typologies.”

With our theme at CDN this month being aerodynamics and surfacing, how integral to the design process are the aero requirements? Medeisis says that while aero dictates many elements, design very much comes first.

“Our company is design-based, so we believe in performance, technology and craftsmanship and all these values combine in the design and execution,” he says. “It’s not just about being different, but creating our own identity, so we have a level of trust that we create the design and then aero comes in and gives us feedback on areas that we can improve. If we started purely from a dynamic perspective, that wouldn’t give us much freedom and while aero is important in order to give the car good driving range, it’s very important to create a brand that is emotional and people can connect with.”

“We constantly battle with the aero team and engineering to keep our design solutions because real aerodynamics are very different,” he continues. “There are of course gimmicks in aero but we take the design as the starting point and then create a proposal that management and the whole team can believe in. Of course we do tests and maybe we need to tweak and adjust — perhaps lower the bonnet or close the wheel arches in a little bit — but if you start with a pure drawing of aerodynamics then I think it would be hard as a designer.” 

As well as integrating aero, Medeisis and his design colleagues also have to meet another objective for the brand, a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating — and then there’s the hot topic of lighting. “Lighting is one of those things where you can create a bit more identity with special detailing, and we see it as one of the most important opportunities to create something unique,” he says. “Because of different safety regulations and aerodynamic requirements, we do have less freedom to explore in the exterior shapes, but not so much when it comes to lighting.”

In the first cars for China, the team were very proud to create the one of the biggest animated lamps in the industry, the Stargate, which consisted of over 2000 LEDs that were animated to create not only signatures, but to also communicate to those outside of the car. Regulations in Europe limit this, but for the 7GT they created sharp, technical lamps that are only five or six millimetres tall and cover the full width of the car to enhance that overall look — and make it appear wider, especially at the rear.

With its perceived width and touring aesthetic, the exterior styling could easily be compared to that of its Chinese rival, the Denza Z9GT, or even the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo. On paper the Zeekr looks like a match for the Porsche in performance, but it's the interior where the Taycan looks and feels less premium. This shows just how focused Zeekr is on elevating the perception of luxury, so much so that it's easy to start questioning what defines luxury today.

“Our goal is to redefine luxury,” affirms Medeisis. “We know that expectations for cars are much higher now so we take what customers appreciate from higher-end luxury cars and transfer this into our premium positioning. It takes time to change people’s minds about luxury. That perception of old luxury still remains, but we are trying to challenge customers and give them a new idea of modern luxury.”

Experiencing the 7GT in Spain definitely showcased that, with CMF elements that felt more Bentley or Rolls-Royce than Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz. A focus on tactility was very evident, with switches and dials that not only had the appearance of being handcrafted, but the feel too, as did the upholstery and IP surfaces. Both the exterior styling and the interior design showcase a brand that is taking design extremely seriously and one that rivals need to take notice of, but what are Medeisis’ favourite elements on the 7GT?

“One is the sloping roofline, which was a big challenge because it is very important to provide space for the rear passengers,” he says. “Another is the rear muscle on the car, because if you look from the front and the rear of the car, you can see how much power the rear wheels carry as the cabin is tucked in from the rear. Lastly, the clamshell hood, because it provides a level of modernity that you don’t often see in cars today.”

Zeekr has had to make some changes for the European market, mainly due to regulations, so not all the technology and design features that are seen on its models in China are available. Even so, the 7GT shows that those initial objectives to lead through design and redefine what luxury means seem to have not only been met, but exceeded.