The Great Wall Peri (Chinese: 长城精灵) was the company’s city car. Sold in several Asian countries, it had one great advantage over established rivals: a low price. It was based heavily on older models by other makers, and its similarity to the Fiat Panda ended in an Italian court.
Great Wall Peri at a glance
| Maker | Great Wall Motors, China |
|---|---|
| Class | city car |
| Petrol engine | entry-level unit supplied by Mitsubishi |
| Interior likeness | second-generation Fiat Panda |
| Exterior likeness | first-generation Nissan Note |
| Emissions | Euro III |
| Crossover version | Haval M1, previously the Peri 4×4 |
| Court case | Turin, 16 July 2008: import into Europe prohibited |
| Penalty | 15,000 euro for the first Peri imported, 50,000 for each later car |
| Markets | several Asian countries |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Peri.
History of the Great Wall Peri
A cheap city car
The Peri was Great Wall’s entry into the city car class, a small and cheap machine for buyers in Asian markets where price matters more than badge. Its low retail price came from the same method Great Wall used elsewhere: the car was based heavily on older models by other manufacturers. The entry-level engine was supplied by Mitsubishi, the interior resembles the second-generation Fiat Panda and the exterior strongly resembles the first-generation Nissan Note. The Peri complied with the Euro-III emissions standard.
The Fiat Panda case
The resemblance to the Panda was close enough to cause a dispute. By December 2006 Fiat was considering legal action against Great Wall for copying its second-generation Panda, because apart from the front end the Peri was designed to look identical to the Panda inside and out. On 16 July 2008 a Turin court upheld Fiat’s claim and prohibited the Peri from being imported into Europe. The court also ordered Great Wall to pay Fiat a 15,000 euro fine for the first Peri imported and an additional 50,000 euros for every subsequent car.
Counter-claim
In October 2009 Great Wall Motor sued Fiat in turn, accusing the Italian company of espionage. Great Wall claimed that Fiat had once instigated espionage to get into its research centre and photograph the Peri while it was still under development.
The Haval M1
Great Wall also built a crossover version of the car called the Haval M1, previously known as the Peri 4×4. It followed the same fashion as the raised versions of the company’s other small cars.
Design and features
- Low price: the Peri’s main selling point against European, American and other Asian city cars.
- Panda-like cabin: the interior closely followed the second-generation Fiat Panda.
- Crossover spin-off: the Haval M1, first sold as the Peri 4×4.
- Euro III emissions: the standard the car was built to.
Great Wall Peri versions
- Peri: the standard city car.
- Peri 4×4 / Haval M1: the crossover version, later sold under the Haval name.
The Peri was the smallest Great Wall model alongside the Coolbear, and the crossover version belonged to the same family as the Hover. More cars are in the Great Wall collection.
Video: Great Wall Peri
Video by Большой тест-драйв on YouTube.
Sources
- Great Wall Peri, English Wikipedia: design, Fiat case, Haval M1
