What is GWM Ora? Complete brand, model and tech guide for UK car buyers
The Funky Cat has been put down, but there’s plenty of life in the Ora brand yet
Funky Cat sounds like something you would have done at New York’s Studio 54 during disco’s peak. But car fans know it was the kooky model name of the EV that launched the Ora brand in the UK.
Sadly, the Funky Cat name is no more: the electric supermini has been rebranded as the 03. Ora’s owners, Great Wall Motors, have clearly decided that, on balance, the irresistible shareability of such a daft name is more detrimental than an anonymous badge that could be a Smart or a Polestar.
The 03 was one of the first supermini-sized EVs, although that’s no longer a sales advantage. Under that timewarp design lurks hardware shared with the MINI Electric: a joint venture between MINI and GWM assembles the pair. The 03 has a choice of 43kWh and 63kWh batteries, with ranges of 193 and 248 miles, and a flagship 03 GT version, with a bodykit, diamond-turned 18-inch alloys and launch control. Yet it only has 169bhp – the same as the base-spec car.
Ora was set to be GWM’s sole UK brand. But the EV transition’s slowing momentum triggered the arrival of Haval and Poer, with Ora dealers rebranded to GWM and now also offering the hybrid SUV and diesel pick-up. Yet Ora will remain a pure-electric brand.
A plan to import the Ora 07, a retro saloon similar in length to an Audi A5, has been axed, with insufficient sales projected at its £40k-plus price. Instead, the 5 – note yet another naming approach – is set to arrive in 2026. It’s an SUV that shares the 03’s look, but is similar in size to a Nissan Qashqai. Expect a 201bhp front motor and a lithium-iron phosphate battery. The 5 will give Ora a boost, and help secure new retailers to build GWM’s UK presence to 80 – backed up by importer IM Group’s aftersales depot in the Midlands.
| UK models: | Just the 03 (née Funky Cat) so far |
| Our pick: | A Renault 5 |
| How big in China? | Part of Great Wall Motors, a 1.23 million-vehicle maker |
| 2024 global exports: | 453,141 (37% of total sales) |
| 2025 UK registrations: | 268 |
| Retailer network and warranty: | 80 dealers; five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty |
| We say: | Will struggle to cut through with Renault, Mini and Fiat successfully mining genuine heritage |
Chinese car brands ranked by UK impact
Below is our Chinese power list, with all 17 brands ranked on current and potential UK market impact. Click the links to explore each manufacturer in detail...
| Rank | Brand |
| 1 | MG |
| 2 | BYD |
| 3 | Chery |
| 4 | Changan |
| 5 | Jaecoo |
| 6 | Leapmotor |
| 7 | Omoda |
| 8 | Polestar |
| 9 | XPeng |
| 10 | Geely |
| 11 | Smart |
| 12 | Lotus |
| 13 | GWM Ora |
| 14 | GWM Haval |
| 15 | GWM Poer |
| 16 | Maxus |
| 17 | Skywell |
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