Ayer se presentó Beyonca, una nueva automotriz de lujo china que se propuso ser una marca “súper premium”. En el mismo evento, realizado en Beijing, se presentó el primer modelo de la compañía: el Gran Turismo Opus 1, un sedán 100% eléctrico para el Segmento F (limousine).
Weiming Soh, fundador y presidente de Beyonca, reveló que su propósito es competir contra las automotrices alemanas más tradicionales, como Audi, BMW y Mercedes-Benz, aunque en el evento también se mencionaron a las más exclusivas Bentley y Rolls-Royce. El primer objetivo será conquistar el mercado de lujo chino, para después salir a exportar al resto del mundo.
Lo interesante de Beyonca es que es una automotriz China, pero que también cuenta con un centro de desarrollo en Singapur, mientras que su centro de Diseño se encuentra en Munich (Alemania). Además, Beyonca contrató a ejecutivos de varias automotrices europeas y consiguió el apoyo financiero de Renault Group, que es uno de los inversores de la nueva marca china.
Sin embargo, para Motor1 Argentina, lo más interesante de Beyonca es su equipo de diseñadores, donde se conformó un verdadero “Dream Team” con talentosos profesionales argentinos.
El jefe de Diseño es el belga Dirk van Braeckel, quien trabajó durante casi 40 años para el Grupo VW (pasando por Audi, Skoda, Bentley y Audi Sport). Debajo suyo aparece el primer argentino: Juan Manuel Díaz, como responsable de Diseño Exterior a nivel global.
Díaz nació en Rosario (Santa Fe) y tiene una amplia trayectoria por empresas europeas. Trabajó en Pininfarina, Alfa Romeo, Seat y Audi. Su último trabajo para la marca de los Anillos fueron las dos evoluciones del nuevo prototipo E.Tron para el Rally Dakar (ver notas).
En abril pasado, Díaz se despidió de Audi con un mensaje de agradecimiento (ver nota), aunque no reveló detalles acerca del siguiente paso en su carrera. Después de largos meses de misterio y rumores, ayer confirmó su nueva responsabilidad global en Beyonca.
A la hora de mostrar el nuevo Gran Turismo Opus 1, Díaz brindó en sus redes sociales nuevas pistas acerca de otro rumor: en el equipo de colaboradores de Beyonca también habría otros argentinos, como Lucas Colombo Carbone (leer más), Gino Olcese (leer más), Hernán Charalambopoulos (leer más), Nicolás Gaudioso (leer más) y Nicolás Araya (leer más).
Por supuesto, nada de eso fue confirmado aún de manera oficial por Beyonca. La nueva automotriz de lujo china por ahora sólo adelantó que sus autos tendrán una “tecnología que brindarán una experiencia inteligente, que revolucionarán el bienestar del conductor y los pasajeros”. El primer modelo de producción en serie de Beyonca saldrá a la venta en 2024.
C.C.
Galería: Beyonca Gran Turismo Opus 1
VIDEO: BeyonCa Gran Turismo Opus 1
Comunicado de prensa de Beyonca
BeyonCa: A New Age of Super Premium Smart Evs
* BeyonCa GT Opus 1 will excite the senses as no other EV has managed to, finally bringing decades of know-how accumulated by working on traditional brands to a completely new EV Brand.
* Technology will complete the smart experience, revolutionizing driver and passenger well-being.
* The company’s first mass-produced car to roll out in 2024.
October 30, 2022, Beijing, Munich, and Singapore – Premium smart electric vehicle (EV) maker BeyonCa announced its global debut today, showcasing the BeyonCa Gran Turismo Opus 1, a creation made possible by the company's unique position and capabilities.
Comprising an elite team of premium car industry veterans, as well as technology experts from consumer electronics and Internet companies, BeyonCa will set the standard for a super-premium EV, one never before seen in this era of new EV brands.
The full-size GT Opus 1 will excite the senses, no matter if one is admiring its lines from the exterior, taking in the luxurious interior as a passenger, or feeling your pulse racing as you sit behind the wheel. At the same time, as an EV-era company, BeyonCa will transcend the mindset of today’s automotive industry through its ecosystem of use cases and solutions offered in, around and beyond the car.
Weiming Soh, Founder and Chairman of BeyonCa, said: “The BeyonCa GT Opus 1 truly signifies what BeyonCa stands for, as we set out to define the super-premium smart EV segment. The result of our team's work is the perfect combination of design, craftsmanship, comfort, sportiness, and an amazing experience."
"The 'smart' part is incredibly important in defining the super-premium EV space. Our philosophy is that technologies are here to serve a purpose, but should not be the purpose itself. Rather, we will consolidate and integrate advanced technologies, and shift from function-driven to scenario-driven methodology. BeyonCa will offer users meaningful products with integrated super-premium user experience where users will enjoy the real value of services in the car, around the car, and beyond the car."
Christian Klingler, Co-Founder of BeyonCa, said: “BeyonCa has a very clear idea, to define what it means to be a smart, super-premium car brand. We will enhance the characteristics of what makes something premium, including world-class quality. This quality is incredibly important to me throughout my career, and is both seen and felt, like when you first pick up a luxury bag or luggage. It can be achieved only by obsessing over every millimeter of what you are making. This philosophy permeates through BeyonCa, and it is combined with unbeatable world-class design."
BeyondCa GT Opus 1: Igniting excitement for car and technology lovers The BeyonCa GT Opus 1 exemplifies the personality of a next generation super premium EV, designed by a team with decades of experience creating super premium and luxury cars.
Dirk van Braeckel, Chief Design Officer of BeyonCa, is an award-winning designer, with more than 40 years of automotive design experience, of which 20 were spent as chief designer. During his career, he has brought to the world the most iconic GT model in recent history.
"We have a vision of what the 'new premium' is in automotive design. This means exquisite presence, quality, and style, while being unique in character. Making sure the Opus 1 showcases these qualities means we obsess over every single detail," Van Braeckel said.
"Take for example the 'Light of Life' logo, the way it comes alive when the owner approaches, then spreading its light, waking the entire frontend design. These details show the care we've taken to create the BeyonCa experience. Whether it's the V-shaped lines seen from different angles from the outside, to an interior design that allows customers to define their individuality with luxurious and bespoke choices, we've spared no effort to infuse qualities that will define a super-premium EV," he added.
Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler, CTO of BeyonCa, has decades of experience in the super premium car segment, and he has been involved in the development of dozens of iconic models in this space. "In addition to expressive, emotional design, any super-premium car brand needs a superior driving experience," Rothenpieler said.
"Our quality standards are based on those of top European premium manufacturers. This means our surfaces will have light reflections without interruptions. All exterior body parts have a tolerance of +/-0.3mm, and the entire body has joint and protrusion tolerances of just +/- 0.5mm. Inside, we've joined forces with experienced craftsmen who set the highest standards when working with wood, leather and metal. All these factors, together with us making the complex software and hardware integration work seamlessly in the background, will give the driver what we call the ‘joy of driving.’ Furthermore, this is a part of our motorsport DNA, and we will have more to show in our Sport edition in the future," he added.
BeyonCa believes that "smart" means much more than processing power, sensors, cameras and software. We believe deep scenario-driven car making is BeyonCa’s unique path.
This path captures the art of car making and the technologies to transform cars and services into a synergistic whole,” Soh said. “As for use case scenarios, this means using the most intelligent methods to serve the varying needs of our users while providing them with an integrated super-premium user experience,” Soh added.
Supported by an AI-based smart cockpit that monitors the user's health status in real time, and the world’s first in-cabin cloud doctor service, BeyonCa will look out for the well-being of its drivers and passengers, protecting them from consequences that may result from abnormal health conditions.
The company also spearheads the auto industry by appointing an in-house Chief Health Officer, Dr. Tim Guo. A cardiovascular specialist with over 27 years’ experience at numerous international hospital groups, Dr. Guo has a proven track record of successful team-building in multicultural and interdisciplinary settings. Dr. Guo will supervise a team of “cloud doctors” and study medical use cases to benefit future car users.
BeyonCa was founded by a group of visionaries, talents and professionals from both the global car-making and internet industries. These “best minds” from different worlds are blending traditions and craftsmanship from a century of automaking with the best innovations from the software, ecommerce and health sectors. “In our mission of making super premium smart EVs, we are convinced that different cultures, orientations and experiences coming together and merging is key to our success. With team members that have hundreds of years of combined experience in the premium automobile space, we are uniquely positioned to be the only brand that can define the super premium and smart EV segment,” Klingler said.
From day one, BeyonCa is committed to being a true global company, which furthers global resource optimization from the R&D labor force and design strengths to the EV supply chain and charging infrastructure network.
The company has global offices in five cities across three countries including three R&D offices in China, a design center in Munich and a Singapore office which will become an R&D hub.
BeyonCa expects to roll out its first mass-produced car model in 2024, just as projected demand for premium smart EVs starts rising rapidly both in Asia and globally. “When we are entrepreneurs, we must do things that matter most to people and their families, and consistently bring long-term values to society and our users. This is why we named the company BeyonCa – it simply stands for ‘Beyond the Car,’” Soh added.
Dongfeng Group is one of BeyonCa’s strategic investment partners. The company has funding from other international investors.