This grand coupe looks much more futuristic than both Porsche and Mercedes-AMG.
For a European car manufacturer, a concept car is just that, but for a Chinese brand, it's a production model. This is the first thought that comes to mind when getting acquainted with the Avatr 12. By the way, the company insists that the correct name is "one-two," not "twelve," as one might want to say right away.
This is already the second model from Avatr Technology — a joint venture between the automotive brand Changan Automobile and the world leader in battery production, CATL. Moreover, the cars are created in close collaboration with the technology giant Huawei, which is responsible for the development of electric motors, control systems, and electronics.
The E-shaped LED headlights, intricately designed wheels, and elegant silhouette create a harmonious and very expressive appearance. Nader Faghizadeh, the chief designer of Avatr, who previously worked on BMW cars, managed to combine a striking image with effective aerodynamics — the drag coefficient is 0.21. In the company, he is referred to as "best in class."
But to understand which class is being referred to, it is necessary to clarify who, according to the creators, Avatr should compete with. The company sees competitors for the novelty as the Porsche Panamera and the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. Whether this will be the case in reality is hard to say now. However, it should be noted that the Chinese grand coupe looks much more futuristic than both Porsche and Mercedes-AMG. So in this regard, the stylists at Avatr have done their job well. But there is one nuance: they created a passenger car without a rear window!
In general, this is one of the strangest and most striking features of the 12. The electric car looks like a liftback, but access to the trunk opens with a lid, like a classic sedan. And what looks like a cargo compartment door is actually a stationary body panel. According to the developers, this was done for better sound insulation. And it must be admitted, it is done quite skillfully. There is no feeling of claustrophobia in the second row due to the huge panoramic roof, which, along with the windshield, creates an almost seamless glass panel from the edge of the hood to the rear seats. Its integrity is disrupted only by a small crossbar in the area of the central body pillar.
Moreover, this entire glass element has no standard sunshade. It is offered only as an option and is installed manually. However, there seems to be no particular need for it — a special coating protects the interior from the sun, and the well-thought-out shape of the panel eliminates optical artifacts. The only concern is the durability of such large glass inserts under operating conditions. But Avatr claims that the roof can withstand a load of over two tons.
The cameras have a hydrophobic coating and anti-fog protection. Combined with well-thought-out aerodynamics, all this ensures the cleanliness of the lenses even during heavy rain. Moreover, the image displayed on the screens is very clear and contrasting. Furthermore, it provides much more important information than regular mirrors. For example, in the evening, the displays in the cabin show a more contrasting and detailed image, eliminating any visibility issues in low light conditions.
However, it requires changing driving habits. The practiced fleeting glances out the windows are useless with cameras. One must retrain oneself to look at the corners of the dashboard during maneuvers. At first, it feels extremely unusual, but after an hour or two, you get used to it and no longer feel discomfort. Fortunately, you can adjust both the position of the image and the camera's field of view to your liking.
In addition to the unusual rearview mirrors, the steering wheel, designed under the impression of Formula 1, also requires some adjustment. It looks beautiful and unusual, but just the sight of it can be unsettling. You can hardly imagine how to operate such a device in traffic.
But, in reality, it’s not that scary. The adjustments of the steering wheel in terms of tilt and reach, combined with numerous electrified seat settings, allow you to find the optimal driving position. You only need to grip the steering wheel on mountain serpentine roads. In other cases, the gear ratio is quite sufficient to avoid turning the wheel even at a right angle.
Avatr also features a proprietary telematics system for controlling the car from a smartphone. The sedans come with a built-in eSIM with prepaid traffic for 8 years for updates and a couple of years of internet access for multimedia.
There is also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which allow for seamless integration of smartphones into the onboard multimedia system without extra wires. In fact, you can set up the car once for yourself and then just connect your gadget and immediately hit the road with your favorite hits. Especially since with 25 speakers of the standard Meridian audio system, the sound is extremely good.
