Great Wall Motor (长城汽车) chairman publicly rebukes WEY (魏牌) team over V9X launch

Chairman's public criticism

It has been reported that Wei Jianjun (魏建军), chairman of Great Wall Motor (长城汽车), openly criticized WEY (魏牌) CEO Zhao Yongpo (赵永坡) and CGO Li Ruifeng (李瑞峰) during the April 17 presale event for the new V9X. Wei said he was “very dissatisfied” with the brand’s marketing and complained the team had failed to convey the car’s engineering merits with the refinement expected of premium players. “If a marketing team cannot turn the engineering staff’s huge efforts and R&D into results or wealth, it’s almost a crime,” he was quoted as saying.

CEO accepts responsibility; the product on sale

Zhao Yongpo reportedly posted that he “fully accepts” the criticism, calling the lapse a dereliction of duty and promising to take responsibility and improve both marketing and after-sales service. The V9X—WEY’s first model on the Guiyuan S platform—has begun presales as an “AI luxury six-seat flagship,” powered by a hybrid architecture dubbed “Super Hi4,” with a starting pre-sale price of ¥371,800 (about $52,000).

Why it matters

Domestic automakers are increasingly chasing premium buyers and trying to unsettle the German BBA incumbents—BMW, Benz and Audi—but perception matters as much as engineering. Wei’s public dressing-down is notable for its bluntness and for airing internal strategy friction in front of customers and media. Is marketing the weak link in China’s push for premiumization? Observers will watch whether the rebuke prompts a rapid shift in WEY’s messaging or signals deeper management tensions as Chinese brands lean into AI-driven features and higher-margin segments.