Honor (荣耀) × Zhang Xue Motorcycle (张雪机车) co-branded "first drop" revealed — Magic V6 replaced, WIN promised next week

Strategic tie-up aims to push Chinese-made tech onto a global stage

Honor (荣耀) has been announced as the chief strategic partner of Zhang Xue Motorcycle (张雪机车) for the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), the company’s global chief marketing officer Guan Haitao (关海涛) said. The deal pairs a consumer electronics brand that rebuilt itself after splitting from Huawei with a high-visibility motorsport outfit. Why motorsport? International racing offers fast exposure and an easy story to tell overseas as Chinese manufacturers seek broader recognition.

First drop: a foldable swap in Chongqing

It has been reported that the collaboration’s “first drop” saw Honor’s phone team fly to Chongqing this morning to replace Zhang Xue’s Magic V6 foldable phone. The Magic V6 — part of Honor’s push into premium foldables — was handed over in person, a small but tangible sign of product support and lifestyle marketing fused with sport.

Fans asked for a WIN — more hardware coming

Fans suggested Honor instead gift a WIN model, and Guan Haitao reportedly replied: “I’ll bring it next week.” That exchange was shared publicly and underlines the campaign’s mix of grassroots fan engagement and staged PR moments. It’s marketing by human moments rather than only billboards.

Bigger picture: branding, geopolitics and global ambitions

This partnership comes as Chinese consumer-tech brands continue to pursue Western and global audiences amid a shifting geopolitical backdrop — including past U.S. restrictions that helped reshape company strategies in recent years. Sponsorships like this are a pragmatic route: build consumer affinity on neutral turf, then convert visibility into sales. Can swapping a phone and a string of motorsport activations move the needle? Time — and the next “drop” — will tell.