BYD Ocean M hot hatch in bound?
Words: Kyle Cassidy
BYD has unveiled a new hot hatch concept in China, the Ocean M. It is being touted as an MG4 challenger and is set to go into production later this year. It has been shown with big wheels and various aerodynamic appendages suggesting that BYD will offer a high performance version of this hatch. And like the MG4, the Ocean M is rear wheel drive.
The Ocean M will sit between the Dolphin hatch and the Seal sedan in the BYD range. It is said to be based on a new BYD platform and will use ‘Blade 2’ battery technology, which is an update on the current tech used by those aforementioned models. The battery pack, which promises a 25 per cent improvement in energy density and significant improvement in range, is also used as a ‘stressed member’ of the chassis, aiding rigidity. No other specifics are to hand.
This concept doesn’t look too far from production reality, even the camera based side mirrors aren’t too much of a stretc. Its overall styling does look to ape the MG4, which is doing well in Europe. It’s clear therefore that the MG is in this BYD’s sights.
The interior has not been revealed, which we hope is more like the Seal’s than the Atto 3’s.
What would the Ocean M cost in NZ?
Given its intended slot in the range, pricing is likely to be in the mid-to-late fifties should it arrive here.
