The German firm specializing in retro-looking sports cars is already planning a new paradigm shift for itself, since the first signs already point towards the launch of a fully electric SUV in order to be able to compete with top-level brands such as Bentley or Aston Martin. In addition to this, other possible releases are also in their future plans.
A little over a month ago we learned of the rebirth of the German brand with the convertible electric sports model called Wiesmann Project Thunderball. This came to resurrect the company after almost a decade of indeterminate stoppage. Now the firm intends to increase its depth within the automotive sector and the launch of new models with completely new bodies for them is already in sight, such as an electric SUV. This was something that its current CEO, Roheen Berry, already predicted in 2015 with the acquisition of the brand by Contec Global. At that time, the manager announced that his first electric model would present the line that the brand would follow with other models and subsequent launches.
Electrification has led to the opening of the brand towards other horizons. The CEO himself has admitted that presenting an electric sports car of this caliber has been the first step of what is yet to come. “I will not say that electric cars are easy to manufacture, but they are faster to produce, so we can manufacture more cars at a faster rate,” Berry assured in his last statement, referring directly to the possibility of opening much more the assembly line towards more generous print runs.
The next electric model to come to Wiesmann’s ranks will be an SUV, which will position itself as a rival to possible future electric models from Bentley, Rolls-Royce or Aston Martin. This, of course, and as is the case with the Project Thunderball, will be marketed in Europe, although its preferred markets will be the United States and China, where the sports model has received an “incredible” response, assured the CEO.
Roheen himself declared when asked about the possible launch of an SUV model that this will not arrive imminently but they already have the necessary platform and software, as well as the demand itself. This will not go beyond a mere formality, according to the CEO, because with the money invested in the platform and other electrical components of the car, the possibility of launching an SUV is there, as well as other alternative bodies, such as a saloon or a smaller sports car than the current Project Thunderball.
The current platform used by Wiesmann on Project Thunderball has been developed in association with Roding, also a German company. This was designed to maintain the sports specifications and dynamic characteristics, also to incorporate advances typical of an electric vehicle, such as regenerative braking or other more specific functions related to driving safety.
Thanks to the use of this platform, the rest of the models that are derived from it will have specifications and a sporty set-up, something for which this company has always been characterized. In addition to sportiness, Wiesmann is part of luxury companies, with very limited runs on request. This is something that they will continue to boast about, although with a somewhat more extensive production due to the greater possibility of manufacturing vehicles thanks to electrification. This will be extended to future models that are yet to come.
