GAC WitStar provides your annual dose of Chinese-OEM conceptual weirdness from Detroit [w/video]

The Chinese automakers rarely fail to provide moments of whimsy or baffling innovation when they present at the Detroit Auto Show, and the Guangzhou Automobile Group was no exception this year. GAC offered up both with its WitStar concept, a falcon-wing-doored, range-extended hybrid whose wacky interior belied the potential for innovation under its skin.

We’ll start off by saying we have no idea how close to reality any of the powertrain components are, but here are the WitStar particulars. GAC specifies a Chevy Volt-like setup, with an small gas engine (1.0-liter inline-four) feeding an electric drive motor via a generator. Peak power for the drive system is said to be around 127 horsepower and 168 pound-feet, with a total electric-only range of 62 miles or more from its 13 kWh, li-ion battery pack.

Visually, while the WitStar seems arresting at a distance, the up-close view rewards with chintzy details and weirdness. The wood flooring and reversible seats remind us a bit of the Mercedes-Benz autonomous luxury pod, though with a big step down in material quality. But hey, the GAC concept has a fish tank for an armrest… that’s got to be worth a few points, right?

There’s no real press release available for us to share with you, but GAC has provided a badly-translated-idiom-laden corporate sizzle reel, if you’d care to indulge, below. We’ll be feeding the (plastic) fish.

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