Connolly Motor Group brings new EV brand to the west

Pictured (from left to right): Tom Raftery, general manager GWM Ora Connolly’s; Pat Ryan, managing director GWM Ora Ireland; Kevin Hilliard, brand director GWM Ora Ireland, and Donald Egan, sales manager GWM Ora Connolly’s.

Pictured (from left to right): Tom Raftery, general manager GWM Ora Connolly’s; Pat Ryan, managing director GWM Ora Ireland; Kevin Hilliard, brand director GWM Ora Ireland, and Donald Egan, sales manager GWM Ora Connolly’s.

The Ora dealer network in Ireland has been completed with the appointment of Connolly Motor Group to cover the west of the country from a new showroom in Galway.

It is retailing the stylish new Ora Funky Cat, a new fully-electric hatchback from Great Wall Motors of China, which has been launched on the Irish market in recent weeks.

Connolly Motor Group has now invested €500,000 in a new showroom, which is housed in a previously vacant building beside its current site at Briarhill Business Park in Ballybrit, Galway.

Ten new jobs will be created at the site, bringing the firm’s total head count to 320 across its sites in Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, and the company says it is starting to recruit immediately.

The showrooms have space to display up to six cars. The premises also house a customer reception and individual sales offices, and the group believes it will have no issue with stock as it will be receiving “a healthy supply” of Funky Cat models.

The Ora Funky Cat is offered in two trim levels: the 300 Pro which sells from €31,995 with a range of 310km, and the 400 Pro+ which has a range of 420km and starts from €39,995.

Specification includes facial and voice recognition, 360-degree cameras for parking, wireless phone charging, massaging and heated front seats, as well as a heated steering wheel.

The Ora Funky Cat also won Euro NCAP’s best-in-class 2022 award in the Small Family Car Category.

Connolly Motor Group ORA general manager, Tom Raftery, says the Ora Funky Cat is “a game-changer” for the electric vehicle market in Ireland.

“This is a premium, quality, high tech car at an affordable price for a fully electric model that has so much character and the highest spec in terms of looks and technology,” he says. “We are also delighted we will soon be welcoming more team members to the Connolly Motor Group team and I am proud of the further development of our Ballybrit site to accommodate the new Ora brand.”

 

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