Bossy but beautiful

Don’t get me wrong, I loved my mother – who doesn’t? – and there hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about her since she disappeared from my life prematurely.

The bond between mother and son is particularly strong, I see it clearly between my boy and his mum and know exactly when to keep quiet when there is conflict in the house.

But mums also have a propensity to, dare I say, nag, peck and fuss, helping, I am sure, the child to avoid the pitfalls of life that they actually need to experience themselves in order to grow up.

Now that’s ok for a person who carried you for nine months, who gave you life, who tended your every need until that need was no more.

But do you really want that from your car? What? Let me explain.

Driving modern day cars is fast becoming like having your mother in the front seat with you. Take GWM’s groovy little EV the Ora 03 as a fine example.

There I am driving normally down a country road when suddenly a female voice announces: “You are driving too fast.”

Oh, am I? So I look down at the speedo and I’m doing 57mph on a 60mph road, and one that is wide with few bends.

As I look down the disembodied voice then tells me to pay attention and look out of the windscreen. Well, I’m only not doing that because she told me to check my speed.

It must be a glitch, so I ignore her and carry on – sorry mother – then minutes later, when I have joined the dual carriageway she announces once again that I’m going too fast. But it’s a 70mph limit and I’m only doing 63mph.

It continues when I change lane without signalling (the road behind is clear by the way). I’m then scolded for doing so and she now intervenes physically and tries to steer for me. Pee-Leeaze mother.

But the scariest moment is when the ‘possessed by the devil’ car actually slams the brakes on for me.

There’s a car slowing in front, signalling clearly to turn into a car park. I’ve seen it and am slowing down.

My foot is on the brake pedal but there’s no need to depress it and wham! A big ‘BRAKE’ sign flashes on the dash and the anchors are deployed in anger; I say anger because I am now angry at the Ora’s intervention. Mother! I have been driving many decades you know.

Chinese manufacturer GWM dresses this up as a good thing as ORA 03 comes complete with a ‘plethora of active and passive safety systems’.

These features include lane keep assist, lane departure warning, intelligent evade and high beam assist. It’s enough to more than satisfy the crash test experts at NCAP who awarded the Ora a coveted five-star Euro rating. Bet they are all mothers.

Then there’s traffic jam assist, auto emergency braking, with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot warning and adaptive cruise control.

Don’t forget the 360-degree camera system, rear parking camera and rear parking sensors for easy parking, or the keyless entry and start, a facial recognition system and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

The amazing spec continues on the GT with it benefitting from unique 18-inch diamond turned alloy wheels that feature red detailing and are complemented by red brake callipers. The exterior body kit includes wheel arch extensions, front bumper garnish and front and rear bumper styling.

A rear roof-mounted spoiler is also fitted with the GT emblem and unique styling. The interior boosts the GT styling further by adding sporty red seat belts, GT embossed insignia in the front headrests, numerous red styling elements and ventilated and massaging front seats.

It also gets a panoramic sunroof, a heat pump for improved battery management and even launch control – not that mother would let you use it.

But what about the rest of the Ora? Well, I loved suggesting on my Insta that Ora in GT form actually looks like a baby Porsche – that lit up my social media.

And the interior is a brilliant place to sit with attractive dash and fascia, top quality fit and finish, great ergonomics and a fabulous ambience.

If only mother would allow it (and you can switch her off), GT is also blessed with fine driving dynamics.

The electric motor offers instant performance thanks to 171BHP and 250Nm of torque lurking somewhere in the coil.

The chassis is taut and agile and it loves being thrown around in a fashion which would certainly leave mother censorious but leave your rebel gene thoroughly sated.

In total Ora is a little treasure you can’t help but like. It is fun and funky, beautifully put together and if I’d brought it home I’m sure mother would have approved.