Text by Wang Xin, Graphics by Yang Lingxiao, Produced by Electric New Species

In the luxury car market, an unspoken rule has long held sway: the longer a brand's history and the richer its tales, the higher the price it can command. However, an event in the past six months has turned this conventional wisdom on its head.

The ZUNJIE S800 has clinched the top spot in the 700,000-yuan luxury car segment for three months running, with monthly deliveries surpassing 2,000 units and cumulative reservations exceeding 18,000.

What truly made people rethink this situation was when Xiang Xingchu, Chairman of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group, publicly declared that crafting a luxury car demands dedication, not just a storied past.

Xiang Xingchu also remarked, “Three years ago, when we decided to step into the million-yuan luxury car market, some claimed that traditional luxury brands with centuries of history would always reign supreme. I questioned, ‘Should a company wait until it's a century old to begin?’”

From Xiang's perspective, “Every day, every task must be approached with unwavering dedication. JAC works tirelessly, Huawei strives relentlessly, supply chain partners put in their best efforts, and owners are integral co-creators of the brand. Together, these endeavors craft stories that naturally weave a compelling brand narrative, rich in history for future generations to cherish.”

01 ZUNJIE S800: No “Accidental Success”

Some attribute the ZUNJIE S800's triumph to “Huawei's support.” Yet, a three-year timeline reveals a gradual, step-by-step journey.

Three years ago, when JAC ventured into the million-yuan luxury car arena, skepticism was rampant. Critics contended that traditional luxury brands, with their centuries of history, narratives, and cultural barriers, held an insurmountable edge. How could a decades-old automaker compete at this echelon?

Nevertheless, reality proved otherwise. Within 175 days of its launch, the ZUNJIE S800 garnered over 18,000 reservations, with actual deliveries topping the segment for three consecutive months.

The key takeaway is unmistakable: consumers prioritize “experience” over “legacy.”

This is evident in the market's response to the ZUNJIE S800. Luxury car buyers are willing to queue up, not for tales, but for genuine experiences. Behind these experiences lies a collaborative effort among JAC, Huawei, supply chain partners, and owners.

JAC contributes vehicle system capabilities, Huawei provides intelligent experiences, supply chain partners ensure robust foundational capabilities, and owners offer real-world feedback and usage scenarios.

This modern luxury brand model is built not on “how many years a company has existed,” but on “how dedicatedly it operates every day.”

The implications for the industry are profound:

The threshold for luxury cars has shifted from storytelling to experience. Brands have evolved from “one-way communication” to “authentic co-creation.”

The ZUNJIE S800's success exemplifies this new luxury logic. As China's auto industry enters the era of intelligent competition, while century-old legacies are rare, delivering experiences that match or exceed traditional luxury brands is a strength Chinese automakers possess.

The ZUNJIE S800 is a prime example of this path.

02 “Inexperience” Is Not a Hindrance

Luxury cars are often synonymous with historical narratives, which is acceptable. However, the controversy here lies in the question: Must luxury cars rely solely on centuries-old stories?

Xiang Xingchu made a pivotal observation: “Stories become timeless when modern creators craft them for future generations to cherish.”

The true meaning behind this statement is that stories are not built on age but on sustained effort.

When we delve into the decades-long histories of luxury brands, few started at the pinnacle. Their stories emerged from decades of persistence, continuous product iteration, and co-evolution with users.

JAC is following a similar path but has brought it into the intelligent era, offering a distinct approach:

Traditional luxury cars: Brand first, technology follows.

New-generation intelligent luxury cars: Technology leads, brand grows alongside.

The emergence of the ZUNJIE S800 underscores an accelerating trend: consumers are willing to give new brands a chance if the product delivers.

This was evident in the ZUNJIE S800's first large-scale market validation: its users were drawn not by stories but by experience, intelligence, driving feel, luxury ambiance, and brand attitude.

Users are eager to participate early, provide feedback, and co-create. This relationship forms the bedrock of modern luxury brands.

“Inexperience” has become an advantage for the ZUNJIE brand, enabling faster iteration and greater user proximity. Without historical baggage, it can better align with users; without rigid frameworks, it can swiftly adopt intelligent-era strategies. The ZUNJIE S800's success illustrates a fact: the luxury car segment is not off-limits to young brands; success depends on crafting stories for the modern era.

Stories are not told but created; they rely not on legacy but on capability and attitude. The ZUNJIE S800's achievements mark the beginning of such a story.

03 The Systemic Capabilities Behind the ZUNJIE S800

Breaking down the ZUNJIE S800's growth reveals that its market appeal stems not from a single factor but from the stability, reliability, and consistency of its entire ecosystem.

This is most evident in its supply chain structure. Xiang Xingchu noted at an event that the ZUNJIE S800's success involves “JAC's efforts, Huawei's efforts, and the collective efforts of 240 supply chain partners.”

This statement highlights a core truth: the ZUNJIE S800 is a product of multi-entity collaboration, not reliant on a single company's capabilities.

In intelligent driving, Huawei's solutions ensure stable performance in urban, highway, and parking scenarios. The ZUNJIE S800 leverages Huawei's platform capabilities to continuously update and enhance its features through software upgrades.

Manufacturing is JAC's forte. While JAC is often associated with commercial vehicles, industry experts recognize its stability in passenger car manufacturing. Its long-standing partnership with Huawei has enabled consistent implementation of high-end manufacturing standards.

The supply chain dimension is even more intriguing. The ZUNJIE S800 did not assemble a last-minute supply chain but relied on a mature network of suppliers involved in research and development. This approach minimized early quality fluctuations common in premium vehicles and explains the model's sustained market momentum within six months.

More critically, its brand narrative has shifted. Traditional luxury brands rely on “historical storytelling” to build emotional value over time. In contrast, the ZUNJIE S800 adopts “present-day storytelling,” involving owners in co-creation.

Xiang Xingchu emphasized, “Owners are vital co-creators of the brand.” This phrase has been repeatedly cited in recent reports, becoming a cornerstone of ZUNJIE's brand strategy.

Brand narratives have transitioned from “passive inheritance” to “active participation.” ZUNJIE S800 users are not just consuming the product but collectively shaping the brand through feedback and advocacy.

When these elements converge, the ZUNJIE S800's success becomes a testament to systemic capabilities. At its core, this capability is driven not by the “traditional stories” luxury brands once relied on but by the synergy of manufacturing, technology, and user value.

This positions ZUNJIE as a signal of the times: the essence of luxury cars has shifted from “legacy advantages” to “systemic capability advantages.”

The New Narrative of Chinese Luxury Cars Begins with ZUNJIE

The ZUNJIE S800's success is no accident or marketing gimmick. It reflects a broader paradigm shift in the industry. While traditional luxury brands cling to historical narratives, Chinese intelligent luxury brands are forging a new path through experience, systems, and collaboration.

The phrase “Should a company wait until it's a century old to start?” resonated because it captures a pivotal turning point: luxury brands are now defined by capability, not age.

Stories are not inherited but created. Brands rely not on legacy but on consistently delivering experiences.

The ZUNJIE S800's success is a natural outcome of China's automotive industry's intelligent transformation. It integrates intelligent experiences, mechanical excellence, manufacturing systems, and supply chain synergy, treating users as co-creators rather than passive recipients.

This strategy has proven successful. From topping the 700,000-yuan luxury car sales charts for over three months to securing over 18,000 reservations and expanding into SUV and MPV lines, the ZUNJIE S800 represents not just a single model's triumph but a new growth path for luxury brands.

As luxury car competition intensifies in the coming years, the ZUNJIE S800 has already demonstrated to the industry that success does not require a century-old brand or an extended history. In the intelligent era, luxury is about excellence in every endeavor, user engagement, and continuing to write the story.

ZUNJIE has just begun its journey, and in this era, more and more people are eager to read its story.