Recently, the IM Lizard Control Experience Camp officially landed in Changsha. At the Changsha Convention and Exhibition Center, drivers were invited to personally take the wheel of the IM LS8 and face various rigorous challenges and complex road conditions, officially kicking off an extraordinary journey that completely revolutionizes the traditional driving experience of large vehicles!
As a professional automotive journalist, I had long grown accustomed to the inherently cumbersome "boat-like" handling of large-sized vehicles. However, the arrival of the IM LS8 completely shattered all my previous preconceptions. This large SUV, with a body length exceeding 5 meters, not only reshapes the benchmark with a subversive driving experience, but also delivers 1,605 kilometers of top-tier pure electric travel enjoyment throughout, paired with intelligent driving capability that ranks among the industry's first tier. At the same time, with the product strength of a fully loaded 250,000-yuan-class vehicle, it allows users to easily enjoy a high-end driving and riding experience comparable to million-yuan-class luxury cars.
Lizard Digital Chassis: The best-driving 8 Series flagship, enjoy BBA million-class driving experience starting from 250,000 yuan
As a flagship SUV priced in the 250,000-yuan class, it comes standard across the entire lineup with top-tier chassis configurations once exclusive to million-yuan-class luxury cars: intelligent closed air suspension with an ultra-large 120mm stroke, MK C2 brake-by-wire system from Continental Germany, and four-piston high-performance fixed calipers, complemented by a front double-wishbone and rear multi-link suspension combination, successfully overturning the industry's entrenched pattern that "high configuration must correspond to high price."
The million-class chassis equipped on the IM LS8 perfectly interprets outstanding driving and control quality. Gently pressing the accelerator, the 4-second-class zero-to-hundred acceleration capability instantly erupts, with a strong push-back sensation comparable to a 4.0T V8 engine, released linearly like flowing water without any sluggishness; the 34.38-meter hundred-to-zero braking result is equally impressive, with a linear and refined braking process that eliminates the jerkiness caused by sudden braking, effectively achieving the reliable effect of "one meter shorter stopping distance, one more measure of safety assurance." In the high-speed slalom test, the body posture is steady and easy to control, with extremely high steering precision, and the handling quality is enough to compete with traditional million-class luxury flagship SUVs such as the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE; when traveling over gravel and washboard road sections, the chassis efficiently filters vibrations, dissolving road bumps into nothingness and greatly improving ride comfort; and the humanized comfort braking function precisely solves the problem of brake nod, so that even novice drivers can have steady control comparable to a state guest chauffeur, allowing family members to fully enjoy comfort and stay far from carsickness.
The IM LS8 strongly overturns the traditional perception that "large cars must be cumbersome," with agility even surpassing A0-class small cars. It is equipped with the industry's first full steer-by-wire technology, complemented by the standard and exclusive dual-direction 24° smart four-wheel steering system across the entire lineup, enabling this flagship SUV with a body length exceeding 5 meters to achieve an ultra-small turning radius of only 4.85 meters. At low speeds, the steering wheel can be easily turned to full lock with just half a turn. Whether facing devilish parking lots, cramped parking spaces, old residential communities in the city center, or spiral underground garages in shopping malls and other tricky daily driving problems, it can calmly achieve one-shot passage, making the old notion that "large cars are hard to handle" completely a thing of the past.
Stellar Super Range Extender: Powerful, extremely quiet, top-tier electric vehicle experience throughout
The Stellar Super Range Extender system equipped on the IM LS8 once again overturns my fixed impression of traditional range-extended vehicles, with its performance throughout being simply impeccable. Its power output is strong and vigorous, and its quietness reaches an extreme level, precisely solving the core problems of traditional range-extended vehicles: "weak power when the battery is low and prominent driving noise." In short, it combines the low fuel consumption advantages of gasoline cars, the convenient and worry-free characteristics of electric cars, and the advanced nature of technology surpassing plug-in hybrids, making it an excellent solution for all-scenario travel.
This system is equipped with CATL's 66kWh range-extender-exclusive large battery, with a comprehensive range of up to 1,605km. This means that starting from Shanghai, one press of the accelerator can take you all the way to Xi'an, or from Chengdu all the way to Dali, without the need for mid-journey refueling or recharging; even if the entire trip is driven solely on fuel without charging, the range is still nearly 1,000km, while the comprehensive converted fuel-electric energy consumption per 100 kilometers is only 2.54L—even if charging conditions are limited, it is still more worry-free and convenient than your existing fuel vehicle. For people commuting in the city daily, the IM LS8 has the longest pure electric range in its class at 430km. Daily commuting requires only one charge to easily handle a week's travel needs. With the addition of 800V ultra-fast charging technology, it takes only 12 minutes to quickly charge the battery from 30% to 80%. Using the brief interval of buying a cup of coffee, you can set off with a full charge, making it fully usable as a pure electric vehicle.
It is worth mentioning that throughout the entire test drive experience, even when the vehicle was in a low-battery condition, the system could still stably output a strong power of 275.5kW, with no decline in power performance. The moment the pedal is pressed, the power response arrives immediately. And the surprise brought by the vehicle's quietness even exceeded expectations—relying on the industry-first ERNC 2.0 active noise reduction technology, the range extender intervenes silently, with an increase in interior noise of nearly zero, creating a smooth and quiet driving and riding environment comparable to pure electric vehicles throughout.
IM AD Assisted Driving: Empowered by top-tier software and hardware, hardcore standards of the industry's first tier
During the test drive on urban roads, the IM AD assisted driving system equipped on the IM LS8 fully demonstrated the strong strength of the industry's top tier. When encountering tricky scenarios such as pedestrians crossing urban roads, sudden "ghost probe" appearances by non-motorized vehicles, and unprotected intersections, the system can accurately capture targets, implement gentle deceleration, and steadily complete avoidance operations. The decision-making process is smooth and fluid, building a solid line of defense for travel safety while creating a pleasant and comfortable riding experience for the vehicle's occupants. Particularly impressive is that IM AD has the ability to accurately interpret traffic police hand signals, responding with ease to intersection command scenarios, highlighting its outstanding assisted driving level in every detail.
The creation of this outstanding experience is inseparable from the solid support of top-tier software and hardware strength. The IM LS8 is equipped with the industry-leading NVIDIA Thor chip and a 520-line ultra-vision lidar, featuring intelligent gaze capability, with a maximum effective perception distance extending to 300 meters, achieving "clearer insight and more precise recognition" in key areas. With L3-level perception standards, it injects powerful dimensional-reduction empowerment into L2-level assisted driving. What is particularly anticipated is that the IM LS8 can subsequently be seamlessly upgraded to the L4-compatible IM AD ZETA system, relying on L4-level model performance to provide dimensional-reduction empowerment for L2-level assisted driving, opening an extraordinary experience journey "from approaching humans to surpassing humans."
At this experience camp event, the SAIC flagship six-seat IM LS9 and the new-generation IM LS6 both simultaneously opened test drive experience sessions. These three models, worthy of being called "super hit products," precisely meet the travel demands of various users and jointly demonstrate the core gene of the IM brand that "every model has outstanding driving and control charm."
The birth of every hit model stems from the strong empowerment of SAIC Group's seventy years of car-making heritage. As SAIC Group's "core strategic project," IM perfectly inherits the deep system strength, exquisite manufacturing craftsmanship, and core technical resources of a major manufacturer. The IM LS8 even more thoroughly integrates SAIC's systemic advantages with global supply chain efficiency—integrating breakthrough technology and the rigorously selected quality of a major manufacturer in all aspects into an 8 Series flagship model created specifically for Chinese quality families. In addition, relying on SAIC's outstanding capabilities in global supply chain integration, the IM LS8 brings together top global partners such as CATL, Momenta, NVIDIA, and B&O, ensuring that every configuration reaches the top standard of "one in a hundred," while leveraging the scale advantages of a major manufacturer to achieve optimal cost, allowing the IM LS8 to grant users a million-class distinguished travel experience at an accessible 250,000-yuan-class price. At a time when the new energy vehicle market is gradually becoming more rational, it presents users with a high-quality flagship work that is "safe to choose and requires no hesitation."
If you are the core decision-maker of a Chinese quality family, unwilling to fall into endless entanglement during the car selection process, and also unwilling to helplessly make compromises in configuration—then the IM LS8 is undoubtedly the wise choice to help you easily achieve one-step perfection. At present, IM Automobile's nationwide stores have all opened their doors for test drives, sincerely inviting you to personally experience the extraordinary charm of this "8 Series flagship that is a driving benchmark"!
