Steve Maciver News Today

With a little help from Rudyard Kipling.

Introducing the Cannon Alpha Hybrid.

GWM’s line-up in Australia is growing rapidly, but the company still has an entire luxury sub-brand it says it won’t be bringing Down Under. At least not yet.

In 2022 GWM decided to launch the Tank 300 off-roader and H6 mid-size SUV in Australia in place of the Big Dog, but it could be back on the menu for local buyers according to the Chinese brand.

As part of a GWM new product blitz, the tough-looking Haval H9 large SUV has been revealed at the Beijing motor show, and the local GWM division confirms it is also on its radar for an Australian launch.

GWM revealed that it is strongly considering its Tank 700 for the Australian market to sit as its halo model, priced as high as $100,000, at an event in its hometown of Baoding, China.

Australia’s New Vehicle Emissions Standards (NVES) has killed off GWM's thumping 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6-powered Cannon Alpha variant locally. If you were hoping for a more powerful version of GWM’s incoming Cannon Alpha ute, you’ll have to wait for more hybrid versions.

The newly-released Tank 500 HEV (hybrid) going up against the Toyota Prado and LandCruiser as well as the Nissan Patrol with their rusted-on reputations for reliability and durability, how tricky is it for a relatively unknown and untested brand to break through with extremely brand-loyal 4WD-wagon buyers?

Where is the Tank 500 in diesel, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and twin-turbo V6 petrol guises, and why has GWM launched only with a hybrid for now? Right now, only the segment-leading hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is offered in Australia and New Zealand, powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and electric motor combination delivering 255kW of power and 648Nm of torque.

How to pitch value to a client who wants to cut the budget.