GWM Tank 300 lands in Australia in right-hand drive

The rugged GWM Tank 300 is getting nearer to an area launch, with images despatched to CarExpert of right-hand drive variations spied in Melbourne.

Whereas GWM Australia has but to formally verify the Tank 300 – or its bigger Tank 500 stablemate – for launch, CarExpert understands each are coming right here in 2023.

That features a hybrid model of the Tank 300, plus a plug-in hybrid model of the Tank 500, which might end in GWM having six or seven electrified and electrical autos in Australia by the end of 2023.

GWM introduced an instance of the Tank 300 to Australia final 12 months for promotional and testing purposes, together with the Haval Dargo crossover, however each have been left-hand drive.

These are the primary right-hand drive examples to be spied.

Whereas it wears the Tank model’s Transformers-esque brand up entrance, on the tailgate it options GWM Tank badging.

GWM in Australia has been transferring away from advertising and marketing its GWM Ute and Haval SUV manufacturers individually, merging their web sites and reporting gross sales collectively in VFACTS.

Tank fashions plus upcoming Ora electrical autos are subsequently anticipated to be marketed as GWM Tank and GWM Ora merchandise, making the GWM model extra of a full-line model.

The Tank 300 is a body-on-frame SUV which, in China, is on the market in each ‘Metropolis’ and ‘Off-Street’ editions. The latter seems to be the instance introduced right here.

It options low-range gearing and entrance and rear electromechanical locking differentials, and affords a tank flip operate (applicable!) and a creep mode.

It has an method angle of 33 levels, a departure angle of 34 levels, minimal floor clearance of 224mm and a most wading depth of 700mm.

The usual engine is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol mill with 167kW of energy at 5500rpm and 387Nm of torque between 1800 and 3600rpm, mated with an eight-speed computerized transmission.

A hybrid model revealed on the Chengdu motor present over the weekend additionally incorporates a 2.0-litre turbo, however upgrades to a nine-speed computerized and produces complete system outputs of 224kW and 640Nm.

This additionally slashes the claimed 0-100km/h time from 9.5 seconds to 7.9 seconds.

A diesel model has beforehand been mooted, although it has but to be revealed. It’s unclear whether or not this might use the 120kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel discovered within the GWM Ute or the extra highly effective 137kW of the Shanhai Cannon ute revealed at Chengdu.

The Tank 300 measures 4760mm lengthy, 1930mm huge and 1903mm tall on a 2750mm wheelbase.

That makes it 122mm shorter than a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited on a 258mm shorter wheelbase. It’s additionally shorter than rugged, ute-based fare just like the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner, although it’s 115mm wider than the previous and 75mm wider than the latter.

In contrast to these ute-based fashions, the Tank 300 has solely two rows of seating.

Suspension is double-wishbone up entrance with a multi-link rear axle, whereas all off-road fashions journey on 17-inch wheels with the choice of all-terrain tyres. A full-sized spare is mounted on the tailgate.

Out there options embody heated, ventilated and massaging power-adjustable entrance seats, 64-colour adjustable ambient lighting, Nappa leather-based upholstery, a single-pane sunroof, and a heated steering wheel.

There’s a full suite of energetic security and driver help gear accessible as properly, together with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise management and lane-keep help with lane centring.

Along with a normal surround-view digital camera, there’s additionally a clear chassis view designed for off-roading.

The Tank 300 was initially launched in China in 2020 as a member of GWM’s upmarket Wey SUV model, however was spun off into its personal model in 2021.

It was adopted by the bigger Tank 500, which sits between the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and 300 Series in measurement, and which was revealed final 12 months in each turbo-petrol V6 and turbo-petrol hybrid four-cylinder guises.

A turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid four-cylinder model of the five hundred was additionally revealed over the weekend at Chengdu.

The model has additionally revealed a variety of production-looking idea autos, all of which equally characteristic body-on-frame building.

These embody the aggressively styled 400 and 700, plus the ostentatious 800 flagship SUV.

MORE: GWM plans sprawling hybrid, PHEV, EV range for Australia