The Great Wall’s on fire
SPOILT FOR CHOICE: A NUMBER OF EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS COMING TO THE SA MARKET The P-Series, Tank and Haval marques have been expanded.
Having started 2024 off with the unveiling of the Tank 300, Great Wall Motors (GWM) has revealed four more new products South Africa will be receiving from the second quarter.
The incoming line-up comprises three SUVs and one bakkie. No pricing details were disclosed.
Rebranded to GWM South Africa as part of a brand restructuring comprising Haval and the P-Series bakkie division as core marques, and Tank, Ora and Wey as premium offerings, the exhibition mostly centred on the expansion of the P-Series, Tank and Haval marques, with the ultra-luxurious Wey being a no-no as a result of availability being restricted to left-hand-drive markets.
Jolion and Jolion Pro
The Haval Jolion will undergo a range transformation in which the current Premium and Luxury trim levels fall away, together with the six-speed manual gearbox.
Continuing is the entry-level City and flagship Super Luxury, both still powered by a 1.5 T-GDI engine, whose 105kW/210Nm will now go the front axle through the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission only.
The new addition is the Jolion Pro which will be offered in petrol and hybrid guises, the latter set to be dropped from the current Jolion line-up.
While specification wasn’t disclosed, power figures were with outputs of 130kW/270Nm for the 1.5 T-GDI and 140kW/370Nm in combined form for the HEV hybrid that utilises the dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT) instead of the dual-clutch.
Haval H7
The second-generation Haval Big Dog will debut as a step up from the current H6, although not under the moniker it uses in its home market.
Instead, it will be rebadged as the Haval H7 and as with the Jolion, ride on the Lemon platform that supports hybridisation either with mild-hybrid assistance, or as a plug-in hybrid.
The first model of GWM’s socalled Dragon family of SUVs to arrive on local soil, the H7 measures 4 706mm long, 1 908mm wide and 1 780mm tall, while riding on a 2 610mm long wheelbase.
A 2.0 T-GDI prowertrain produces 170kW/380Nm and the HEV hybrid combines the same combustion engine with an electric motor and battery pack for a total system output of 179kW/530Nm.
The T-GDI receives a ninespeed automatic transmission and the HEV a model specific version of the DHT.
As with the Jolion, drive will go to the front wheels, although an all-wheel-drive option will be available on the petrol variant.
Tank 500
The gargantuan Tank 500 is due for local market premiere in the second quarter.
Fitted as standard with seven-seats and longer than a Toyota Land Cruiser 300 at 5 078mm, the second Tank model after the 300 will initially be limited to a single powertrain, a hybrid, connected to a nine-speed auto ‘box.
Built on a body-on-frame platform and standing 1 905mm tall, 1 934mm wide and sporting a wheelbase of 2 850mm, the powerplant displaces 2.0-litres, but aside from a turbocharger, adds an electric motor to the mix for a total output of 255kW/648Nm.
The Tank 500 will, for now, not be offered with the plug-in hybrid 2.0-litre powerplant, or the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 that develops 265kW/500Nm.
P500
Debuting as the final and probably most eagerly awaited entrant, the Shanhai Cannon bakkie also undergoes a name change for South Africa to P500 as a way of aligning with the step down P-Series.
GWM’s flagship in China, the Ford F-150-sized P500 shares its platform with the Tank 500, but while also without the V6 petrol, has the option of a turbodiesel in addition to the hybrid.
Debuting as the first bakkie in South Africa to have a multi-function tailgate that can be opened traditionally or in a split barn-door style configuration, the P500 measures 5 445mm long, 1 991mm wide and 1 924mm tall while sporting a wheelbase of 3 350mm.
Also set to go on sale in the second quarter, the power units comprise the same electrically assisted 2.0-litre petrol as in the Tank 500, and a normal 2.4-litre oil-burner, delivering 135kW/ 480Nm.
The P500 will be offered as a double cab, from the off with fourwheel-drive regardless of the chosen engine and with a claimed towing capacity of 3 500kg.
The HEV gets a hybrid specific nine-speed automatic transmission and the diesel a conventional self-shifter, also with nine ratios.
Clearer and more specific details of each model’s specification sheet and pricing will be announced in the second quarter of the year.