Tank 300 ready for SA battle
THE GWM Tank 300 has finally arrived in South Africa where its toughest battle will probably be against the Toyota Fortuner.
Just as the Toyota SUV is based on the Hilux and sits on a ladder frame chassis, the Tank 300 is closely related to the GWM P-Series bakkie.
Where the Fortuner is available in 4x2 as well as 4x4, all three Tank 300 models are all-wheel drives.
In fact GWM markets the
SUV as a adventure lifestyle vehicle which is purpose-built for offroading.
Petrol and hybrid
GWM's three latest models differ mostly in the equipment levels they offer, all being powered by petrol engines.
The range topper is a hybrid vehicle that runs on a petrol engine supported by an electric motor.
In the petrol-only derivatives, GWM opted for a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine which is good for 162kW and 380Nm, and this the coupled to an eight-speed auto box.
The hybrid model, which pairs a similar motor with an electric motor, has outputs of 255kW and 648Nm, directed to all four corners via a nine-speed automatic transmission.
When it comes to the rough stuff, the GWM Tank 300 boasts an All-Terrain Driving System with Multi-Terrain Select. Although it’s a full-time 4x4 system, it has low-range gearing too.
In addition to 224mm of ground clearance and an electronically controlled rear diff lock, all three models feature what GWM calls Crawl Cruise Control and Tank Turn functionality, the latter allowing the vehicle to turn with virtually no forward or backward movement.
Features
All versions of the Tank 300 are equipped with a dual 12.3inch high-definition LCD screen system with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.
Also fitted are quilted leather upholstery, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, privacy glass, and a long list of driver assistance gadgets. These include Adaptive Cruise Control with Traffic Jam Assistance, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assistance, Automatic Emergency Braking, and much more.
Furthermore, the GWM Tank 300 is sold with a seven-year or 200 000km warranty and a service plan that’s valid for five years or 75 000km.
Pricing
The entry model, the Tank 300 2.0T 8AT 4x4 Super Luxury, is priced at R725 950, which is well above the cheapest Fortuner - but keep in mind that the most affordable Toyota is a 4x2.
Second up is the 2.0T 8AT 4x4 Ultra Luxury model which will set the buyer back R775 950.
Lastly, the hybrid Tank 300 called the 2.0T 9HAT 4x4 Super Luxury is priced at R851 950.
Autodealer will publish a test drive report on the Tank 300 as soon as the first car reaches Haval/GWM Zululand.