New GWM bakkies on horizon

GWM (Great Wall Motors) is upping its bakkie game as part of its longterm goal of placing itself among the top three light commercial vehicle brands in the world.

First out the starting blocks is the Steed 7, which was revealed in China recently.

According to Haval Motors South Africa national sales manager Tyrone Alberts, “There is a bigger Steed on the cards for the South African market although exact details have yet to be confirmed, the estimated date of release of the bigger Steed will be 2020”

The newcomer is not yet listed on GWM’s overseas websites so technical details remain under wraps but what is apparent from the pictures is that it has completely new sheet metal with no resemblance to the Isuzu-like bodies that came before it.

Meanwhile, GWM is known to be working on a bakkie that’s even bigger and more upmarket than the Steed 7, but whether this is the aforementioned “bigger” bakkie has yet to be confirmed.

According to sources abroad, the new pick-up, which is said to be even bigger than a Ford Ranger, will be built on the recently-introduced Haval H9’s platform.

It will offer sophisticated technologies, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, and will feature an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

No word on the engine as yet, but it has been speculated that a 140kW 2-litre turbodiesel, which was initially offered in the H9 abroad, will power the newcomer, along with petrol and (in some markets) hybrid options. - IOL Motoring