Great Wall Motors As its product line continues to expand significantly, it has opened the door to more expensive SUVs.
“Our flagship model at the moment is the Tank 500. We want to develop these markets properly and expand these markets to a larger scale,” Charles Zhao, managing director of Great Wall Motors Australia and New Zealand, told Automotive Expert.
“At the same time, we focus not only on products but also on customer satisfaction.
“There won’t be cars this expensive in Australia in the next year, but the door is open for these more expensive cars. These won’t be volume models like the 700 or 800.
“But maybe when we see continued, steady growth in the market, increased market share, better customer satisfaction, we might consider it.
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Tank 700
“We want to focus on 300 and 500 in the short term, rather than the current 400 or 700. This is the goal within a year.”
The company has previously said that if the Tank 700 is commercially viable, it will take 6-9 months to be available here.
While Great Wall Motors’ premium Wey brand has been excluded from the Australian market, the newer Tank brand continues to expand into the premium market.
The dazzling Tank 800 has yet to be unveiled but was previewed in concept form in 2021. It will be the range-topping offering for the Tank brand, which is sold in Australia as a sub-brand under the GWM nameplate.
The Tank 400 and Tank 700 are already on sale in China. Both models feature a similar angular design language, in stark contrast to the more conservative, chrome-clad Tank 500 and boxy Tank 300.
“I’m asking how far customers are willing to go to buy a Great Wall vehicle,” said Steve Maciver, Great Wall Motors’ head of marketing and communications for Australia and New Zealand.
“We have seen over the last 3-4 years that the average price of a Great Wall vehicle was about $23,000 in 2020. In a fairly short period of time, that price has now gone to over $40,000.
“The average selling price of Great Wall Motors has been rising, which shows that customers are becoming more and more interested in our products, they like our products, they still think our products have value, and we have to test this with the right products.
“We’ll take our time to do that. We’re not in a rush to bring in more expensive products, but if there’s a product we think there’s demand for in Australia, we’ll certainly consider it.
“Value is a very important factor for any car brand, regardless of price. I think for us, it’s absolutely core to our business.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t offer more premium products in terms of how they are presented and how they are priced, but the value still needs to be there for the consumer.
“If the consumer sees that, whether it’s a Jolion at $25,000 or another Tank at $90,000 or $95,000, as long as there’s value to the customer, we think the price point may not be that important, but some products may have better value for money.”
The most expensive Great Wall Motors model currently available in Australia is the Tank 500 Ultra Hybrid, which costs $73,990.
In 2025, it will get a plug-in hybrid model, but it will likely be more expensive.
If the Tank 700 and Tank 800 were to come to market, they would almost certainly be more expensive.
The plug-in hybrid Tank 700 went on sale in China earlier this year, powered by a 265kW/560Nm turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine, a 120kW/400Nm electric motor, a nine-speed automatic transmission and a 37.1kWh ternary lithium battery.
Total system output is 385kW and 800Nm, and the electric range on the WLTC cycle is 90km.
Tank 400
This five-seater SUV is 5090 mm long, 2061 mm wide, 1952 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 3000 mm.
For reference, the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is 5015mm long, 2000mm wide, 1950mm high and has a wheelbase of 2850mm.
Wading depth is 900 mm, 970 mm with air springs.
The Tank 400 is a more affordable SUV and as its nameplate suggests, it is priced between the smaller Tank 300 and the larger Tank 500 in its home market.
Its length, width and height are 4985 mm, 1960 mm and 1905 mm respectively, and its wheelbase is 2850 mm.
It also offers a plug-in hybrid powertrain exclusively in China, but with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
The engine produces 180kW and 380Nm and is mated to a 120kW/400Nm electric motor, bringing total system output to 300kW and 750Nm.
It is also equipped with a nine-speed automatic transmission and a 37.1kWh ternary lithium battery.
This powertrain is shared with the Tank 500.
MORE: 2024 GWM Tank 700 review: A quick drive
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