Last month spied images of GWM’s Tank 300 SUV in Melbourne, Australia surfaced on the internet suggesting about Chinese automaker’s plans to introduce the rugged body-on-frame off-roader SUV in the Australian market.
Related: Is Toyota Handing Over the Large SUV Market to Rivals
Now the Tank 300 has been approved for sale in Australia, but only with a hybrid powertrain. The GWM Tank 300 appears in the Australian government approval documents with a single 2.0L turbocharged hybrid four-cylinder powertrain. Mated with a 9-speed automatic transmission, it has a total system output of 300hp and a massive 650Nm.
The Tank 300 is expected to launch in Australia in 2023 with a hybrid powertrain – though according to Australian motoring media, the absence of the regular petrol variants from these approval documents doesn’t necessarily rule out its introduction later. The claimed 0-100km/h sprint time for the hybrid version is just 7.9 seconds.
Measuring 4,760mm long, 1,930mm wide, and 1,903mm tall, the Tank 300 has a 2,750mm wheelbase and a generous 224mm of ground clearance. features low-range gearing and front and rear electro-mechanical locking differentials, and offers a tank turn function and a creep mode. It boasts an approach angle of 33 degrees, a departure angle of 34 degrees, minimum ground clearance of 224mm and a maximum wading depth of 700mm.
Related: GWM Tanks Now in Saudi Arabia
Available features include heated, ventilated and massaging power-adjustable front seats, 64-colour adjustable ambient lighting, Nappa leather upholstery, a single-pane sunroof, and a heated steering wheel.
Tank 300 is not the only electrified model GWM is expected to introduce in Australia next year. The Chinese brand could launch up to 7 electrified models by the end of 2023. That includes a plug-in hybrid version of the Tank 500, another body-on-frame SUV that has been introduced recently in the Middle East.
Related: GWM Tank SUVs Launched in Bahrain
GWM in Australia is expected to preface all models from the Tank and Ora brands with its corporate branding, as it has already started doing with its Haval models. Tank 300 models that were spied in right-hand drive guise in Melbourne, wear GWM Tank badging despite Tank being a standalone brand in China.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
