The uniquely South African expression ‘my brother from another mother’ can be used as a perfect fit for the two latest offerings from GWM in the form of the 7-seater mega-luxury Tank 500 and the similarly luxurious P500 double cab bakkie.
The pair share a huge amount of DNA , both physical and technical, and stand at the head of the company’s first true foray into the upper luxury end of the SUV and pickup markets, notching up a couple of records in the process – the Tank becoming the first Chinese model to break through the R1-million mark and the P500 the first hybrid bakkie to be launched locally.
And, the elephant in the room looms large! Yes, the Tank is priced at R1 222 900 but, before the shock, horror and anguished wails about it being a Chinese car, absorb the fact at that price and taken on a spec-for-spec comparison it is between R100 000 and R400 000 less pricy than its ‘traditional’ opposition from Europe or Japan.
Even before we delve into the actual details – as a buyer in that pricing category, this presents a massive value-for-money proposition.
Tank 500
Kevin Li, the newly appointed managing director of GWM South Africa, described the Tank 500 Hybrid SUV as the pinnacle of the company’s design and engineering efforts, highlighting its development through GWM's global research and development network, which spans across China, the United States, Germany, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Australia and India.
Under the bonnet, the Tank 500 houses a 2,0-litre turbo-charged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a hybrid system that delivers a combined 255 kW of power and 648 Nm of torque, enabling the SUV to tow up to 2,5 tonnes and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds. It drives through a 9-speed automatic gearbox and has 11 all-terrain driving modes.
While the launch drive experience did not involve any intricate and complex obstacles, it made short work of the stunning Swartberg Pass in the Eastern Cape, pootling up the steep dirt inclines with nary a murmur and, for a vehicle that is 5 078 mm long 1 934 mm wide, scooted easily around the tight turns and always remained stable, poised and planted, even when moving along quite quickly.
Inside, the Tank 500 is equipped with a 14,6-inch multimedia touchscreen display, which offers a blend of physical buttons and touch controls for frequently used features such as air-conditioning, infotainment and drive mode selection.
The seats, upholstered in Nappa leather accents, are heated, ventilated and offer an 8-point massage function. Both the driver and front passenger seats are electronically adjustable, with three memory settings for optimal comfort.
Second-row passengers also enjoy luxurious features, including reclining seat backs, adjustable headrests, individual climate control, seat cooling and charging points, while the third-row seats can be electronically folded or raised.
The Tank 500’s cargo area offers 795 litres of space with the third row folded, expanding to 1 459 litres when both rear rows are flattened.
The Tank is hard to miss on the road with its striking front grille design and 20-inch alloy wheels that give it a ground clearance of 224 mm – and, while this may look daunting for passengers, opening any of the doors releases the electronically-controlled sidestep.
Safety – and that includes a 5-star ANCAP rating includes intelligent adaptive cruise control, rear collision warning, cross-traffic alert, emergency lane keep assist, and auto intelligent parking. The 360-degree camera system, along with auto emergency braking and lane departure warning, ensures drivers are always aware of their surroundings.
Despite its size, the Tank never feels big out on the road and this comes into play only when trying to squeeze into an undersized parking bay. However, even there, the Tank’s driver assistance systems make these precision manoeuvres a breeze.
The hybrid system allows for battery only running in slow-moving traffic but also provides a nice boost on pull off with an instant kick of power and torque, allowing the engine to rev up gently to where it takes over so there no angry note of acceleration.
Equally, the insulation on the Tank keeps road, wind and tyre noise out of the cabin (except for a bit of whistle in the near hurricane force winds we experienced on the route).
GWM offers a comprehensive care package with the Tank 500, including a 7-year/200 000 km warranty, an 8-year/150 000 km high-voltage battery pack warranty, a 7-year/unlimited km roadside assistance plan and a 5-year/75 000 km service plan.
TANK 500 PRICING
TANK 500 2.0T 9HAT 4x4 Ultra Luxury R1 222 900
P500
The all-new P-Series P500 Double-Cab is equipped with a 325-volt electric motor, making it the second most powerful double-cab bakkie in its segment.
The GWM P500 was first unveiled at the 2024 NAMPO trade show in May and, like its ‘sibling’ Tank offers 255 kW of power and 648 Nm of torque paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission and standard 4x4 capability.
Measuring 5 400mm in length and 1 991mm in width, with a 3 350mm wheelbase, the P500 is one of the biggest bakkies on the market and it comes with a 60:40 split tailgate that opens in a barn door style or as a conventional fold-down and the load box has 28 anchor points built in.
“The P500 bakkie is arguably the most well-equipped on the market right now. GWM leverages China’s leadership in automotive innovation, and with the P500, we’re redefining what a leisure bakkie can offer. This is a thrilling vehicle, combining rugged off-road capabilities with luxury and advanced technology,” says Li.
However, it is not only about the hybrid version and the P500 range also includes a more traditional 2,4-litre turbo-diesel engine, producing 135 kW of power and 480 Nm of torque, with a fuel consumption of 8,6 l/100 km and kitted with a full 4x4 systems including front and rear differential locks.
On the launch event I drove only the hybrid version – that demonstrating the same levels of on and offroad behaviour as the Tank and, even unladen, having minimal ‘jitters’ on rippled dirt roads, meaning the cabin comfort was good for all-day driving.
The bold exterior design sees a large front grille flanked by distinctive LED headlights. The grille also houses the front camera and sensors for the 360-degree view camera system, while the lower front bumper is equipped with sensors for the intelligent drive system and anti-collision radar.
Additional cameras are located on the electronically adjustable, body-coloured side mirrors, which also include auto-fold, auto-adjust for reversing, blind-spot alert, integrated turn signals and a demister.
The P500’s interior offers Knight Black finishes and woodgrain-style trim on selected panels. The newly designed three-spoke leather steering wheel has electronic adjustment and memory function for rake and reach, while the steering wheel-mounted controls provide easy access to the head-up display, multimedia infotainment screen and virtual instrument cluster.
A 12,3-inch or 14,6-inch multimedia touchscreen display takes centre stage in the cabin, and the P500 Ultra Luxury model comes standard with a 10-speaker Harman Infinity audio system.
Passengers sit on black Nappa leather seats, with heating, cooling and an 8-option massage function for the driver and front passenger. Rear seat passengers have electronically adjustable seats, heating and cooling and split folding with a wireless charger.
Advanced safety features include Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist and a Driver Fatigue Monitoring System. The bakkie also features cross-traffic alert, smart dodge (automatic emergency lane change), a 360-degree camera system and adaptive cruise control.
It has seven crash bags, including a centre bag designed to prevent the front passenger and driver from colliding in the event of an accident.
Pricing:
- GWM P500 2.4T 9AT 4X4 Luxury R799 900
- GWM P500 2.4T 9AT 4X4 Super Luxury R889 900
- GWM P500 2.0T HEV 9HAT 4X4 Ultra Luxury R999 900.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
proudly CHANGECARS
