Save thousands on any new car (Australia-only): https://autoexpert.com.au/contact Get a great deal on home solar: https://autoexpert.com.au/solar GWM has just announced an all-new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel producing 170kW and 620Nm—and Australia will be the first market in the world to get it. Arriving in September in the GWM Cannon Alpha ute and Tank 500 SUV, the new engine delivers substantially more mid-range power than the four-cylinder diesels in the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-MAX, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Kia Tasman. It even gets surprisingly close to the Ranger V6. This is not merely another new engine announcement. It is evidence of a much bigger problem for the established manufacturers. While the traditional ute brands have spent years offering modest updates, recycled powertrains and marketing-driven “innovation”, Chinese manufacturers such as GWM have been developing aggressively—as though this were an actual competition. In this report: • GWM’s new 170kW and 620Nm 3.0-litre diesel • How its mid-range performance compares with Hilux, Ranger, D-MAX, Triton, Navara and Tasman • Claimed fuel consumption and 3500kg towing capacity • Why a 3.0-litre inline four-cylinder diesel is technically challenging • The refinement disadvantage compared with an inline-six • Why Australia was selected for the engine’s global debut • Local testing and calibration led by GWM engineer Rob Trubiani • How Chinese product development is exposing the complacency of the established ute industry The performance numbers look excellent. The unanswered question is refinement: can GWM make a large four-cylinder diesel sufficiently smooth, quiet and civilised while still delivering the combustion efficiency, emissions performance and low-speed torque Australian buyers expect? Either way, Toyota, Ford, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Kia have just received a fairly substantial wake-up call. Would you like to see my previously recorded interview with GWM Australia’s Rob Trubiani? Let me know in the comments. Registering an expression of interest is not the same thing as buying the vehicle. Pricing, final specifications, independent testing and real-world durability will matter when the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 arrive. #GWM #CannonAlpha #Tank500 #Diesel #ToyotaHilux #FordRanger #IsuzuDMax #Utes
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What was that you said, I was very distracted. 😂😂😂
Bought the Alpha PHEV. I had a 2022 Ranger Next Gen. I didn’t think I would ever buy a Chinese vehicle of any kind. But after watching John and test driving the Alpha I couldn't get out of the Ranger quick enough. All I can say is Ford and Toyota are in trouble. Plus the new Chery is coming soon. Eulogy is the word.
3.2lt 4cly Pajero user here - it's not what you'd call refined but with 570,000km, it still works well.
To be fair, GWMs first decade in Australia was a disaster, but damn. they have learned a lot of lessons from the failures. Strap in, China has arrived.
Couldn't agree more with the lack of innovation from the established dual cabs. They were easier to justify before Covid when you could get one for under 50K, but 70+ for the same thing with new plastic bits is a rude.
The Chinese are moving with customers demands while everyone else just sits around and stares at the sun
My 52 year old HJ ute is going along just fine thank you.
The visual aids were top notch, much appreciated! 9:37
Gold Medal 🏅 for Wordsmithing as usual
The volleyball in the background together with all the algebra formulas adds value to the educational lecture.Thanks!
I thought I was back in yr 12 observing a quadratic equation evolving...hotties is all I remember seeing in my mind then as well😊.
Still got the great wall bad taste of owning two shitboxes that lasted 120k before shitting themselves. Went to isuzu and have done 280k without opening the motor. Local courier had 2 gwms and both did motors at 230k. They own 2 isuzu dmaxs and theyve done 620k without engine problems. Cost of ownership is far more important than an extra 20kw
GWM started out with an old Isuzu platform they reverse engineered, they were cheap and rough utes, now they are making the established brands look cheap and rough.
As a new GWM Tank 300PHEV owner I'm blown away at the value and quality GWM now represents. They need to resolve the chincy look of the Tank 500 with all the chrome - the drivetrain will help but it doesn't have the x-factor to make it a best seller.
Nice video Moby. But I'm more than happy with the isuzu. ❤
Hahaha. I’m with you on this review but my laugh out loud response is vividly remembering your not sooo long ago (2years) blistering review of GWM when you reviewed the Ora. Being an engineer myself, I watched China ten years ago overtake Europe in advanced compressor tech in a matter of months (USA wasn’t even in that particular race). Other products too. So the progress from the earlier short-sighted GWM (Ora) review to the long-sighted GWM (3.0 diesel) review seems like natural progress, albeit a little whiplash inducing. More to the point though, it has kept my wife and I thoroughly entertained, in an in-joke comedy sort of way (I brief my wife each time for each of your Chinese car reviews). Most of the criticism of the Ora were of style, making the reviews meaningless because style is personal, also because the reviewers typically were not who we take style advice from. My wife still loves the Ora we bought two years ago, it has been amazing for the reasons we bought it for, I know it is a polarising design but that doesn’t really matter.
Save thousands on any new car (Australia-only): /contact Get a great deal on home solar: /solar
I owned a 1992 GXL turbo diesel Landcruiser from new for a couple of years. (ancient history I know), and it had a 4.2L engine, producing 122kW at 3600rpm, and 361Nm at 1400rpm. These figures make the GWM look damn good. The Landcruiser was bloody good though, being smooth, but not as fuel efficient as the new diesels. I reckon Australia might be being used as a global test track, being a small market. Bit like big name bands having their 1st gig in Perth, to iron out the kinks in front of a small audience.
It will be an interesting time in the ute market, especially with the current issues with the big dogs' rattly engine.
A couple of years ago I thought " who will release a diesel hybrid", something that you could imagine Toyota doing but low and behold, Chery beats everyone to something genuinely desirable and most definitely handy for touring Aussie. GWM also has their finger on the pulse.