GWM sneaks in potent new 310kW and 750Nm P300 bakkie

Just the other day we were talking about how good the new GWM P500 3.0-litre turbodiesel is after being at the bakkie’s media launch event.

And while we were there, not a word was said about the new Plug-In Hybrid P300 that the company was about to launch onto the South African Market.

But here we are today looking at the new P300 Hi4-T Pioneer 4×4 double cab that is now the official flagship in the range and also the fastest GWM bakkie ever, by far…

Over 300kW of power

Powering the new Hi4-T’s Pioneer P300 is GWM’s familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, but it is joined by a 33.1 kWh battery pack that in turn powers a single electric motor.

The petrol engine produces 180kW of power and 380Nm of torque on its own. And the battery back adds another 130kW and 495Nm. Combined you have 310kW and 750Nm to play with.

The crazy part is that these numbers only put the GWM P300 Pioneer Hi4-T in 8th place as South Africa’s Most Powerful Bakkie.

See the chart below:

Hot hatch times

Paired to a hybrid specific version of the nine-speed automatic gearbox, with drive going to all four wheels, the GWM P300 Hi4-T has a claimed all-electric range of 115 km and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 6.1 seconds.

Mounted within the frame rails of the chassis, the battery pack supports public DC charging up to 110 kW and will require a waiting time of 18 minutes to get the battery from 30-80%.

Compared to the diesel-powered P300, the Hi4-T’s ground clearance drops to 200 mm. However, it still has a claimed tow rating of 3 500 kg as well as a low range transfer case and an electronically locking rear differential.

Sporty styling

Devised as what can only be seen as a sporty variant, the Hi4-T Pioneer has been aesthetically revised to differentiate itself from the rest of the GWM P300 line-up.

Unique to it, therefore, is a:

• Black grille,
• gloss black wheel arch cladding,
• darkened head-and-taillight clusters,
• black mirror caps and door handles,
• red brake calipers,
• sports bar,
• and black 18-inch alloy wheels.

Subtle changes have taken place to the interior of the GWM P300 Hi4-T Pioneer. Picture: Supplied

Hybrid readouts

Inside, the differences from its sibling are more minor and limited to hybrid readouts and graphics within the 15.6-inch infotainment display and the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

As for specification, the GWM P300 Hi-4T Pioneer’s list of features include:

• on/off LED headlights;
• LED fog lamps;
• folding and heated electric mirrors;
• rubberised loadbin;
• side-steps;
• rain sense wipers;
• imitation leather upholstery;
• dual-zone climate control with rear vents;
• heated, electric and ventilated front seats;
• push-button start;
• front and rear armrests;
• heated multi-function steering wheel;
• keyless entry;
• paddle shifters;
• dual type-A USB ports;
• wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto;
• six-speaker sound system;
• wireless smartphone charging pad;
• sunroof

On the safety and driver assistance front, standard items include:

• transparent chassis-view camera;
• tyre pressure monitor;
• six airbags;
• front and rear parking sensors;
• 540-degree camera system;
• Auto High Beam Assist;
• Adaptive Cruise Control;
• Automatic Emergency Braking;
• Lane Keep Assist;
• Door Open Alert;
• Lane Change Assist;
• Driver Attention Alert;
• Lane Centering Assist
• Traffic Jam Assist;
• Hill Start Assist;
• Traffic Sign Recognition;
• Hill Descent Control;
• Trailer Sway Control;
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert;
• Reverse Automatic Braking

Price

The GWM P300 Hi4-T Pioneer’s price tag of R914 900 includes a seven-year / 200 000 km warranty, a seven-year / 75 000 km service plan and an eight-year / 150 000 km battery warranty.