Both models will officially be launched in the middle of September.
Its local market launch only happening next month, Great Wall Motors (GWM) South Africa used the media day of the Kyalami Festival of Motoring on Thursday (27 August) to confirm pricing of its new 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine.
Only approved for the P500 bakkie and Tank 500 SUV, the previously rumoured six-cylinder unit produces 170kW/620Nm, and will be paired as standard to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Inclusion of the 3.0T adds three additional models to the Tank 500 range. Picture: Charl Bosch
Developing 35kW/140Nm, more than GWM’s own 2.4-litre unit, the internally named GW4F30 four-cylinder engine will send its amount of twist to the rear or all four wheels, the latter via a part-time four-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case.
Officially badged 3.0T as with the 2.4 bearing the 2.4T moniker, the arrival of the 3.0T won’t impact on the current engine line-up offered in either model.
As such, the P500 will retain both the 2.4T and self-charging HEV 2.0-litre turbo-petrol hybrid, while the latter carries over in the Tank 500.
New engine will wear the 3.0T designation. Picture: Charl Bosch
Despite being approved for South Africa last year, GWM did confirm it has decided not to bring the plug-in hybrid P500 to market on account of the 3.0T’s greater payload capacity.
In total, the addition of the 3.0T adds two new variants to the P500 range for a line-up now spanning five variants.
Final specification will only be announced at the official launch of both models in September. Picture: Charl Bosch
For the Tank 500, the newly added three 3.0T models bring its range count to four, as only the HEV has been available until now.
The engine’s arrival at the Kyalami showpiece, announced by GWM, displayed a blacked-out Tank 500, with the final specification only expected at the national launch next month, as indicated.
Tank 500 3.0T Super Luxury AT – R849 900
Tank 500 3.0T Ultra Luxury 4×4 AT – R929 900
Tank 500 3.0T Overland 4×4 AT – R999 900
Tank 500 HEV Ultra Luxury 4WD AT
– R1 228 950
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