GWM Tank 300 Diesel details emerge as South Africa gets the nod

Great Wall Motors (GWM) has reportedly confirmed it will make the diesel-engine Tank 300 available in South Africa in 2025.

Extended diesel roll-out

Back in May, GWM Chairman, Wei Jianjun, told a Chinese-based social media platform that demand for an oil-burning Tank 300 has been such that it has been left with no option but to offer it as an alternative to the four-cylinder turbo-petrol, hybrid four-cylinder and the twin-turbo V6 petrol.

ALSO READ: GWM Chairman makes it official: Diesel Tank 300 on the way

Shared with the King Kong Cannon and Shanhai Cannon bakkies, the latter sold as the P500 in South Africa, the unit will displace the same 2.4-litres and send its 135kW/480Nm to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

First, select, details

Although not extensively detailed at the time of Wei’s announcement, carnewschina.com has confirmed the diesel Tank 300’s existence following the model’s listing on the website of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Somewhat strangely, the publication states that the listing mentions two overall height measurements; 4 750 mm and 4 775 mm versus the petrol’s 4 760 mm and hybrid’s 4 772 mm.

While its width and wheelbase stay stagnant at 1 930 mm and 2 750 mm respectively, two height ratings have also been provided; 1 903 mm and 1 927 mm, the former being identical to the petrol and hybrid.

Its front overhang being between 910 mm and 935 mm longer than the petrol and hybrid, which Carnewschina attributes to the dimensional gains, the diesel has the same 2 500 kg tow rating for a braked trailer and will reportedly retain the various off-road systems from its siblings.

‘Yes’ for South Africa

In confirming the diesel Tank for South Africa, cars.co.za states that a time of arrival has been set for the first quarter of 2025 with price and spec to be announced then.

Also soon to share the diesel with the facelift P-Series, which will become the renamed P300, GWM’s Sales Director for South Africa, Demond Els, told the publication, “Knowing that the South African market is very diesel orientated – I’ll give you a sneak [peek] on that – the diesel is on its way. The diesel is planned for Q1 2025”.

Fitting in

Tipped as the indirect alternative to the China-only 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 Tank 330, pricing for the diesel, as mentioned, will be revealed later, though speculatively, it could be stickered between the petrol and hybrid if indeed the case.

As a reminder, the petrol Super Luxury starts the range off priced at R725 900, while the step-up Ultra Luxury carries a price tag of R775 950.

The catalyst to the diesel’s expected in-between pricing is the hybrid Ultra Luxury’s R851 950 asking sticker, which could result in the oil-burner potentially starting around the R790 000 to R800 000 mark.

For the moment though, this purely speculative will only become official next year.

NOW READ: WATCH: Battle-hardened GWM Tank 300 shows its softer side