Seven figures breached as GWM prices behemoth Tank 500

Billed at its most capable and luxurious SUV to date, Great Wall Motors (GWM) has finally confirmed price and specification details of its seven-seat, hybrid-only Tank 500.

Price and dimensions

The second model of the Tank brand to be sold in South Africa after the retro-styled Tank 300, the 500 officially becomes the most expensive vehicle made in China to be sold locally with a sticker of R1 222 900.

Offered as an all-inclusive single model in Super Luxury spec, the body-on-frame Tank 500 rides on the same platform as the Shanhai Cannon bakkie, badged locally as the P500, with dimensions of 5 078 mm in overall length, a height of 1 905 mm, width of 1 934 mm and wheelbase of 2 850 mm.

ALSO READ: WATCH: What to expect from GWM’s incoming Tank 500 SUV

A smidgen longer but narrower and lower than a Toyota Land Cruiser 300, the Tank 500 not only sports a ground clearance of 224 mm, but front and rear locking differentials, a transparent chassis view camera and an electronic four-wheel-drive system to go with the low range transfer case.

In a further nod to the Tank 300, the 360-degree Tank Turn comes as standard, along with a Crawl function, launch control and GWM’s own Multi-Terrain System or MTS with nine modes; Eco, Standard, Auto, Sport, Mud, Sand, Snow, Rock and Expert.

Although fitted with 20-inch alloy wheels from the start, air suspension comes standard, with the claimed approach and departure angles rated at 30° and 24° respectively. The claimed towing mass is 2 500 kg.

Seven seats and loaded

Offering between 98-litres and 795-litres of boot space in seven and five-seat configurations, which tops-out at 1 459-litres with the middle row folded flat, the Super Luxury reference denotes flagship variant similar to the P500.

As such, and in addition to the off-road hardware, alloy wheels and MTS, the 500’s list of standard features is extensive and similar to that of its bakkie sibling.

Included are the following;

• automatically retractable side-steps;
• Auto High Beam Assist LED headlights;
• electric tailgate;
• triple-zone climate control;
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster;
• panoramic sunroof;
• 14.6-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto;
• 12-speaker Infinity sound system;
• electrically folding third-row;
• folding electric mirrors with heating, memory and demisting functions;
• heated, ventilated and electric front seats with massaging function;
• active ambient lighting;
• heated steering wheel;
• retro-styled central clock;
• ventilated second-row;
• PM2.5 filtration system;
• Active Noise Cancellation;
• Nappa leather upholstery;
• Head-Up Display;
• wireless smartphone charger;
• LED fog lamps with cornering function;
• tyre pressure monitor;
• Driver Attention Alert;
• Roll Movement Intervention;
• Adaptive Cruise Control;
• 360-degree surround-view camera system;
• Uphill and Downhill Assist;
• Automatic Park Assist;
• Automatic Emergency Braking;
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Automatic Braking;
• Traffic Sign Recognition;
• Front and Rear Collision Warning Alert;
• Lane Keep Assist;
• Lane Departure Warning;
• Traffic Jam Assist;
• Lane Centring Assist;
• Intersection Assist

Nothing but hybrid power

As mentioned, sole motivation comes via GWM’s HEV or hybrid electric vehicle drivetrain that pairs the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the Tank 300 and P500 with an electric motor and battery pack developing 78kW/268Nm.

Combined with the petrol’s 180kW/380Nm, the final output stands at 255kW/648Nm, which GWM claims will see the 2 605 kg Tank 500 get from 0-100 km/h in 8.3 seconds.

Sending the amount of twist to all four corners is a hybrid specific version of the in-house developed nine-speed automatic gearbox known under the DHT or Dedicated Hybrid Transmission banner. The claimed fuel consumption is 8.3 L/100 km.

Colours and warranty

In total, four colours are available; Princess White, Knight Black, Majesty Silver and the unique Crown Gold.

As with the P500 HEV, the GWM Tank 500 HEV Super Luxury’s sticker price includes a seven-year/200 000 km warranty, a five-year/75 000 km service plan and a eight-year/150 000 km battery warranty.

ALSO READ: GWM gives first glimpse of four new models coming to South Africa