Petrol or hybrid powered until now, the GWM Tank 300 will soon offer a diesel engine option based on ongoing demand. Image: GWM
A turbodiesel variant of the Tank 300 is in the works due to ongoing global demand of the petrol or hybrid-powered retro-styled off-roader.
Introduced four years ago, the oldest model of the Great Wall Motors (GWM)-owned Tank brand has been motivated by either 2.0-litre turbocharged unit, or a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 introduced last year.
Locally, GWM South Africa has only made the former units available with the latter, for now, remaining exclusive to the People’s Republic where its powers the limited edition Tank 330.
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This though will soon change as, according to China’s Autohome, GWM Chairman, Wei Jianjun, confirmed that demand had been such that an oil-burning Tank 300 can no longer be ignored.
In a video posted as part of a podcast on an unspecified Chinese social media platform, Wei said the engine would the same 2.4-litre used in the GWM King Kong Cannon and Shanhai Cannon bakkies, the latter arriving in South Africa later this year as the GWM P500.
Despite no further details being divulged, the approval means the diesel engine Tank 300 will most likely develop the same 135kW/480Nm as the P500, delivered to the ground through a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
While the move opens-up the possibility of the diesel being used in the Tank 500 SUV, no information was announced as sales in key oil-burning markets such as Australia and South Africa have yet to kick-off.
Similar to the 300, the Tank 500 will only be powered petrol for South Africa, though solely with the HEV set-up that sends 255kW/648Nm to all four wheels through a hybrid optimised nine-speed automatic ‘box.
While an expected launch of the Tank 300 diesel remains unknown, expectations are it could well become a reality before the end of the year.
As such, expect it to be a certainty for South Africa given not only the segment’s preference for diesel, but also the engine’s presence in the P500.
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