You don't have to be a soldier to drive a tank. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
It’s not every week … or month, or even year that we get to drive a car that becomes the centre of attention wherever we go. However, the GWM Tank 300 is one of those vehicles.
Featuring retro-style ruggedness on the outside, it’s plush – fit for royalty – on the inside, and the latest offering from Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor Co (GWM) is in a league of its own.
The week The Citizen Motoring spent in the hybrid model in Super Luxury trim – the first Tank 300 rolled out locally – was weird and wonderful. Onlookers were so awed that we started thinking this tank had a real turret on its roof.
While it’s easy to identify similarities to other rugged off-road-focussed SUVs, like the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, Suzuki Jimny and even a Soviet-era military “jeep”, in the Tank 300’s design, it does a good job of carving out its own distinctive look.
If you got a touch of the interior blindfolded, you’d be forgiven for guessing it’s a Mercedes-Benz G-wagon.
Imitation black leather with diamond stitching, brushed aluminium touches and ambient lighting are combined with retro touches like circular air vents and an analogue clock.
ALSO READ: GWM Tank 300 impresses with its off-road prowess
In terms of technology, the Tank 300 HEV is right up there with the best the Chinese manufacturers have to offer.
It features a 12.3-inch infotainment system with all the usual goodies, along with a digital instrument cluster and various creature comforts throughout the cabin. There is plenty of space in the rear for adults, while boot space is 400 litres.
A comprehensive number of safety systems is too long to list.
The biggest debate around the Tank 300 HEV will no doubt be its self-charging hybrid powertrain.
It combines a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and an electric motor and battery pack. The total system output is a respectable 255kW of power and 648Nm of torque sent to all four corners via nine-speed automatic transmission.
During road test editor Mark Jones’ high-performance spin around Gerotek, the Tank 300 clocked a 0-100 kilometres per hour sprint time of 6.96 seconds. Considering its 2 256 kilogram weight and that its shape resembles a building housing a wind tunnel, that time is impressive.
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The sprint time was clocked using launch control which, interestingly enough, comes standard.
It seems that over at GWM, the message is clear: “We give you the power, now use it, dammit.”
But this performance comes at a premium. Over a distance of 563km, the Tank 300 gulped 13.9 litres for every 100km, a far cry from GWM’s claim of 8.4l/100km.
Working our way through city traffic, which is good for feeding the battery through regenerative braking to allow pure electric driving at lower speeds, the number went into the high 14s at times. Ironically, the best return we got was 9.4l/100 km during an 102 km open-road trip going at a snail’s pace with little braking.
The fuel consumption issue will make many question the purpose of the hybrid powertrain, which is ultimately a form of new energy – the main aim is to refrain from depleting our planet’s fossil fuels and not sucking it dry at a faster rate.
But we can only put the Tank 300 HEV’s consumption in context once we lay hands on the other powertrain offering, the 162kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol.
When you ignore the fuel consumption, the drive is a pleasant experience. Ground clearance of 224 millimetres and a commanding view from the windscreen over the large bonnet gives you the confidence that you really can drive over anything in front of you.
Steering is easy in spite of its weight and big dimensions, while the nine-speed auto gearbox enables smooth gear changes across a wide power band.
ALSO READ: GWM goes to war by finally pricing battle ready Tank 300
You do get a sense of the Tank 300’s weight when the nose dips under hard braking and there is a fair amount of body roll around corners. But to be fair, it is not a race car.
What it is built for is the tough stuff, which Jones got to experience first-hand during a recent launch drive. Not only did its off-road prowess impress him, but also how easily it conquered any terrain. At the push of a button, the torque-on-demand four-wheel-drive system with Multi-Terrain Select allows the driver to sit back and enjoy the ride.
At R851 950, the Tank 300 HEV Super Luxury not only fills the gap between other bushwhackers like the Jimny and Wrangler, but is comfortable enough to offer a plush alternative to boulevard SUVs.
And coolest thing to owning one would be your answer when someone asks what you drive: “I drive a Tank. True story.”
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