GWM News

The plug-in hybrid ute battle is about to boil over.GWM has made running changes to its new plug-in hybrid ute before it has even arrived on our roads, as it prepares to wage war on the BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV.The soon-to-be-launched Cannon Alpha PHEV is now cheaper and has more electric-only driving range than first promised.GWM has removed the national drive-away price for the two-tier plug-in hybrid Cannon Alpha range, which is good news for some but not for others.The base Cannon Alpha PHEV Lux now ranges between $61,490 and $64,590 depending on the state or territory you live in. This is compared to the previous $63,990 national drive-away price. Western Australia is the only state worse off.The BYD Shark 6 is still roughly $1000 cheaper, but more than $10,000 cheaper than the coming Ranger PHEV.It’s a similar story for the fully loaded Cannon Alpha PHEV Ultra that was priced at $68,990 but now ranges from between $67,990 and $71,090. If you are in WA, NSW and SA you’ll now pay more.GWM now claims the Cannon Alpha PHEV can be driven up to 115km on pure electric power, up 5km on its previous claim. This figure is calculated on the more generous NEDC test cycle compared to the more stringent benchmark WLTP test regime.The Cannon Alpha PHEV is fitted with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, electric motor and a sizeable battery that allows it to drive up to 1060km before both the battery and fuel tank are depleted.It has a proper four-wheel-drive set-up, with a rear locking differential in the Lux and the addition of a front locking differential in the Ultra.It has a vehicle-to-load function that allows users to power appliances such as camping equipment and power tools via a regular household power socket in the vehicle.It also has a 3500kg braked towing capacity that trumps the BYD Shark 6 ute and equals the Ford Ranger PHEV.The first vehicles are now en route to Australia, before sales commence shortly after. 

In 2025 branding means way more than a hot iron mark scorched into a steer’s backside.It’s about a brand’s personality, reputation and your interactions with it. What it says about you. What it delivers. How it makes you feel. A visual identity, a design style… and a million other things.   And there are automotive brands in the Australian new-car market that have strategically built solid brand equity over many decades.Current market leader, Toyota began dipping its corporate toe into global export waters by shipping cars here in the late 1950s. And other Japanese makers like Honda, Mazda and Nissan followed it in conquering initial hesitancy by steadily investing in strong retail networks, pushing product improvement and focusing on a positive customer experience.Ford has built its global brand around everything from the Model T and its revolutionary assembly line to pumped up muscle cars and victory at Le Mans. While here it embedded itself in the local landscape via a manufacturing presence spanning close to a century and regular victory at Mount Panorama.And more recently, relative newcomers like Hyundai and Kia have moved rapidly from cheap and (mostly) cheerful to innovators that repositioned the concept of value and quality in the local market.All of which led to large pockets of ‘rusted on’ brand loyalty. The concept of ‘Ford and Holden families’ started to diminish from the moment the latter departed the scene in 2020 (if not before), but Toyota’s reputation for value, durability and affordable ownership has seen it maintain a legion of never-say-die fans.Same for Ford, Mazda, Mitsubishi and others. But I'd argue a turning point was when, after an initial false start through a private importer in 2013, MG set up as a direct subsidiary in 2017.Great Wall had landed as the first Chinese car brand in the Aussie market in 2009, but MG 2.0 was different. Even if its ‘Since 1924’ positioning stretched credulity, its products were better than expected and pricing was ultra sharp.Sharp enough to encourage budget-focused new-car buyers, even used-car prospects, to give the brand a go.With the introduction of new-generation products in the early 2020s sales took off like a rocket, and it’s here that my ‘That’s a good idea’ theory kicks in.I reckon executives at rival Chinese car brands, keeping an eye on MG’s increasing success Down Under, all had the same ‘good idea’ at the same time. Namely, let’s get into Australia and grab a piece of that action. Hence the subsequent arrival of Chery in 2023, itself a factory-backed restart after an initial import-distribution arrangement broke down back in 2011. Followed by the flood gates opening, with BYD, Deepal, Geely, a ramped up GWM, JAC, LDV, Leapmotor, Smart, Jaecoo, XPeng and Zeekr all jumping in with Aion, Avatar, Jetour, Lynk & Co, Skyworth and others waiting in the wings.Doesn’t matter which category you’re talking about - white goods, sporting equipment, hi-fi - if one fresh competitor enters a mature market, it’s likely to be met with reluctance, even contempt by existing brand loyalists.But if near enough to 20 newcomers blaze into market at the same time, clearly something seismic is going on and it feels like you’d be missing a trick if you didn’t at least investigate the rapidly changing competitive landscape.Give them the benefit of 20/20 hindsight as well as a time machine and it’s not certain all the new brands above would currently be making an Aussie entrance.But multiple triggers have been pulled with retail network deals done, head office staff recruited, parts warehousing set up, service and sales training completed and marketing campaigns launched. So, in a mature market, early movers like MG, Chery and GWM have the advantage and more recent arrivals will need to find a way to win over buyers… fast. And it’s a fair bet the ever-impactful lever marked price will be pulled on a regular basis.Some of the newcomers as well as more than a few existing legacy brands will be forced into a price war. Like it or not, loyalty comes under pressure when the incentive is enticing enough and with a cut-price cage fight likely to take place sooner rather than later not everyone will leave the octagon alive.Stand by for new-car buyers tempted en masse into ‘unbeatable deals’ that mean brand loyalties will be stretched beyond breaking point. The shake out from this looming war of attrition will be huge. 

GWM to launch brand new 4.0-litre V8 by 2027 despite Australia's increasingly tough emissions laws

Is Toyota preparing two completely different utes to replace the ageing current HiLux in Australia from next year? The first is the widely-speculated but as-yet publicly unconfirmed facelift of today’s eight-generation HiLux, while the second is new-from-the-ground up production version of the EPU (Electric Pick-Up) dual-cab concept that debuted at the 2023 Tokyo motor show.

While the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max are still hugely popular, the established order in the Australian ute market continues to be challenged by newer brands and models like the BYD Shark 6, JAC T9 and GWM Cannon. And on the back of the recent launch of a significantly upgraded 2.4-litre turbo-diesel version of its Cannon ute, GWM has this week announced a range expansion with additional body styles, model grades and powertrain options to further dial up the competitive pressure.Initially left out of the updated line-up, an entry-level Premium grade has been reinstated, with 2.0-litre turbo-diesel power and an eight-speed auto transmission in 4x2 Single Cab Chassis (with tray) at $35,490, drive-away, or 4x4 Dual Cab utility form for $39,490, D/A. Previous range entry-point was $41,490, D/A for the Lux Dual Cab.At the same time, a 4x4 Dual Cab Chassis (with tray) will be offered in Lux trim, with the larger 2.4-litre engine at $42,490 D/A. For context, entry to the Ford Ranger line-up starts with the XL Single Cab (125kW/405Nm 2.0L) at $36,880, before on-road costs. Toyota’s HiLux range kicks off with the Workmate Single Cab Hi-Rider manual (110kW/400Nm 2.4L) at $32,970, BOC. And the plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6 is offered in a single (321kW/650Nm 1.5L) Double Cab model for $57,900, BOC. GWM has confirmed the Cannon Premium’s 2.0-litre/eight-speed auto combination is “a direct carryover from the previous model” with outputs of 120kW/400Nm and maximum braked trailer towing capacity of 3.2 tonnes unchanged.And the reemergence of the smaller powerplant delivers a worthwhile fuel efficiency advantage with official combined (urban/extra-urban) figures of 7.6L/100km (single cab) and 8.1L/100km (dual cab). For reference, the 135KW/480Nm 2.4-litre dual cab comes in at 8.4L/100km.According to GWM, the Single Cab Chassis variant features a 240mm wheelbase extension (3470mm vs 3230mm) to “improve load distribution and vehicle dynamics” and a higher load capacity (1150kg vs 995kg) thanks in no small part to its leaf spring live axle rear suspension.Standard equipment on the Premium includes 18-inch alloy wheels, synthetic leather seats, single-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch media touchscreen (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), four-speaker audio, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, auto rain-sensing wipers and paddle shifters.There’s also auto LED headlights (with DRLs and auto levelling), auto high beam, fog lights (with steering illumination), side steps, keyless entry, underbody protection, seven airbags (including a front centre bag), a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, trailer sway control, tyre pressure monitoring and more.And GWM is keen to push its seven-year/unlimited km warranty, five years roadside assistance offer and five-year capped price servicing program.So, shots fired, and it’s surely only a matter of time until others in the boiling hot ute market retaliate. Stand by.

It was building for a long time, but now the giant wave of Chinese challenger brands entering the Australian new-car market has hit our shores with a vengeance.

The Ford Ranger might have found itself back on top of Australia’s sales charts in March, but a dig into the numbers reveal cracks in the sales ambitions of the Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.

Why GWM is committed to staying affordable despite rivals increasing in price.

GWM local ride and handling program to kick off this year, may also incorporate ADAS systems improvements.

The rapid and seemingly unstoppable expansion of Chinese carmakers is something to behold.But is it too far-fetched to think all cars will be Chinese within the next 20 years? Or is it naive not to see it as a strong possibility?For a long time I’ve thought the emergence of new Chinese cars in Australia and globally was the natural progression of the car industry. New brands morph from alternative fledgling brands to mature and established ones. We saw this with Japanese brands such as Toyota, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Nissan which gained popularity in the 1960s and ’70s before becoming established go-to brands in the 1980s and ’90s as they fought homegrown heroes Ford and Holden for space in Australia's driveways. And it stayed that way until the first decade of the 2000s ticked over.Holden and Ford’s ranges and sales shrank giving way to the Koreans who filled the gap with Hyundai and Kia which have climbed high into the top 10 thanks to an excellent range of SUVs and EVs.They’re now marching towards the only brands that stand in their way - Mitsubishi, Ford, Mazda and Toyota - which, by the way, have about three EVs between them.And given another five years Kia and Hyundai may have been able to topple Toyota from number one. But it might be too late for that. The presence of a large and fast-growing force is creating major uncertainty for the established brands in the Australian market - the rise and rise of Chinese brands. At the end of 2024 there were 12 Chinese brands operating in Australia and this year we’re expecting at least another seven to arrive. To put that in perspective we currently have a total of 50 car brands in Australia and nine are Japanese. By the end of 2025 the Chinese tally could easily be 20 brands or 30 per cent of Australia's brand make up.Several Chinese brands have been in Australia for years and have already done the hard yards. It took MG a couple of attempts to find a foothold but it was the seventh best-selling brand in 2024, while GWM came in at 10th. LDV is further down but still sold more than 16,000 vehicles here last year.The newer Chinese arrivals show huge promise with most of them offering affordable electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids when the established brands have only a handful among them, usually at higher prices.BYD, Zeekr, Leapmotor, Geely, Deepal, XPeng, Smart, JAC, Aion, Chery and Jaecoo will spend 2025 launching a multitude of new vehicles here. BYD will be one to watch having sold more cars here last year than Mercedes-Benz and it will likely enter the top 10 best sellers next year. Geely, which is the ‘Volkswagen of China’ in terms of its size and how many brands it owns, is another to watch.Chinese car manufacturers' speed of production, the development of new platforms and technology, the low cost of batteries, availability of electronics and the breakthroughs being made in charging systems, plus the sheer amount of money and Chinese government support behind them make competition almost impossible for many other brands.It’s almost certain that some established brands will bow out of Australia, unable to compete with Chinese brands. It’s also feasible that within the next decade more than half the Australian market could be made up of Chinese brands. And surely some Chinese brands won’t be able to cut it here and leave, too.Who could survive? Well, time has shown that even the mighty like Holden have fallen if they don’t make the cars people want to buy. The sheer brute force of Chinese brands being able to offer what people want quickly and at a low price, and at an always improving tech level could be too difficult for many other brands to fight off.In an extreme scenario this could lead to a 100 per cent Chinese brand market within 15 years. Sounds far fetched? Well they’re a third of the way there already.