All-new GWM Cannon ute tipped within two years

An all-new GWM Cannon ute could be on the way sooner than you’d think.

It’s understood that GWM is working on its next-generation Cannon ute to take on the Ranger, HiLux and Shark 6 and it could be ready to rock on the radar within the next 18 to 24 months, as the Chinese car-maker’s short product cycles catch up with its ageing workhorse ute.

GWM Australia hasn’t confirming anything officially but carsales understands the car brand will have a new generation ute on the radar within the next 18 to 24 months – and that it could well be a completely new Cannon rather than another nip and tuck.

The logic adds up. The current Cannon launched in 2020, which makes it one of the older utes in a segment full of relatively fresh metal from the Kia Tasman, BYD Shark 6 and the new-look Toyota HiLux.

And GWM, like many Chinese brands, runs on much shorter product life cycles than the Japanese establishment. Six years is a long time in GWM years.

For now, the existing Cannon has been given a solid shot in the arm. The new Cannon Hi4-T plug-in hybrid has joined the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, while the Cannon Alpha now gets a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel to go with its own Hi4-T.

GWM Australia sales and marketing boss Steve Maciver is backing the current car. He said the Cannon Hi4-T’s value equation, 3500kg towing and four-wheel-drive hardware make it a “crucial model” – especially as NVES penalties get harder next year.

But the sales pressure is real. GWM says it needs to lift Cannon volume sharply within 12 months to hit its top-five ute target. Cannon and Cannon Alpha 4x4 sales are up 9.2 per cent to 8764 this year, but October slipped 18.0 per cent to 763.

A fresh ute would give GWM a much bigger stick to swing in a segment where the Ford Ranger 4x4, with 40,300 sales this year, and Toyota HiLux 4x4, with 37,466, still rule.

It would also fit GWM’s broader product blitz, which will see its showroom grow to about 20 models by this time next year – including the V8-powered Tank we reported on recently.

Don’t expect official details any time soon. GWM is focused on getting the current Cannon’s new powertrains entrenched and selling first.

But if the timing holds, an all-new Cannon could land in 2028 – likely with plug-in hybrid power as a cornerstone. Until then, the current Cannon and Cannon Alpha models will continue to fight it out in the cutthroat ute market.

*Lead image AI generated

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au