New Great Wall ute name revealed

The new-generation Great Wall Motors ute will be called… GWM Ute.

Yep, as generic as that name sounds, it certainly sums up the intended purpose!

Due in Australian showrooms from late November, the all-new GWM Ute will add some naming colour at the dual-cab grade level.

The three four-door models will be known as the GWM Ute Cannon, Cannon-L and Cannon-X.

Expected to be the most sophisticated utility to yet emerge from China, the all-new GWM Ute will launch into a busy Australian market.

Recent arrivals include the all-new Mazda BT-50 and the closely related Isuzu D-MAX, plus an upgraded version of the market-leading Toyota HiLux. The Ford Ranger has had some attention and there will also be a facelifted Nissan Navara in November.

Today’s announcement also signals a change in naming convention for the Ute’s manufacturer, from Great Wall Motors to GWM.

While the over-arching Chinese auto company retains that full name here and globally, the pick-up division is contracted to GWM. In Australia, it sits alongside the Haval luxury SUV brand.

Great Wall Motors Australia also confirmed it has launched a specific landing page for potential GWM Ute customers at www.GWMUte.com.au.

It says a number of its dealers have received “strong interest” in the Ute and some have already taken deposits.

But little else specific was offered today. Carsales understands more detail could surface towards the end of the month.

“Completely new from the ground-up, the GWM Ute brings significant improvements across a number of key areas including safety, design, connectivity, capability and comfort and is expected to be a key driver in volume and brand growth in the coming years,” said the company in a press release.

“Exact features and specifications are yet to be fully disclosed but buyers can expect a high level of standard specification combined with compelling value.”

The name and details of the next-gen GWM ute in Australia have been the subject of much speculation since it first appeared in 2019.

There have been a bunch of names mentioned in speculation; Pao, P Series, Poer (yes, without the ‘w’), the current Steed and yes, Cannon.

GWM even declared at the recent Beijing show that Poer was the international name of the new ute, but it doesn’t seem to have ever been a chance in Australia.

At least one other name was investigated specifically for Australia, but is understood to have fallen foul of trademark issues.

According to homologation data, the new GWM Ute will be offered in cab-chassis, single-cab and dual-cab body styles.

The only engine listed is a 120kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel mated to either a six-speed manual or eight-speed auto. Both 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains will be available.

The towing capacity is listed at an underwhelming 2250kg. The single-cab measures up at a huge 5602mm and its 3470mm wheelbase is shared with the cab-chassis. The dual-cab has a 3230mm wheelbase and 5410mm overall length.

At the recent Beijing show an all-electric version of the Poer was shown, but this is as yet unconfirmed for Australia.

However, following the new ute’s global reveal in April 2019, Great Wall executives told carsales that EV and even hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) versions would eventually be sold in Australia, for which the towing capacity would be upgraded to 3500kg and an off-road Adventure variant (pictured here in red) would also be offered.