SPY PICS: Big new 2025 GWM Tank 800 breaks cover

The all-new 2025 GWM Tank 800 has been spotted in China undergoing final testing at the brand’s Baoding proving ground ahead of the extra-large luxury off-road SUV’s expected global reveal in late 2024.

Set to be fitted with everything from a champagne chiller to power-adjustable and massaging business-class rear seats upholstered in 20mm-thick Nappa leather upholstery, the Tank 800 is the latest – and largest – SUV in the Chinese off-road brand’s growing portfolio.

And as you can see here, it looks like it’ll big and bold enough to start a fight with full-size luxury bush-bashers like the Range Rover and Lexus LX 600.

These images and short social videos of the luxurious land yacht were captured during a global media drive of several GWM vehicles in China last week, including the Tank 400 and Tank 700 – both of which are under consideration for Australian release.

GWM Australia hasn’t officially indicated whether the Tank 800 is on its wanted list, but representatives for the importer have previously stated that all GWM Tank products “are being looked at”.

Despite the camouflage wrap concealing its finer design details, it’s manifestly clear the big, boxy design was inspired by the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

However, unlike the British brand’s extravagant flagship SUV, pricing for which starts at $705,000, the 2025 GWM Tank 800 is expected to cost a fraction of the price at around 700,000 yuan in China, or about $150,000 in Australia.

Unlike the Cullinan, which is powered by a 6.7-litre turbo-petrol V12, it’s understood the GWM Tank 800 will leverage the same ‘Hi4-T’ plug-in hybrid powertrain that carsales recently tested in the Tank 700 – namely a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 (265kW/560Nm) backed up by an electric motor (120kW/400Nm).

When petrol and electric power units join forces, a hefty 380kW/800Nm is on tap.

The PHEV system employs a 37kWh lithium-ion battery pack and should be good for an EV cruising range of around 60km, although that will depend ‘heavily’ on the vehicle’s kerb weight.

Even with so much power and torque, the big prestige SUV is unlikely to be swift given the GWM Tank 700 is a 3.1-tonne proposition, so the larger Tank 800 will almost certainly be heavier.

The flamboyant interior of the Tank 800 concept vehicle shown at the 2021 Shanghai motor show has been ditched, with spy photos of the Tank 800’s interior published by Car News China confirming it shares many elements with the GWM Tank 700, such as its gear shifter, digital screens, switchgear and quad-zone climate control system comprising rear-seat control panel.

It's not yet clear whether the vehicle will be a five-seater like the Tank 700 or a three-row model with seven or eight seats like the GWM Tank 500, which has just rolled into Aussie dealerships priced between $66,490 and $73,990 drive-away.

Air suspension is fixed to the GWM Tank 800’s ladder-frame chassis and drive to all four wheels is channelled through a nine-speed automatic transmission. The likelihood of three locking diffs – front, central and rear – being included is high.

At this stage it’s unlikely that GWM will keep pushing north with its Tank product portfolio, so don’t expect a GWM Tank 900 to materialise any time soon.

And carsales can confirm the company has no plans to head south with a smaller Tank 200 model either, given its Haval brand already offers a range of smaller SUVs.

Locally, GWM Australia is yet to confirm whether the Tank 700 will join the existing Tank 300 and Tank 500 on sale here, where a price of around $100,000 could be a stretch for the Chinese brand, so the circa-$150K Tank 800 seems unlikely to arrive Down Under any time soon.

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