V8 confirmed for GWM Tank 700, could come to Oz

The GWM Tank 700 will officially arrive with twin-turbo V8 power and, although it’s not yet confirmed for the Australian market, the Chinese brand’s chairman Jack Wei has all but certainly locked it in for a local launch, saying it was developed to meet the needs of global users, including Australia and New Zealand.

There’s no word on outputs for the V8 engine, which differs slightly to the 4.0-litre twin-turbo hybrid V8 currently being developed for the brand’s first GF supercar – due to be revealed in 2027 – although it will feature some form of electrification to keep emissions down.

It’s all but certain to feature plug-in hybrid technology, which could see it produce around 403kW alone or as much as 735kW combined – which, along with a long list of standard features, is likely to push its asking price well above $100,000 in Australia.

According to the Chinese brand’s chairman Jack Wei, it was developed specifically for the global market and will all but certainly bypass China.

“In the future, the Tank 700 will also use a V8 engine,” said Wei.

“The supercar uses a high-performance V8, while the Tank 700 uses a normal V8.

“This is completely opposite to the current environment or trend in China; it does not fit the Chinese market. We developed this V8 to meet the needs of more global users, in markets such as Australia and New Zealand.”

GWM executives are looking to expand the Tank footprint, with both the 700 and mid-size Tank 400 SUV likely contenders.

Both SUVs are currently offered with the brand’s Hi4-T and Hi4-Z plug-in hybrid four-wheel drive setups in China, the former of which brings a proper mechanical 4x4 system, while the latter is akin to what’s used in the Denza B5, with electric motors at either end and no mechanical link between the front and rear axles, making it less capable on tough terrain.

The Tank 400 Hi4-Z, however, is significantly more powerful, producing combined power outputs of 635kW and 1195Nm – around double the Hi4-T’s 310kW and 750Nm – making it good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 4.3 seconds, according to GWM.

In China, claims for the Tank 700 Hi4-Z are even more extreme, with the large SUV using a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 as its base, along with electric motors said to produce a combined 720kW/1375Nm. Luxury features such as active air suspension and a “million-dollar luxury interior design” are standard.

“For the Australian market, we’re simply focused on the Hi4-T because we believe the Australian consumer wants the ability to go off-road, have the knowledge that this vehicle is capable,” a spokesperson for GWM Australia told media in China this week.

But the Hi4-Z system and its supercar-rivalling outputs hasn’t been completely shelved for Oz.

“Hi4-Z is something we’re looking at as an option – we haven’t confirmed if or when we’ll take Hi4-Z yet but it’s an option for us,” said GWM Australia’s head of marketing and communications, Steve Maciver.

“There’s nothing on this stand [at the Beijing auto show] that we would rule out.”

Speaking to media, a spokesperson for the brand said it wouldn’t "pigeon-hole” one particular powertrain, instead focusing on delivering what Aussies demand and the could very well be the long-touted (and now confirmed for Tank 700) V8.

“Obviously we want to try and maximise efficiencies and find ways to improve but we won’t walk away from customer demand.

“Head office is supporting us through all these different powertrains from Hi4-T to diesel to petrol to plug-in [hybrids].”

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