Aside from the Wey 80, GWM is also showcasing the Tank 500 at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS), which opens to the press tomorrow. This massive seven-seater body-on-frame SUV will sit above the five-seater Tank 300 and compete with the likes of the Ford Everest and Toyota Fortuner.
Measuring 4,928 mm long, 1,934 mm wide and 1,905 mm tall, the 500 is 160 mm longer, four millimetres wider and two millimetres taller than the 300, while its 2,850 mm wheelbase is 100 mm longer. Next to the Everest, the GWM is 14 mm longer, 11 wider and 64 mm taller but has a 50 mm shorter wheelbase.
Whereas the 300 is reminiscent of 4x4s like the Ford Bronco and Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the 500 takes after American full-size pick-up trucks, more specifically the Ford F-150 in the beefy front end. You’ll also find vertical taillights as well as an optional tailgate-mounted external spare tire.
The 500’s interior, meanwhile, certainly befits the 500’s high-end stature, with a rectangular shelf-like dashboard housing the 12.3-inch digital instrument display and 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, plus a wide centre console, a classy analogue clock and quilted Nappa leather seats. You’ll also find features like an optional panoramic glass sunroof, triple-zone climate control, a 12-speaker Infinity sound system and buttons by the boot to fold and unfold the third-row seats electrically with a single push.
In Thailand, the Tank 500 is offered solely in parallel hybrid form, powered by a 244 PS/380 Nm 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder and a 106 PS/268 Nm electric motor. Paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission, the system delivers a total output of 350 PS and 616 Nm of torque.
The Tank 500 can also be had in China with a 3.0 litre twin-turbo mild hybrid V6 that pushes out 360 PS and 500 Nm, as well as a Hi4-T plug-in hybrid system that pairs the 2.0 litre mill with a more powerful 163 PS/400 Nm electric motor for a sum total of 408 PS and 750 Nm. A 37.1 kWh battery provides WLTP-rated range of 110 km, a fuel consumption figure of just 2.06 litres per 100 km – and even with it depleted the PHEV can still do 8.8 litres per 100 km.
No matter which version you go for, the 500 is monstrously capable off-road, equipped with front and rear electronic locking differential and a mechanical locking centre differential. The hybrid version can tackle grades as steep as 36.9 degrees, and it also has a “tank turn” function, an off-road cruise control, water wading depth detection and a total of 11 drive modes.
Safety-wise, the Tank 500 is fitted with the usual array of driver assists, such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist and a Wisdom Dodge System that moves the car over to the outer edge of the lane to make space for large vehicles and motorcycles. Blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert with auto brake and park assist are also fitted.
The Tank 500 certainly won’t come cheap, given that the smaller 300 already retails at RM250,000 on-the-road without insurance. Then again, neither is the Everest, which ranges between RM263,888 and RM308,888. Expect the Chinese car to be priced around the ballpark of the Thai model, which retails from 2,049,000 baht (RM266,100) to 2,269,000 baht (RM294,700).
GALLERY: GWM Tank 500 at BIMS 2023
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