Cheap new Chinese ute undercuts rivals
New Great Wall dual-cab 4x4 diesel ute priced from $33,990 drive-awayThe new Great Wall dual-cab 4x4 diesel ute will undercut rivals by about $10,000 when it arrives in Australia later this month.
The 2021 GWM Ute will be priced from $33,990 drive-away -- about the same price as the Great Wall Steed dual-cab 4x4 diesel ($30,990 plus on-road costs) it replaces and around $10,000 cheaper than Australia’s most popular utes, almost all of which have been renewed or upgraded in recent months.
These include the facelifted Toyota HiLux, updated Ford Ranger, new Isuzu D-MAX, new Mazda BT-50 and, next month, the upgraded Nissan Navara.
The opening price for the GWM Ute applies to the entry-level Cannon Dual Cab 4x4 powered by GWM’s own 120kW/400Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, and not only includes on-road costs but an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.
Other standard equipment includes a comprehensive safety suite comprising autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, plus lane keep assist and seven airbags.
GWM says noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels are “significantly improved over previous models to ensure in-cabin ambience and a smooth driving experience under all conditions”.
GWM Australia head of marketing Steve Maciver said the GWM Ute would not only be one of Australia’s best-value utes, but a solid prospect for both private and business buyers alike.
“We firmly believe that the new GWM Ute offers a compelling all-round package that will make Australian buyers think differently about their next ute,” he said.
“The $33,990 entry price point for the 4x4 Dual Cab Cannon AT is quite exceptional given the high level of features buyers can expect.
“We understand both the competitiveness and the opportunity in the ute segment and, as such, it was important that we come in with a strong product offering and unbeatable value. The new GWM Ute firmly ticks those boxes and we expect to see increased customer interest in showrooms over the coming weeks,” said Maciver.
GWM said first shipments of its new ‘Ute’ have already started arriving in Australia and will soon start making their way to GWM dealers ahead of its official release in November.
No other details have be announced, but GWM previously confirmed three variants of the four-door twin-cab 4x4 diesel will be offered here: Cannon, Cannon-L and Cannon-X.
Expected to be the most sophisticated utility to yet emerge from China, the all-new GWM Ute should eventually also be available in single-cab and cab/chassis body styles, and with six-speed manual and 4x2 drivetrains.
According to homologation data, the relatively lacklustre output of the GWM Ute’s 2.0-litre diesel engine limits towing capacity to an underwhelming 2250kg.
At the 2020 Beijing show, GWM revealed an all-electric version of the Poer ute, as it’s called in China, and company executives have previously said it would eventually offer a 3500kg tow rating, a hydrogen fuel-cell option and a hard-core Adventure variant (pictured here in red), but so far none of these additions have yet been confirmed for Australia.
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