GWM New Zealand has announced details for their all-new GWM Ute, due in dealer showrooms this month. Newly designed and engineered from the ground-up, Great Wall Motors says the GWM Ute has been conceived to break the mould of conventional Dual Cab utilities with a combination of style, safety, comfort, capability and value for money that Kiwi ute buyers will find hard to ignore.

Will it be able to take on the likes of the newly released BT50, D-Max and Hilux? Only time will tell.

The initial line-up will consist of three Dual Cab models, all powered by a 2.0-litre Turbo Diesel engine. Improvements to the 2.0-litre Turbo Diesel engine include increased engine outputs, improved fuel efficiency and new additions including a Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT), variable turbo inlet, and upgraded air intake throttle and camshaft.
GWM says these improvements have resulted in a more responsive driving experience across all applications.

Opening the range is the Cannon 4×2 MT, priced from $29,990 inc GST plus On Road Costs with a 5-year 150,000 Km Warranty, 5 years Roadside Assist and with the following comprehensive list of features:

Powertrain and Chassis
 2.0-litre Turbo Diesel engine with 120kW of power and 400Nm of torque
 6-speed manual transmission
 4×2 drivetrain
 Rear Differential Lock
 Fuel economy: 8.7L per 100km
 Suspension – Front Double Wishbone and Rear Leaf Spring Safety
 Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection
 Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
 Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
 4-wheel disc brakes
 Lane Change Assist
 Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
 Traffic Sign Recognition
 Vehicle Stability Control
 Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
 Reverse camera
 Kerbside camera (passenger side)
 Rear parking sensors
 7 airbags incl front centre airbag
 Collision automatic unlock function
 Collision automatic fuel cut function
 Hill Start Assist
 Hill Decent Control

Exterior
 18 inch alloy wheels
 Body-coloured bumpers, wheel arches & mirrors
 Power adjustable door mirrors
 LED headlights with auto on/off
 Daytime Running Lights
 Fog lamps with auto steering function
 Side steps
 Shark fin antenna

Interior
 Keyless entry
 Push button start
 Comfort-Tek (Eco Leather seats)
 Air-conditioning
 Steering wheel controls
 Cruise Control
 9 inch LCD touchscreen
 Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
 3.5 inch colour instrument cluster
 Power outlet for dash camera
 12v power outlet
 2 front USB ports
 Driver’s side sunglasses storage

We’ve got to admit for thirty grand, that base model ute is pretty well equipped, undercutting its rivals by well over $10,000.

The next model in the GWM Ute range is the Cannon-L with 4×2 AT, priced at $35,990 inc GST plus On Road Costs and 4×4 AT, price at $39,990 inc GST plus ORC and adds the following features over and above the Cannon.

 ZF 8-speed automatic transmission
 4×4 drivetrain with BorgWarner
 Sports bar
 Premium 18’’ Alloy Wheel
 Spray-in tubliner
 Easy up/down tailgate
 Cargo step ladder
 Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
 Leather-wrapped steering wheel
 Heated front seats
 6-way power adjustable driver’s seat
 Automatic climate control with rear AC vents
 220V power output
 Front parking sensors
 360 degree view camera
 6 speakers
 Privacy Glass
 Chrome front grille, door handles and mirrors
 Electric folding door mirrors
 Electric Anti-Glare Rear-view Mirror
 Electronic Parking Brake + Auto Hold
 Silver accented Roof Rails

Dimensions
 Length: 5410mm
 Height: 1934mm
 Width: 1886mm
 Wheelbase: 3230mm
 Track (front): 945mm
 Track (rear): 1235mm
 Ground clearance: 194mm (laden)
 Approach angle: 27°
 Departure angle: 25°
 Ramp breakover angle: 21.1° (unladen)

DriveLife will carry out our normal in-depth review on this new ute early in 2021.

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Fred Alvrez
How on earth to start this? I've been car/bike/truck crazy since I was a teen. Like John, I had the obligatory Countach poster on the wall. I guess I'm more officially into classic and muscle cars than anything else - I currently have a '65 Sunbeam Tiger that left the factory the same day as I left the hospital as a newborn with my mother. How could I not buy that car? In 2016 my wife and I drove across the USA in a brand-new Dodge Challenger, and then shipped it home. You can read more on www.usa2nz.co.nz. We did this again in 2019 in a 1990 Chev Corvette - you can read about that trip on DriveLife. I'm a driving instructor and an Observer for the Institute of Advanced Motorists - trying to do my bit to make our roads safer.

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