The GWM Tank was scheduled to launch in South Africa towards the middle of 2023, but now won’t arrive until next year. Here’s why the ladder-frame SUV has been delayed…

Back in May 2023, Haval Motors South Africa announced indicative pricing for the new GWM Tank 300, which was expected to launch shortly thereafter. However, the Chinese company’s local division has now confirmed to Cars.co.za that the ladder-frame SUV will hit the market only early in 2024.

So, what’s behind this delay? Well, the firm told us the units came in drips and drabs and rather than launching without a sufficient number of vehicles available to sell, the brand waited until there were enough models in the country. This also allowed Tank to assess the feasibility of a hybrid version of the Tank which will make its debut when the brand launches fully in early 2024.

According to Haval Motors SA, the Tank 300 will thus launch locally with the option of either powertrain, before the larger Tank 500 follows later in 2024. Of course, we’ve already had a quick drive of the former during an international jaunt Down Under earlier in the year.

Built on a ladder-frame chassis similar to that of the GWM P-Series bakkie, the Tank 300 boasts a ground clearance of 224 mm, an approach angle of 33 degrees and a departure angle of 34 degrees. It measures 4 760 mm long, 1 930 mm wide and has a wheelbase of 2 750 mm, which makes it similar in size to a Toyota Fortuner (though note the 300-badged model is a strict 5-seater rather than a 3-row SUV, like the Prospecton-built stalwart).

The standard turbocharged 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine makes 162 kW and 387 Nm, peak outputs that are delivered to all 4 corners via an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard. Meanwhile, the hybrid version is based on a similarly sized 4-pot but churns out total system outputs of 258 kW and 615 Nm. From what we understand, there will be no turbodiesel option in the Tank 300 line-up.

While Haval Motors SA suggested back in May 2023 that the GWM Tank 300 range would be priced “between R685 900 and R851 900”, we suspect these bookends may have shifted somewhat considering the delay. Still, we’ll bring you more details of the local range – including pricing – as soon as they become available. Stay tuned…

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