The head of Haval Motors South Africa says the local GWM P-Series bakkie line-up is due to expand in 2023, while also hinting at “something extra” for the segment…

South African bakkie fans can expect the local GWM P-Series range to expand in 2023, according to the head of Haval Motors SA.

Conrad Groenewald, Chief Operations Officer of Haval Motors SA (which also incorporates the GWM brand), made the comments while speaking to Cars.co.za video journalist, Ciro De Siena, during an exclusive interview.

Watch the full interview with Haval Motors SA’s COO here

When asked whether the Chinese firm’s local division would offer more variations of the P-Series in 2023, Groenewald said simply: “Yes, we have to”.

“It depends on what OEM [original equipment manufacturer] you ask and how they segment the market, but the majority of the OEMs will agree that your pick-up segment is the largest segment in South Africa. So any given month, there are about 10 000 units worth of sales,” the former Ford executive explained.

Citing supply constraints, Groenewald admitted the brand was “not where we want to be” with P-Series sales, before adding he expected the bakkie’s sales performance to improve as supply issues eased.

Groenewald believes local P-Series sales will grow as supply constraints ease.

For the record, the P-Series managed a 2022 sales tally of 4 183 units, seeing it finish 8th on the list of South Africa’s best-selling bakkies for the year. Interestingly, the GWM Steed ended up just ahead of its sibling, with 4 522 registrations.

“But we do have a strong product strategy for [2023] to expand on the P-Series offering, plus maybe give you something extra in that segment by the end of the year,” Groenewald revealed.

Though we’re speculating here, that last comment may well refer to the new GWM Shanhai Cannon, a bakkie that is slightly larger than the P-Series and available in China with more powerful engines (including a turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 engine worth 260 kW and 500 Nm). We’ll keep our ears open for more news on that front.

And the P-Series itself? Well, though Groenewald didn’t go into any detail, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a new flagship double-cab derivative hit the local market at some point this year. The high-spec Vanta trim level offered in fellow right-hand-drive market Australia might be a good place to start, boasting in-vogue black finishes on components such as the grille, side-mirror caps, exterior door handles, sports bar and alloy wheels.

As a reminder, the P-Series range currently comprises 16 derivatives, 4 of which feature the single-cab body style with the remaining 12 taking the form of double cabs. Pricing starts at R404950 and runs through to R640950, with every variant employing a 120 kW/400 Nm 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel mill.

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