Billed at its most capable and luxurious SUV to date, Great Wall Motors (GWM) has finally confirmed price and specification details of its seven-seat, hybrid-only Tank 500. Price and dimensions The second model of the Tank brand to be sold in South Africa after the retro-styled Tank 300, the 500 officially becomes the most expensive vehicle made in China to be sold locally with a sticker of R1 222 900. Offered as an all-inclusive single model, the body-on-frame Tank 500 rides on the same platform as the Shanhai Cannon bakkie, badged locally as the P500, with dimensions of 5 078 mm in overall length, a height of 1 905 mm, width of 1 934 mm and wheelbase of 2 850 mm.
ALSO READ: WATCH: What to expect from GWM’s incoming Tank 500 SUV A smidgen longer but narrower and lower than a Toyota Land Cruiser 300, the Tank 500 not only sports a ground clearance of 224 mm, but front and rear locking differentials, a transparent chassis view camera and an electronic four-wheel-drive system to go with the low range transfer case. In a further nod to the Tank 300 , the 360-degree Tank Turn comes as standard, along with a Crawl function, launch control and GWM’s own Multi-Terrain System or MTS with nine modes; Eco, Standard, Auto, Sport, Mud, Sand, Snow, Rock and Expert. Although fitted with 20-inch alloy wheels from the start, air suspension comes standard, with the claimed approach and departure angles rated at 30° and 24° respectively.
The claimed towing mass is 2 500 kg. Seven seats and loaded Offering between 98-litres and 795-litres of boot space in seven and five-seat configurations, which tops-out at 1 459-litres with the middle row folded flat, the trim grade lacking Tank 500, in effect, uses the Australian-market Ultra as a base, denoting it as the flagship variant. Besides the off-road hardware, alloy wheels and MTS, the list of standard features is extensive and similar to the P500 Ultra Luxury.
Included are the following; automatically retractable side-steps; Auto High Beam Assist LED headlights; electric tailgate; triple-zone climate control; 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster; panoramic sunroof; 14.6-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; 12-speaker Infinity sound system; electrically folding third-row; folding electric mirrors with heating, memory and demisting functions; heated, ventilated and electric front seats with massaging function; active ambient lighting; heated steering wheel; retro-styled central clock; ventilated second-row; PM2.
5 filtration system; Active Noise Cancellation; Nappa leather upholstery; Head-Up Display; wireless smartphone charger; LED fog lamps with cornering function; tyre pressure monitor; Driver Attention Alert; Roll Movement Intervention; Adaptive Cruise Control; 360-degree surround-view camera system; Uphill and Downhill Assist; Automatic Park Assist; Automatic Emergency Braking; Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Automatic Braking; Traffic Sign Recognition; Front and Rear Collision Warning Alert; Lane Keep Assist; Lane Departure Warning; Traffic Jam Assist; Lane Centring Assist; Intersection Assist Nothing but hybrid power As mentioned, sole motivation comes via GWM’s HEV or hybrid electric vehicle drivetrain that pairs the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the Tank 300 and P500 with an electric motor and battery pack developing 78kW/268Nm. Combined with the petrol’s 180kW/380Nm, the final output stands at 255kW/648Nm, which GWM claims will see the 2 605 kg Tank 500 get from 0-100 km/h in 8.
3 seconds. Sending the amount of twist to all four corners is a hybrid specific version of the in-house developed nine-speed automatic gearbox known under the DHT or Dedicated Hybrid Transmission banner. The claimed fuel consumption is 8.
3 L/100 km. Colours and warranty In total, four colours are available; Princess White, Knight Black, Majesty Silver and the unique Crown Gold. As with the P500 HEV , the Tank 500 HEV’s sticker price includes a seven-year/200 000 km warranty, a five-year/75 000 km service plan and a eight-year/150 000 km battery warranty.
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