GWM South Africa has introduced a new 3.0 litre turbodiesel engine across its line-up, fitting it to both the P500 bakkie and the Tank 500 SUV. The P500 becomes the first vehicle in the range to receive the new powertrain, while the Tank 500 gains a diesel alternative to its existing HEV derivative.
Engine:
The 3.0 litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel produces 170kW and 620Nm, paired with GWM's in-house nine-speed automatic transmission. In the P500 it drives through the standard configuration expected of the bakkie, while in the Tank 500 it works alongside a part-time four-wheel-drive system.
A key characteristic of the engine is its low-end response, with 385Nm of torque available from 1 000rpm. A high-pressure common-rail fuel-injection system manages fuel delivery. Both the P500 and Tank 500 versions of the engine have undergone million-kilometre test-bench testing and full-vehicle validation, and each vehicle has a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes.
Commenting on the new engine, Floyd Ramabulana, Head of Marketing at GWM South Africa, says the introduction of the 3.0-litre diesel responds directly to demand for greater performance from the P500 diesel without compromising on the level of comfort that our customers have become accustomed to. “South African bakkie customers expect their vehicles to fulfil several roles, and for many of them diesel remains an important part of that equation."
Interior and exterior:
The P500 pairs the new engine with a 14.6-inch touchscreen running GWM's Coffee OS 3.0, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a head-up display, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its leather seats offer massage, heating, ventilation, power adjustment and memory functions. More than 85% of the body structure uses high-strength steel, and the bakkie carries seven airbags along with Level 2 ADAS features including Intelligent Cruise Control, Adaptive Cruise Control and Autonomous Emergency Braking, plus a 360-degree surround view with a transparent chassis function.
The Tank 500 also runs Coffee OS 3.0, with integrated voice control for navigation, entertainment and vehicle systems. Its driver's seat offers eight-way electric adjustment with heating, ventilation and massage, while the front passenger seat gets four-way adjustment with the same functions.
Safety equipment includes dual front, front side, curtain and front centre airbags, alongside a driver-assistance suite covering adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping systems, forward collision warning and cross-traffic alerts. The Tank 500 3.0 Diesel range carries a standard 78 litre fuel tank, with a 53-litre auxiliary tank optional on the overland derivative.
Pricing:
P500 D-Cab 3.0TD 9AT 4x2 Super Luxury (R724 900)
P500 D-Cab 3.0TD 9AT 4x4 Ultra Luxury (R799 900)
Tank 500 3.0TD 9AT 4x2 Super Luxury (R849 900)
Tank 500 3.0TD 9AT 4x4 Ultra Luxury (R929 900)
Tank 500 3.0TD 9AT 4x4 Overland (R999 900)
Both ranges are backed by a 7 year/200 000km warranty, 7 year unlimited km roadside assistance and a 7 year/75 000km service plan, with service intervals of 15 000km or 12 months.
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