The GWM Tank 300 is set to receive a fairly substantial facelift, with the first photos having just been released ahead of its full launch on July 6. While the styling itself has pretty much been left well alone, it hides underpinnings that have very clearly been reworked, even if we still don’t know much about it.
Obvious from the side view is the front axle being pushed all the way to the front, with the front overhang being shortened as a result. According to a Chinese ministry of industry and information technology, the new Tank 300 measures 4,886 mm long, 1,984 mm wide and 1,927 mm tall, making it 126 mm longer, 54 mm wider and 24 mm taller than the outgoing model. But it’s the wheelbase that has grown significantly – at 3,010 mm, it’s a whole 260 mm longer.
The “long wheelbase” Tank 300 was first shown at Auto Shanghai last year on the extra-rugged Hooke variant (named after the off-road Hooke Trail in its home country), and just like on that car, the added dash-to-axle ratio is disguised by vertical fender vents ahead of the front doors. It also brings the car closer to its inspiration, the Jeep Wrangler.
The American 4×4 was designed to fit Hemi V8s, and interestingly, the Hooke was displayed next to a prototype 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8, featuring a Mercedes-AMG-style “hot-vee” layout. We could perhaps see a high-performance model in the long run, in the vein of the Ford Bronco Raptor or the Wrangler Rubicon 392.
For now, however, the Tank 300 will reportedly keep the same engines, including a 2.0 litre turbo petrol four-cylinder and a 3.0 litre turbo V6 – both mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Power has been boosted to 238 PS (up from 220 PS) for the four-pot, with the six-pot remaining at 360 PS, according to Autohome.
While the diesel and hybrid models have yet to be carried over, the Hi4-T plug-in hybrid is set to make a reappearance, pairing a 245 PS 2.0 litre turbo mill with a 163 PS/400 Nm electric motor for a total system output of 408 PS and 750 Nm of torque. Unlike other Chinese PHEVs, this car still uses a nine-speed auto and a part-time four-wheel drive system, so it retains the use of a rear differential lock (front optional). With a 37.1 kWh NMC battery, the car delivers a pure EV range of 115 km on the NEDC cycle (955 km combined).
The facelifted model will also mark the debut of a more road-biased Hi4-Z system, already seen on the Tank 400, 500 and 700. This keeps the 2.0 litre engine but swaps the mechanical 4WD with dual electric motors and a three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT). In other applications, the powertrain makes a ridiculous 863 PS and 1,135 Nm, and while outputs for the Tank 300 version has yet to be confirmed, the car will deliver a CLTC EV range of 200 km thanks to a much larger 59.6 kWh battery.
Beyond the mechanicals, the Tank 300 gains a new grille with the “Tank” script spelt out in block letters, rather than the rectangular T badge used previously. There’s also a beefier front bumper from the Hooke, sporting outboard driving lamps and built-in tow hooks. It appears that only certain models will get the extended wheelbase, however, as one image shows the car with the old body and front bumper.
Inside, the Tank 300 maintains the tweaks that were added last year, including a larger 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen running GWM’s latest Coffee OS, physical air-con controls, rectangular centre air vents, a steering column-mounted gear selector and a new centre console with increased storage. However, the steering wheel ditches the oddly cutesy two-spoke design from before, moving back to a three-spoke unit.
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