The GWM Wey 80 MPV has been sighted yet again, but unlike last week, where it was spotted undisguised, the luxury people mover now wears a wrap in a bid to mask its identity in the latest set of spy shots. Interestingly, the new photo set reveals that right-hand drive is now present, and it also shows changes we can expect to see in the seven-seater MPV when it makes its debut here later this year, likely sometime in the third quarter.
Unlike the unit previewed at the 2024 Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) last December, the interior of the sighted Wey contains minor differences in its cabin that suggest that Malaysia will be getting the updated version of the MPV, which debuted in April at Auto Shanghai 2025, which would make us the first country outside of China to get the update as well as RHD.
As evidenced by the shots of the interior, the spied mule has the new two-spoke steering wheel and the different 12.3-inch instrument/15.6-inch infotainment screen layout as seen on the Wey Gaoshan 9 in Shanghai, although the Malaysian trial unit bears only a single central display instead of the dual screen configuration shown in China.
Additionally, while we are still getting the seven-seat version, the centre row zero-gravity captain chairs have been redesigned, and now have physical seat adjustment controls located on the forward edge of the inner armrests on both units.
Despite our earlier guess that the long-wheelbase form would be the one coming, word is that the local car will remain a standard wheelbase version. The pre-update example shown at KLIMS measured 5,045 mm long, 1,960 mm wide and 1,900 mm tall with a 3,085 mm wheelbase.
It’s not known if there are any powertrain-related revisions, but the Hi-4 plug-in hybrid system on the Wey 80 at KLIMS consisted of a 154 hp (156 PS) 1.5 litre turbocharged petrol mill paired with two electric motors, a 174 hp (177 PS, or 130 kW) unit at the front and an 181 hp (183 PS, or 135 kW) unit at the rear to offer a combined system output of 480 hp (487 PS or 358 kW) and 762 Nm. On that one, a 37.96 kWh ternary lithium battery provides the vehicle with up to 140 km (CLTC) of electric-only travel.
Last December, EP Manufacturing (EPMB) revealed that the Wey 80 will be locally assembled (CKD) at the Hicom Pegoh Industrial Park in Melaka from the end of this year. It was also highlighted that the MPV will be “catered to the ASEAN market,” implying that it will be sold in neigbouring markets.