GWM’s new 3.0 litre turbodiesel engine coming for Tank 500 soon

Great Wall Motors (GWM) has confirmed that the Tank 500 will be next model after the P500 to receive its eagerly awaited new 3.0 litre turbodiesel engine within the coming weeks.

Not six but four

In a single teaser image last week, the Baoding-based brand announced that the big displacement oil-burner had been approved for the P500, though it didn’t announce an official date of launch.

Originally rumoured to be a six-cylinder unit, the 3.0 litre was officially revealed as a four-cylinder in May, with outputs of 170kW/620Nm.

Down 14kW but up 20Nm on the 3.0 litre Lion turbodiesel V6 powering the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok, the unit will be paired to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and develop 35kW/140Nm more than GWM’s own 2.4 litre turbodiesel.

Call it ‘3.0T’

Having announced the new engine for the P500 on its Facebook page, a similar approval was made for the Tank 500, this time with the caption “A new level of power and capability awaits”.

Further teased with the script, “Prepare to Ascend”, the diesel, as with the nomenclature for the 2.4, is expected to be called 3.0T – a badge which outside South Africa, references the 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 petrol that delivers 265kW/500Nm.

While offered with the 2.4T in Thailand since May last year, the 3.0T will not only be a first-time diesel option for the Tank 500 in South Africa, but also Australia, where sales are expected to soon start.

The diesel’s arrival will see it produce less power and torque than the self-charging HEV, whose combination of the 2.0 litre turbo-petrol, electric motor and battery pack outputs 255kW/648Nm.

Price drop expected

Supposed to have debuted locally in 2027, the 3.0T is anticipated to lower the Tank 500’s starting price, which at present, amounts to R1 228 950 for the sole Ultra Luxury variants South Africa has had since its market arrival two years ago.

As such, expect more details of Tank 500 3.0T to soon emerge, along with those of the P500 3.0T.