Its product plans for 2026, selectively detailed in March, saw Great Wall Motors (GWM) South Africa provide more information on incoming models at the Beijing Motor Show last week.

The Citizen reports that, aside from the relaunch of the Ora brand, the Baoding-based marque will also debut its new 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine in the P-Series bakkie and Tank 500 SUV.

Haval

On the Haval side, three products will be introduced, although one, a seven-seater, will only go on sale in 2027.

Of the other two models, the only confirmed arrival for now is the H7 Plus, known as the Menglong Plus in China.

Unrelated to the South African-market H7, which carries the Big Dog moniker in China, the H7 Plus is based on the updated Haval Raptor, called Raptor V7, that has been available in the People’s Republic since March.

Arriving before year-end, according to a report from Car Magazine, the Chinese-spec H7 Plus can be had with five or seven seats and a standard plug-in hybrid powertrain.

According to carnewschina.com, dimensions are:

• Length: 4 912mm
• Wheelbase: 2 850mm
• Height: 1 905mm
• Width: 1 950mm

Power comes from GWM’s 1.5 T-GDI engine paired either to a 23.7kWh, 33.7kWh or 44.7kWh battery pack.

Single and dual electric motor options are offered, with a maximum reported EV-only range of 255km based on China’s CLTC cycle.

As it stands, GWM South Africa is yet to confirm local market specification.

Wey

In an unexpected move, the long-rumoured upscale Wey brand will finally debut via a single model called V9X.

Using the moniker Nissan famously applied to its 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 engine that powered previous generations Navara and Pathfinder, the V9X premiered in March as one of the first GWM models to ride on a new electrified platform simply called One.

A six-seater with a 2-2-2 configuration, the V9X’s dimensions, according to carnewschina.com, are:

• Length: 5 299mm
• Wheelbase: 3 150mm
• Height: 1 825mm
• Width: 2 025mm

A key aspect is the powertrain, which pairs a 2.0 T-GDI engine with dual electric motors, powered by three battery pack options; 55.4kWh, 66.6kWh and 80kWh.

In the first two configurations, the front-mounted electric motor develops 100kW, while the rear produces 220kW and 240kW respectively.

For the flagship, a 110kW electric motor features at the front and a 270kW unit at the rear.

Combined, the V9X produces either 500kW, 510kW or 550kW, with respective all-electric ranges of 310km, 402km and 470km based on the CLTC cycle.

Regardless of the powertrain, drive goes to all four wheels through a four-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission.

Features include LiDAR, massaging seats, a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, two 17.3-inch infotainment displays, a 21.4-inch rear entertainment screen, adaptive air suspension, rear-wheel steering and a 31-speaker sound system.

Set to be launched with hybrid and full electric powertrains in China later this year, the V9X’s local market arrival is still to be approved.

Tank

With the expansion of the Tank brand, including the mentioned turbodiesel 500 and the plug-in hybrid Hi-4T 300, the biggest potential addition is the Tank 700.

Long rumoured for South Africa, the Car Magazine report names the Tank 700 as being under consideration once right-hand drive production is secured.

Styled to resemble the Mercedes-Benz G-Class from the side and rear, the Tank 700 has the following dimensions:

• Length: 5 090mm
• Wheelbase: 3 000 mm
• Height: 1 952mm
• Width: 2 061mm

Reportedly offering 249mm of ground clearance, the Tank 700 uses two versions of GWM’s 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine.

In standard form, the engine delivers 265kW and 560Nm, while in the plug-in hybrid it is paired with a 37.1kWh battery pack and a single electric motor for a combined 385kW and 850Nm.

The Tank 700 will also be one of the first models to use the incoming twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 hybrid engine, although details remain limited.

At present, full specifications and launch timing for all models are expected to be announced in due course.

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