China’s GWM sensationally unveiled a new twin-turbo V8 petrol engine at the Shanghai Motor Show last year, and the brand’s local operations manager is still keen to find a place for the big-block unit Down Under.
Speaking to the media, GWM Australia chief operating officer John Kett said the company would “love” to make the V8 a reality in Australia, although figuring out where it fits is a challenge given pressure from the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).
“We would like to convert the V8 we talked about last year into something. We definitely have visibility for the (ICE-only) V8, I’m not sure we can pay the NVES fine but we also want to think about it and how it would work,” Mr Kett said.
“We have nothing left on our plug-in hybrid V8, but it is still there (on the radar), and we get a chance at this (Beijing Motor Show) to go back to Baoding and see where we are in that regard.”
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Asked whether such a powertrain would force the company to produce strictly limited numbers or even introduce a tuning system like some automakers practice in highly regulated markets, Mr. Kett replied: “We would like to be a little broader.”
“I think for our entire portfolio we will be sitting on the sidelines of the NVES (penalties)… So maybe (the V8 customer) will have to pay the tax associated with that.
“It makes sense from a business perspective, but I’m not sure they would like it from a PR or business perspective.”
Steve Maciver, marketing and communications director at GWM, echoed Mr Kett’s comments, adding: “If we can build a business case and there is demand there, we will sell as many as we can.”
The availability of a turbocharged V8 petrol engine would give GWM a big lead in the reachable market segment, as eight-cylinder engines are generally reserved for boutique and luxury brands these days, apart from a few models such as the Ford Mustang and the previous Nissan Patrol.
GWM unveiled the new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 at the Shanghai Motor Show last April, hinting at its debut under the bonnet of the flagship Tank 700 4WD SUV, which has yet to be confirmed for the Australian market.
Speaking to media at the Shanghai show, James Yang, vice president of GWM International, said the new V8 is being considered for a variety of models to be sold in China and export markets, including Australia. Mr Yang said GWM’s new V8 can be applied to a range of Tank models, including the Tank 300 and Tank 500 all-wheel drive SUVs.
Through his interpreter, Mr Yang said the new V8 will be integrated into a plug-in hybrid powertrain, allowing the vehicle to run primarily on electric power and only use the internal combustion engine in high-load situations such as hard acceleration and towing.
“The V8 will be available in a plug-in system and when driven in the city it will run primarily in electric mode,” he said. “If we are considering towing heavy caravans weighing over 3.5 tonnes, the V8 would really help balance the whole plug-in situation.
“Overall, for city driving it still works in EV mode for the most part, and only for heavy work like towing a huge delivery truck does it work in a hybrid situation.”
Such a powertrain – regardless of whether it is supported by a PHEV system or not – could be a huge opportunity for GWM to build a unique selling proposition (USP) in the all-wheel drive sector.
The Toyota LandCruiser and LandCruiser 70 Series models have both lost their V8 engines, while the Y62 Nissan Patrol is currently being phased out ahead of the arrival of a new twin-turbo V6 replacement later this year.
Jeep does not offer the V8-powered Wrangler 392 in right-hand drive, and therefore not in Australia, and a V8-powered Grand Cherokee has not been seen in local showrooms for several years.
A Tank 300 V8 would have virtually no competition locally in its segment and could even serve as a budget alternative to something like a Mercedes-AMG G63 or a Land Rover Defender V8 should it cost under $100,000.
Mr Kett’s comments on the NVES print could mean the Chinese brand will opt for the PHEV version of the “4.0T V8” powertrain should it eventually come to Australia, slotting in nicely as the flagship powertrain for its tank sub-brand.
Should GWM bring its 4.0T V8 to Australia? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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