What you’re looking at here is the Great Wall Motor (GWM) Tank 500, which is making its debut at the 2023 Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS). A product sold under GWM’s Tank sub-brand, the Tank 500 is a luxury SUV that rivals the Toyota Land Cruiser and is currently available for pre-order in Thailand before deliveries are estimated to begin from July this year. According to the local GWM website, the Tank 500 will come in two versions, including the Ultra and Pro. The latter is the car pictured, which can be identified by its more imposing front grille that features significantly more chrome surfacing.
Unsurprisingly, this is a big vehicle, and
with the spare wheel factored in, it measures 5,070 mm long. As for other
dimensions, the Tank 500 is 1,934 mm wide, 1,905 mm tall and has a wheelbase
that spans 2,850 mm. Despite its size and weight (about 2.5 tonnes), the Tank
500 is powered by hybrid system featuring a 2.0 litre turbocharged
four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor that serves up a total system
output of 350 PS and 616 Nm of torque. The setup also includes a nine-speed HAT
(Hydraulic Automatic Transmission) as well as a selectable four-wheel drive
system.
The Tank 500 offers 11 driving modes as
well as front and rear electric differential locks, with the latter being
useful when driving on difficult terrain. Also useful when off-road is a tank
turn function that uses braking force to reduce the vehicle’s turning radius,
an off-road cruise control system, wading depth detection and something called
the Body Transparent System. This uses cameras to superimpose the road image
under and in front of the vehicle for improved visibility. In terms of
available features, the Tank 500 can be equipped with automatic LED headlamps,
LED daytime running lights, LED fog lamps, LED taillights, a reverse camera,
power retractable side steps, 20-inch alloy wheels and a 12.3-inch digital
instrument cluster display,
The kit list also includes a 14.6-inch
touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support,
powered steering wheel adjustment and paddle shifters, a 12-speaker sound system,
Nappa leather upholstery, powered front seats with driver’s side memory
function, second-row sunshades as well as third-row powered backrests.
Autonomous emergency braking is standard for both variants, but only the Pro
comes with adaptive cruise control.
