GWM debuts Australian-developed diesel powertrain
31st August 2026
Chinese vehicle manufacturer, GWM has chosen Australia as the first market in the world to launch its all-new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, with the powertrain undergoing months of local engineering and validation before making its debut in September.
The new diesel will be introduced in the upgraded Tank 500 SUV and Cannon Alpha ute, with expressions of interest now open ahead of the official launch. GWM says the decision to debut the engine in Australia reflects the local market’s growing influence on the company’s global product development strategy.
Developed specifically with Australian driving conditions in mind, the new powertrain delivers 170kW of power and 620Nm of torque. That represents a substantial increase of 35kW and 140Nm over the current 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine it replaces.
The engine is paired with GWM’s in-house developed nine-speed automatic transmission and has been designed to improve towing performance, long-distance touring capability and off-road driving.
Both the Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha will retain a 3,500kg braked towing capacity while offering claimed combined fuel consumption figures of 7.1L/100km for the Tank 500 and 7.3L/100km for the Cannon Alpha. GWM says the new engine also matches the largest-capacity four-cylinder turbo-diesel currently available in Australia while delivering class-leading torque output.
A key part of the development program has been extensive local testing led by GWM Australia’s product engineering and vehicle dynamics team.
Product Engineering and Vehicle Dynamics Manager Rob Trubiani oversaw more than six months of validation across Australia’s diverse road and environmental conditions, with testing focused on durability, drivability, towing capability, powertrain calibration and overall refinement.
The work was designed to ensure the engine meets the expectations of Australian buyers, who have consistently shown strong demand for larger-capacity diesel engines in SUVs and dual-cab utes.
GWM says customer feedback from Australia has played an important role in shaping its future vehicle planning and engineering decisions, helping drive the expansion of its local powertrain range.
The new diesel joins GWM’s growing portfolio of petrol, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and diesel powertrains and forms part of the company’s broader product offensive, which will see nine new models introduced to the Australian market by the end of 2026.
With expressions of interest now open, GWM will release pricing, specifications and launch timing for the new Tank 500 and Cannon Alpha closer to their Australian arrival in September.