GWM X Cannon wanted in Oz

The GWM X Cannon could soon fire a massive 380kW shot into the heart of the booming Australian 4x4 ute market.

Recently unveiled at the Shanghai motor show, the 2021 GWM X Cannon is a full-size pick-up that packs in a turbocharged V6 engine and would stand above the GWM Ute in Australia as a rival for the likes of the popular RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado.

The X Cannon is one of several rugged 4x4 models under consideration by GWM Australia, with off-roaders such as the Tank 300 and Haval Big Dog also the subject of business cases now being developed by the local subsidiary of the Chinese auto giant.

Asked about the prospects of the X Cannon coming to Australia, GWM Australia’s marketing chief Steve Maciver said: “Everything you’ve seen come out of auto shows in the past six to 12 months we’re considering and looking at.

“Some won’t make sense, some will. Would we like to bring a full-size pick-up truck at some point? Yeah, I think there may be a market for it here,” he said.

“Again, we need to work through the business case, see how we can make that happen. But if the numbers stack up, we’d love to have one.”

According to Chinese media reports, the X Cannon is powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 engine worth 260kW and 500Nm.

Power is transferred to all four wheels through a nine-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

However, there’s also a more potent version of the turbo V6 which adds a large electric motor (150kW/425Nm) to create a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain that can bang out up to 380kW and 750Nm.

With that sort of muscle, the X Cannon should be able to tow more than the 3500kg limit imposed on Australia’s most popular utes, such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, and match the RAM 1500’s 4500kg towing capacity.

Maciver said the company was also studying the prospect of a diesel engine for this market – and carsales understands that both conventional and diesel-electric hybrid options are on the table.

“It would make more sense to have it in diesel. I think if we had petrol there would be a certain limit uptake for the car,” he said.

“I think Australia is a prime market for those types of utes, so if we’re able to offer that, I think it’s something we’d seriously look at.”

The X Cannon is based on a rugged ladder-frame chassis that’s par for the course in this segment. There are reports that it employs independent suspension all-round – not load-friendly leaf springs at the rear – but it’s believed that adaptive dampers and long-travel air suspension with fully adjustable ride height are available.

Details of the GWM X Cannon’s all-important payload, exterior dimensions and towing capacity are not yet known.

As Australian buyers continue to wait for a factory-delivered right-hand drive version of the Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan and Ford F-150, this Chinese upstart could potentially beat them to the punch.

There’s still a chance the all-new Toyota Tundra could be offered in right-hook form from the factory, but a decision on that vehicle won’t influence GWM’s decision, says Maciver.

“I don’t think it helps us or hinders us. We run our own race. There are customers out there who are looking for a larger-scale pick-up truck, and if we’re able to offer one to them that’s good value, with good safety, good tech, I think that would be enough,” he said.

“Any product that we can get the dealer network that brings more consumers into the showrooms, including a full-size truck, is a bonus.”

Watch this space.