Great Wall Motor, best known in Singapore for being the parent company of ORA (which sells the Good Cat), has officially launched its latest flagship in China, the Tank 700 Hi4-T.
Designated as a luxury off-roader, GWM is calling this China’s own take on Mercedes-Benz’s legendary G-Class. The model celebrated its debut in the domestic market on 26 February 2024, with a grand event at the National Tennis Centre in Beijing seeing nearly 1,000 guests in attendance.
Torque understands that there are no plans for the car to be sold in Singapore, although right-hand drive models will be built in the future.
WHAT IS A TANK 700?
As a quick primer of its name, the car’s “700” designation refers to the car’s positioning on two fronts.
Firstly, at 5030mm wide, and more than 2000m wide, this is the largest SUV to be released by TANK yet, and follows the brand’s prior releases: The 300, 400 and 500. Secondly, 700 also refers to its status as the brand’s flagship.
“Hi4-T”, on the other hand, indicates the car’s powertrain. The term refers to ‘Hybrid intelligent 4-wheel-drive’, and interestingly, you’ll notice this badge on many hybrid models sold by some of GWM’s other sub-brands (such as HAVAL and WEY).
The “T” suffix stands for “TANK” and refers to the plug-in hybrid system specifically reserved for the firm’s cars.
Utilising GWM’s P2 architecture, the Tank 700 Hi4-T is powered by a combination of an electric motor and a twin-turbocharged 3-litre V6 engine, developed in-house by GWM.
PERFORMANCE FIGURES
System output stands at an incredible 516bhp and 800Nm of torque, allowing the car to complete the century sprint in just 5.6 seconds. On Limited Edition variants, the powertrain tweak sees peak torque pushed even higher to 850Nm.
Another highlight of the car’s powertrain is its 9-speed automatic hydraulic transmission. Apparently designed with both efficiency and robustness in mind, its longitudinal mounting in the car’s chassis makes it the first of its kind to be built by a Chinese carmaker.
In all, the various elements of the car’s powertrain are said to enhance its off-roading ability. For instance, the fact that it is a plug-in hybrid rather than full battery-electric vehicle targets the range anxiety that some adventure-seeking drivers may have.
Additionally, the 700 Hi4-T retains mechanical four-wheel-drive and three locks, and comes with 12 driving and all-terrain modes for a wide multitude of scenarios.
Other elements of the car’s design also speak to its all-terrain ability. The car’s ground clearance and design give it a wading depth of 900mm by default, but with the help of air springs, can be raised even further to 970mm.
Additionally, approach and departure angles for the car stand at 37.8 degrees and 37.6 degrees respectively. GWM says the Tank 700 Hi4-T received extensive in both desert-like and wintery scenarios, too, to ensure its durability through a wide temperature range.
ON-BOARD REFINEMENTS
As for the “luxury” half of the car’s DNA, the car comes with a sumptuous cabin to boot.
Ambient lighting and soft-touch materials aside, buyers can expect massage seats (both in the front and rear) covered in high-quality Nappa leather. Those in the front have even been dubbed “Light Cloud” seats to indicate their softness.
The 700 Hi4-T’s cabin also gets a 16-speaker Harman Kardon 3D surround system and active noise cancellation technology. Speaking of this, the car should be very quiet on the inside at speed despite its boxy shape. GWM says over 25 critical segments were optimised to ensure that wind noise is combated effectively.
Those who step up to the Limited Edition – of which a strict maximum of 700 units will be produced annually – can even enjoy a star-studded headliner with 1200 “stars”, meant to simulate the sky over New Zealand’s Lake Tekapo.
Finally, on the note of lights, the 700 Hi4-T features a headlight mechanism with a rotating motion, similar to the opening and closing of a camera shutter.
Named the “Bromo Volcano Eye” by GWM, 32 patents were apparently applied for this technology. Multiple rounds of technical optimization, and high- and low-temperature endurance tests also preceded the final iteration on the car.
While the 700 Hi4-T may seem like a bit too much car for Singapore, we feel the smaller 300 might have a market here. Apart from China, the car is also manufactured in Thailand, and has already been rolled out in markets close to ours, like Australia.
In response to queries from Torque, a representative from GWM said that there are currently no plans to introduce the 300 to our shores, but added, “We are seriously evaluating the potential of bringing more models beside the Ora Good Cat to Singapore.”
