GWM bets on new diesel to become a top-five brand in Australia

GWM Australia says adding a new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel to its lineup is no backward step, arguing the engine will help it reach its goal of becoming a top-five brand by 2027.

The new diesel is being introduced in the Tank 500 off-road SUV and Cannon Alpha ute as electric vehicles (EVs) reach record market share in Australia.

More than 27,000 EVs were sold in August 2026 , exceeding sales of petrol-powered vehicles (25,824) and diesels (23,608) for the first time. A year earlier, EV sales totalled 10,033, compared with 38,315 petrol vehicles and 30,459 diesels.

Hybrid sales rose from 17,381 in August 2025 to 18,662 in August 2026, while plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales climbed from 3906 to 10,591.

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Against that backdrop, introducing a new diesel might appear to go against the grain.

GWM’s engine, which features Bosch common-rail fuel injection, produces 170kW and 620Nm, with peak torque available from 1400rpm to 2400rpm. But the new engine isn't mated with a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system, despite electrified utes becoming increasingly common in Australia – including Hi4-T PHEV versions of the Cannon and Cannon Alpha.

“I don't know if it's a bit late. I think for us, because we are trying to find a spot for each one of our products to drive towards our volume ambition,” GWM Australia and New Zealand chief operating officer John Kett told CarExpert.

“We know, certainly from a ute perspective, that the market is shifting towards plug-in hybrid … but when we think about diesel, it’s still 70, 75 per cent of the market.

“So in the Tank segment, where we just launched the 3.0-litre diesel for Tank 500, the body-on-frame segment is also still 70 to 75 per cent diesel. It's shrinking, but that's some critical mass that we don't get much of a share of.

“The same in the ute space; it’s still 70 to 75 per cent diesel, and as it's shrinking, we feel like it'll bring greater visibility or amplification of the incredible product offering we have with Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel.

“So we’re going to keep positioning ourselves that way. And I have absolutely no doubt that even if we sold 200 or 300 a month, and the opportunity is better from a Cannon Alpha 3.0-litre diesel, we’re going to grow volume.”

Mr Kett said the diesel, alongside the Cannon PHEV dual-cab ute, would help GWM reach its top-five goal, with a long-term aim of being in the top three.

GWM ranked seventh in August 2026 and also sits seventh year-to-date, with 39,747 sales, up 15.6 per cent.