GWM has confirmed the Tank 800, its biggest, most expensive SUV yet, is coming to Australia in 2027. It will arrive with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid, three rows of seats, and a price tag expected to start north of $100,000. That puts a Chinese brand in the same conversation as the Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Lexus LX, which is new territory for both sides.

What is actually in the Tank 800

The drivetrain is the headline. A 403kW 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine pairs with at least two electric motors and a dedicated hybrid transmission, with a combined system output of 735kW. There is also a 3.0-litre six-cylinder plug-in hybrid in the family, so Australia may end up with a choice. Either way, GWM has gone in the opposite direction to its rivals. The Toyota LandCruiser has dropped its V8 in favour of a 3.3-litre V6 diesel. The Nissan Patrol is about to lose its 5.6-litre V8 for a twin-turbo V6. GWM is putting a V8 back in.

The Tank 800 rides on a larger ladder-frame platform than the existing Tank 700 flagship, with three rows of seats and proper full-size SUV dimensions. Towing capacity, ground clearance and approach angles are still to be confirmed for Australia.

Why this is a different conversation to the Tank 300

A $32,990 GWM Cannon is one thing. A $100,000 GWM Tank 800 is something else. Australian buyers will pay Chinese-brand prices for utes, small SUVs and mid-size EVs, but the luxury full-size off-road segment has been an Anglo-Japanese-European stronghold for thirty years. GWM is asking buyers to pay 100k-plus for a badge that, until 2022, most Australians could not pronounce.

Cartell Assessment

GWM is right that there is a gap. The LandCruiser is a six-cylinder diesel that costs $97,000-plus for the GR Sport. The Patrol is going six-cylinder petrol. Lexus LX is well over $150,000. A brawny V8 plug-in hybrid with seven seats and a sub-LandCruiser price has an audience, in theory. The question is whether Australian luxury 4WD buyers, who tend to be older, more conservative, and motivated by parts availability in the middle of nowhere, will stomach a Chinese badge at this price. The Tank 300 sold to people who wanted a fun weekend toy for under $50,000. The Tank 800 needs to sell to people writing a $100,000 cheque. Different shopper, different reservations.

AU Outlook

GWM Australia has said 2027 for local launch, with a production-spec reveal later this year. Watch for the pricing strop and the petrol-versus-PHEV variant split. If GWM lands the V8 PHEV under $110,000, it sets up a properly awkward conversation in Toyota and Nissan showrooms. If it lands at $130,000, it joins the long list of Chinese flagships nobody buys.