Electric Has Its Place. Just Not Here.
The world’s going electric. GWM went the other way. The all-new 3.0L Turbo-Diesel brings 170kW and 620Nm to the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 — more torque than any other mainstream diesel ute on sale in New Zealand, and enough grunt to tow 3,500kg without breaking a sweat. No charge time, no range anxiety, no compromise — just a nine-speed auto and a diesel engine built for the jobs that still need real power.
Available now at Nicholson GWM.
Cannon Alpha 3.0L Diesel
Power that doesn’t need permission
The all-new 3.0L Turbo-Diesel is the headline act — 170kW and 620Nm, sent through a nine-speed automatic and GWM’s 4×4 system. That’s more torque than the V6 diesels in Ford Ranger and Everest, and it’s on tap from 1,400rpm all the way through to 2,400rpm, so there’s no waiting around for it to arrive. Six months of local engineering, and over 35,000km of Australian and New Zealand testing, went into making sure it drives like it belongs here — not just on paper.
Built to carry the load, not just talk about it
3,500kg braked towing. 945kg payload. A 3,495kg GVM. These aren’t numbers for the brochure — they’re the reason Cannon Alpha can tow a boat, haul a trailer of gear, and still do the school run without breaking a sweat. Rear diff locks come standard, so when the tar seal runs out, the Cannon Alpha doesn’t stop either.
Everything you’d expect, backed by everything you wouldn’t
Inside, it’s new-generation infotainment, a full suite of driver-assist tech, and a cabin built for long days rather than showroom photos. Outside, Vanta grade adds black exterior styling, 19-inch black alloys and red brake calipers, so it looks the part as well as working it. A 5-star ANCAP rating covers the safety case, and it’s all backed by GWM’s 7-year unlimited-kilometre warranty — real cover for a vehicle that’s actually going to be used.
Only $71,990 +O.R.C
Tank 500 3.0L Diesel
A diesel built to lead, not follow
The same all-new 3.0L Turbo-Diesel that powers Cannon Alpha sits under the Tank 500’s bonnet — 170kW and 620Nm, through a nine-speed automatic and full-time 4×4. GWM’s own figures put it ahead of the Ford Everest V6 (600Nm) and Toyota LandCruiser Prado (500Nm) on torque, making it the highest-torque diesel currently on offer in New Zealand’s seven-seat large SUV class. Peak torque holds from 1,400rpm to 2,400rpm — exactly the range that matters when you’re loaded up and climbing.
Room for the whole crew, capacity for the whole job
Body-on-frame, 5,078mm long, and genuinely three-row — Tank 500 seats seven without asking anyone to compromise. The new diesel lifts braked towing to 3,500kg, a 500kg jump over the outgoing engine, putting it level with the class benchmarks. Eleven terrain modes and true low-range 4×4 mean the school run and the boat ramp are handled by the same vehicle, not two different ones.
Luxury that doesn’t back down off the tar seal
Inside, it’s GWM’s new-generation Coffee infotainment system, a properly finished cabin, and the kind of trim usually reserved for vehicles twice the price. Safety is covered by a full suite of driver-assist tech — AEB, lane keep, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert — and every Tank 500 is backed by GWM’s 7-year unlimited-kilometre warranty plus 5 years of roadside assist.
