Nine new models by 2026.
It is a bold claim.
GWM Australia says it wants to be in the top five brands here by the end of 2017.
Wait. 2027.
Still. A heavy target for a Chinese manufacturer, even one that arrived locally back in 2009. The oldest among its peers, yet Andrew Gao insists the journey has barely started.
“We’re only at the beginning.”
They are leaning on access to the global portfolio. Every platform, every motor, available for the Southern Hemisphere market. Gao calls Australia one of the top three strategic zones outside China. The money is flowing.
First up. The Ora 5.
It kills the old hatchback that started in 2023.
But keeps the price tag.
$33,990 drives away. For a small electric SUV? That is hard to beat. It comes in three flavors: a standard SUV, a lower ‘Hatch’ with smaller batteries, and a stretched Touring variant that looks like a wagon but drives like a mid-size SUV with a bigger 71kWh battery.
Then there is the Haval Jolion Max.
It arrives late 2026.
Fills the gap between the regular Jolion and the H6.
Both electric and plug-in hybrid options will be there. No specs yet, but it exists. It matters.
Off-road buyers get love too. The Cannon Hi4-T.
Smaller than the Alpha. Hits shelves in September.
It will fight the BYD Shark and the Ford Ranger Hybrid directly. Same basic formula: a 2-liter turbo petrol engine, a decent battery, and enough electric range to actually matter around town.
But the diesel enthusiasts? Do not worry.
GWM is not abandoning combustion.
Not quite.
The Cannon Alpha gets a new 3.0-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder. No electrons. Just iron and torque.
It pairs with a new XSR trim, promised to be tougher, dirtier, more capable. The brand says this engine fixes previous fuel economy issues while keeping towing strength high. 620Nm of twist.
“Providing greater towing confidence.”
Then comes the replacement for the current H7.
Called the Haval H7.
Boxy.
Upright.
Petrol-hybrid and PHEV choices. Some get front and rear diff locks.
It arrives to replace a model introduced mid-2025. Fast turnover, but necessary to stay sharp.
The biggest shake-up though?
A new brand.
Wey.
GWM’s fifth nameplate locally.
It slots in above the others, targeting premium buyers who want comfort over grit. Large SUVs, MPVs. The full-size V9X might show up eventually. It signals a shift toward higher margins, better materials.
Is this enough to shift perceptions?
Maybe.
Plans extend beyond 2026 as well.
A new V8 engine by 2027. Diesel hybrids. Local tuning by Rob Trubiani continues.
John Kett, the COO, puts it simply.
“We’re not building a strategy around the businesses we have today.”
“No single technology wins every customer.”
The choice is the product. Petrol, diesel, hybrid, electric. Pick one. Pick two.
They believe the variety wins.
The market might not.
But nine new cars in eighteen months?
Someone has to buy them.
