China's GWM wants to take on Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol with Tank 700

GWM is studying the potential for its hardcore SUV sub-brand Tank for the Australian market, and it will be headlined by the full-sized rock-hopping 700 model.

A timeframe for the Tank 700 is currently unclear, but with the Tank 300 expected to be given the go ahead for an early 2022 introduction soon, the flagship SUV could arrive towards the end of next year or early in 2023.

The Tank 700 was unveiled earlier this year at the Shanghai motor show, and with its larger dimensions will set its sights on the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol.

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The Tank 700 was revealed with a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine, outputting 260Nm/500Nm to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

However, GWM is also working on bringing to market an electrified version of the same engine that will take outputs to 386kW/750Nm.

The hybrid would easily blow away the 227kW/700Nm offered in the 3.3-litre diesel V6 of the LC300, as well as the 298kW/560Nm of the 5.6-litre V8-powered Patrol.

However, Tank will have more up its sleeve to lure potential buyers, with the 700 set to undergo rigorous testing and development of a range of off-road accessories designed to appeal to off-road adventurers.

CarsGuide understands that these parts will include things like lift kits, all-terrain tyres and wheels, winches, snorkels and more that should give the Tank 700 as much aftermarket appeal as the LandCruiser and Patrol.

These parts could also come from the relationship GWM has forged with aftermarket modifiers from around the world, with the likes of Shelby building the Ute-based Baja Snake and Brabus tuning a Wey VV7 GT luxury SUV in the past.

Designed with a technology focus, one such accessory under development is an integrated drone that can fly ahead and scout terrain to feed back into the Tank 700’s cabin, though whether this makes it to production is still unclear.

Aside from the Tank 300 and Tank 700, a Tank 800 also exists for China, though it is a more luxury-focused model that looks to take on the BMW X7, Audi Q7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, but it is unclear if it is also on the radar for Australia.