Gac M8 2026 News

The extremely rapid pace of development maintained by Chinese car brands is impressive and largely comes down to the immense resources afforded to the industry.However, it’s not all money, the tech sector and people-power. Australia has had a significant hand in many of the nimble adaptations made since China’s car brands began looking past its borders for customers.To varying degrees, Australia has been somewhat of a testing ground for new Chinese cars as engineers and designers find the strengths and weaknesses of their work.This is not to say the Chinese car industry is in its infancy, but until recently there was no need for brands to tailor cars to suit global tastes.New car engineers from brands outside China have generally noted the preference, for example, for soft, wafty suspension and driver assistance systems.“We recognise that the Chinese tuning approach is very different from what we need to have here in Europe. So every market has a different taste,” Mazda Europe's Senior Manager of Product Development and Engineering Alexander Fritsche told media last year when explaining the work that went into developing the Mazda 6e electric car as a global model.Based on the Deepal L07, the Mazda 6e underwent major suspension changes and driver assist adjustments to suit Europe, and by extension Australia.“Particularly interesting… is that the Chinese market seems to like very mild, soft ride comfort,” Fritsche said.Preferences between Australia and Europe are more similar than between Australia and China, but the changes Mazda Europe made to the 6e aren’t the only example of this. Chinese brands have adjusted their approach to global models very quickly in the last few years, with the feedback from Australian customers, media, and even the brands’ own importers or Australian subsidiaries helping deliver cars that aren’t just built for domestic tastes.Stellantis Australia Senior Product Manager Rick Crichton spoke to media at the local launch of the Leapmotor B10 in early 2026 and said Leapmotor’s headquarters was not only receptive to Australian feedback, but regularly sought it.“They are constantly asking for our feedback,” Crichton said.“Us being the closest to the ground, I've got a pretty good handle on the Australian automotive landscape, so they are always curious for my feedback. “They want my input, and we put requests into them and they're super responsive because they are geared for success. “Even in some of the requests I've made for simple feature changes via OTA, they're coming through in, you know, lightning quick.”It’s not just brands new to the market like Leapmotor or Deepal that are quickly learning what Australian drivers and car buyers prefer.GWM has been in Australia for approaching two decades, having launched in 2009 as Great Wall.Although only the last decade of that has been factory-backed from headquarters in China, the brand’s long-running presence in Australia compared to its compatriots last year saw GWM take the step of employing one of Australia’s best-known ride and handling engineers, former Holden vehicle dynamics lead engineer Rob Trubiani.“GWM has been actively listening to local customer feedback for several years now with much of this feedback already making its way into the final tuning of new models making their way to the Australian and New Zealand markets,” GWM said in a statement announcing Trubiani’s recruitment in March 2025. “In hiring Mr Trubiani, GWM’s objective is to strengthen local engineering efforts with a view to further improving vehicle dynamics and, ultimately, customer experience across the region.”While the long-term effects of Trubiani’s presence at GWM are yet to be seen, new entry to the market, GAC, has already locally tested its three models from launch having worked with Toyota in China for decades.“We have learned a lot from them, and we believe that the customer will have a different experience by driving GAC,” Deputy General Manager of GAC Australia Cheney Liang told CarsGuide in November 2025.The Aion V mid-size electric SUV, the M8 plug-in hybrid people mover and the Emzoom compact SUV were the first three confirmed cars from the brand to land in Australia. “When we picked the models, we came to Australia. We have already done the Australian test,” Liang confirmed.Different approaches, different results, but the common theme that Australia is often the first external market for Chinese brands to learn in is clear.Who knows what the market will look like in a few more years, but it’s likely the increasing quality of Chinese cars won’t slow down.

A new budget SUV has hit the Aussie new car market. The GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Group) Emzoom steps into the competitive compact SUV battleground as a five-seater, starting from $25,590, before on-road costs.It's powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine sending 125kW and 270Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.It has a combined cycle fuel efficiency figure of 5.4L/100km, along with 47-litre fuel tank capacity. The car gets some neat features as standard including a panoramic sunroof and powered liftgate.Other interior features include a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen and 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, while also offering 50-watt wireless device charging. There is plenty of other useful tech on board, with a 360-degree camera view, automatic parking functionality and lane keep assist. It will have to take on several big hitters in pursuit of sales but comes in significantly cheaper than the likes of the Toyota Corolla Cross, which starts from $37,440, before on-road costs. It is also cheaper than the strong-selling Hyundai Kona and is similarly priced to the MG ZS. That pair combined for nearly 30 per cent of local small SUV sales in October. The Emzoom is one of three GAC models in the brand's Aussie launch. The Aion V joins as an all-electric mid-size SUV, starting from $42,590, before on-road costs. Its single electric motor pumps out 150kW and 210Nm to the front wheels, while its 75.26kWh battery delivers a WLTP range of 510km. DC fast charging from 10-80 per cent takes 24 minutes, while AC charging time from 0-100 per cent takes over eight hours. The Aion V will need to hunt down Geely’s EX5 that's had a bumper first year in Australia, achieving more than 3000 sales so far in 2025. GAC’s third offering is the premium M8 plug-in hybrid people mover, which is a seven-seater starting from $76,590, before on-road costs. GAC claims the combined range of this people mover, in a space traditionally dominated by internal combustion engines, is more than 1000km.This impressive range is in part due to its 25.57kWh battery that can charge from 0-80 per cent in half an hour. Its set-up includes a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors, which produce 274kW/630Nm.The M8 will have to take on the imposing force of the Kia Carnival in the people mover segment, that accounted for nearly 86 per cent of sales in October 2025. 

New arrival brand GAC, or Guangzhou Automobile Group, has set a very lofty sales goal for its first couple of years in Australia.

Another Chinese carmaker has confirmed its arrival in Australia.GAC — or Guangzhou Automobile Company — has long made no secret of its plans to launch in Australia, but now we know its first vehicles will go on sale in just a matter of weeks.Deputy General Manager of GAC Australia Cheney Liang said, “Launching GAC in Australia is an exceptional milestone for our brand.""I have no doubt that Australian customers will welcome our range of high-quality, innovative models with keen interest, and become accustomed to the elevated ownership experience we are set to offer.”The newcomer will launch in Australia with a three strong line-up, with petrol, plug-in hybrid and electric power on the menu.First up is the Aion V mid-size electric SUV, which is pitched at the Geely EX5, Tesla Model Y and Kia EV5.Then it is the big M8 plug-in hybrid people mover to target the Kia Carnival. Finally there is the Emzoom petrol-powered small SUV, which is aimed at the MG ZS, Chery Tiggo 4 and Haval Jolion.GAC Australia hasn’t revealed any details of the vehicles, but why have previously appeared in government homologation documents.We know the Aion V will be fitted with a single electric motor making 150kW and 240Nm.A circa-75kWh battery delivers a claimed driving range of 602km, via the more generous NEDC test cycle.The bulky M8 people mover uses a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric motor to produce a combined 274kW and 630Nm..This is paired with a 25.5kWh battery that allows for up to 120km of electric only driving, again calculated via the NEDC testing regime.It has a total claimed combined range of 1032km thanks to a 56L fuel tank. It has a DC charging capability of 40kW, allowing for a 30-80 per cent charge in half an hour.GAC’s Emzoom compact SUV uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine to make 125kW, which is paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.GAC is no minnow, having sold more than two million vehicles globally in 2024.It also has several key partnerships, including with Toyota. This partnership has delivered several Toyota electric vehicles in China using GAC’s technology.One vehicle is the Toyota bZ3X, which has just launched in Hong Kong, another right-hand drive market.It uses a 150kW/210Nm front-mounted electric motor, with range stated at 565km although this is to the more lenient NEDC standard.The 70kWh LFP battery has some limitations, namely just 90kW peak charging speed on DC, with the AC inverter also limited to 6.6kW, making for comparatively slow charging times.