GWM Cannon Alpha 2024 News

If you think Chinese car brands can't teach Toyota, Ford or GM anything about making vehicles better, think again!

Many so-called “all-new” models aren’t all that new. In fact, a sizeable chunk are reskinned versions of what came before, with fresh sheetmetal over the same general hard points.

The GWM Cannon Ute range is in runout with sales of between $2000 and $6000 for private buyers – and even larger discounts for ABN holders – as the brand readies its next-generation model.

Chinese carmakers are on the march, with sales growing globally and in Australia.

GWM is having a near range-wide sale with between $1000 and $6000 cut from drive-away prices until the end of the year. Additionally, the majority of discounted cars sold between now and November 8 get their three first scheduled services thrown in for free, valued between $297-$1870. The only exceptions are the Jolion Premium and Lux grades.Anyone who purchases GWM’s only battery electric car, the Ora, also gets a free charging station installation thrown in, valued at $1690. What’s the reason? Well, like BYD, MG and others with big offers on the table, it's partially about sales bragging rights but mostly clearing excess stock. GWM is on track for a record-breaking sales year in 2024, up 21.8 per cent having delivered 35,143 new cars. In October, it was in 10th spot, just shy of Nissan (37,710) and with a few strong months to round the year out, it could climb into ninth place.The new Cannon Alpha now starts at $49,990 drive-away with a $2000 discount on both the 135kW/480Nm diesel and unique 255kW/546Nm plugless hybrid version. Its smaller Cannon ute sibling with its smaller 120kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel can be had from as little as $35,490 drive-away, a $3500 discount, while the blacked-out Vanta black-pack is $5000 more affordable at $42,490. The related Tank 300 Jeep Wrangler-rivalling off-roader now wades in at $45,990 ($2000 off) while the hybrid versions get $5000 knocked off the sticker, as low as $50,990 for the Lux. The only model to miss a straight discount is the Tank 500, though it still gets $1870 worth of scheduled servicing thrown in. GWM’s Haval SUV range includes a Kia Seltos challenger, the Jolion, which can be had for up to $3000 less in petrol guise, handily undercutting a Mitsubishi ASX at $23,990 drive-away.The larger H6 is also on offer with up to $3500 off the hybrid version, meaning the rival to Toyota’s in-demand RAV4 can be as low as $38,990 on-the-road. A petrol version can be had for $30,990 drive-away. Finally, the Ora electric car nearly makes its way as low as the MG4, with $2000 knocked off the Standard Range guise making it $33,990. The Extended Range gets a tantalising $6000 lopped from the price at $34,990 — plus a free home charging station.

Despite stiff competition from cut-price Chinese rivals, Ford Australia has high hopes for the Ranger plug-in hybrid (PHEV), insisting it will deliver on the many attributes that have put the Ranger on track to be Australia’s best-selling vehicle for two years running.

Are you wondering when Australia’s third best-selling ute, the Isuzu D-Max, is finally going hybrid? The simple answer is: not yet.

Australia’s four-wheel drive ute market is set for a major shake up in the next 12 months.

The final quarter of 2024 is set to see GWM offer some of the lowest prices it ever has on most of its models, including its already extremely competitively priced electric car.

Haval's off-road flagship gets a price-tag in its Chinese home-market, but would the seven-seat SUV work with a petrol engine at this price?