GWM Cannon Alpha News

China has finally produced a vehicle that, for the large part, delivers on the promise of its contemporary styling and high-tech specification. One that does not have make questionable or confounding compromises on account of its ultra-competitive pricing. That the carmaker is GWM, rather than BYD, Geely or even Xiaomi comes as a surprise, given the very disappointing showing from models both successful and otherwise, like the Haval Jolion and Ora electric vehicle (EV) respectively.

Australian engineering is set to shape the next-generation of GWM vehicles from the planning stage, in an effort to make them more suitable to roads outside of China.

Diesel engines are far from over, with a big new 3.0-litre unit is destined for one of Australia’s emerging range of utes and SUVs. To make its global debut in Australia sometime in the middle of next year, this internal combustion engine with no electrification assistance will arrive in an in-line four-cylinder turbo-diesel configuration that promises to be one of the most efficient of its type available anywhere in the world.

What if electric cars and hybrid utes aren’t the next big thing? Should you buy one or wait for hydrogen? Or do you just stick to petrol and diesel?

It’s never a good sign when car companies don’t tell you how many cars they’ve sold.Typically car makers love to spread the word about how successful it has  been and tell you exactly how beloved its vehicles are. So when they decided not to reveal the details of their newest model’s popularity, it does raise red flags.Which suggests sales of the new Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid (PHEV) may not be reaching the highest heights that the company was hoping for. When asked for details on the hybrid Ranger’s success, a Ford spokesperson told CarsGuide that the company doesn’t break out sales data for its individual models.Instead it told us this: “We are pleased to see customers nationwide adopting new technology and reaping the benefits of Ranger Hybrid, such as Pro Power On Board, to get the most out of their vehicle.”You’ll notice at no point did it indicate how many “customers” are enjoying these benefits. It could be hundreds or it could be two (but that seems unlikely).To be fair, Ford has never revealed the details of its individual models, namely its flagship Raptor, which is believed to be a sales success. So just because they won’t say how many customers have plugged-in to Ranger, it doesn’t mean it’s a sales flop.But if car makers were hoping that the plug-in hybrid technology would be the saviour of the ute segment, there are signs that there is still a long way to go before customers fully embrace this new breed of ute.The best example we have is the BYD Shark 6. Why? Because it’s an entirely PHEV-powered ute and therefore all of its published sales are the PHEV-powered model.So far in 2025, year-to-date to August, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) tells us that BYD has sold 12,918 Shark 6. GWM revealed to CarsGuide that it has sold 441 Cannon Alpha PHEV in the four months it has been on sale.The FCAI also tells us that there have been 13,936 PHEV ‘commercial vehicles’ sold, which doesn’t leave a lot of sales for the rest of the PHEV commercial offerings (which includes the Ranger) to pick up - just 607 to be precise.Those three utes are the most notable PHEV-powered workhorses, so the success or failure of them will shape the course of the market for years to come. If they become a popular new alternative to turbo diesel engines, as the Shark 6 is threatening to do, then it will give rival brands the confidence to push ahead with their own. Alternatively, if they fade away after a strong start, it will likely mean the end of PHEV utes for the foreseeable future.Don’t believe me? Compare the amount of ‘Raptor rival’ tough utes on sale today and then think back to how many convertible SUVs you saw after the Range Rover Evoque drop-top flopped…There is no question the Shark 6 has made an impact, in a crowded and highly-competitive market the BYD is already the fourth best-selling 4x4 ute this year, behind only the Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max — and after missing the month of January.However, there are two very big months on the Shark’s books, specifically the 2810 sales in March and 2993 sales in June. Is it a coincidence that the fringe benefit tax on PHEVs ended on April 1 and EV Direct handed over the reins of BYD to the factory in July…Other than those two outliers, the Shark consistently does between 1200-1300 sales a month, which is solid but still well behind the Ranger and HiLux (although so is everything else).If the Shark can maintain its current rate of sales, then that’s probably enough to convince others of the merits of entering the PHEV ute contest. Other brands have already begun openly discussing it, Hyundai, for example, has made it clear it believes introducing another diesel-powered ute is simply not a starter for its planned entry later this decade.But whether or not how many brands drop diesel for hybrids will likely play out in the coming months and years, as the Shark 6, Ranger and Cannon Alpha carve a trail for the others to follow… or ignore.

Think back to the before times – before GWM sent its Cannon Alpha PHEV charging up Beer O'Clock Hill, before BYD caught the old-guard napping with its Shark 6, and before brands like MG, JAC and more announced their own plans for innovative dual cabs.

If you need any more proof that China is becoming the dominant force in Australia’s automotive landscape, consider this.In the first six months of this year, 102,938 Chinese-made vehicles have been sold in Australia. Flash back five years to 2020, Chinese vehicle sales totalled just 11,055 in the same six-month period.That’s an 831 per cent increase in just five years. At this rate, China will overtake Thailand as the number two country of origin in Australia by next year. Japan is currently number one for imports, but for how long?Clearly a large number of Australians have no issue buying Chinese-built cars.The top 10 car brands for the first half of the year include Chinese giants GWM and BYD in seventh and eighth place respectively, while Tesla - which only imports cars to Australia from China - is ninth and SAIC-owned MG is just outside the table in eleventh.Yet looking at some of the commentary around this trend you’d be mistaken for thinking otherwise. There’s still a lot of negativity around Chinese brands and models despite the appetite for them here in Australia. But is it warranted?Honestly, it’s complicated.I appreciate some people have a moral issue buying a Chinese car given the long list of alleged current and historical human rights abuses carried out by the Chinese government. This is understandable.However, you could argue that if you take a stand against a particular country for historical human rights abuses there wouldn't be many countries left to buy cars from. The US isn’t exactly covering itself in glory when it comes to human rights at the moment.Other people take issue with the perceived quality of Chinese-made vehicles, in terms of build quality, materials and what they’re like to drive. And some of this concern is absolutely valid.The first crop of Chinese cars to hit Australia were, largely, awful. GWM, back in 2009 when it was just called Great Wall, served up some stinkers. The V240 SUV and X240 ute were terrible to drive, had poor build quality and the ute was even engulfed in an asbestos scandal.MG’s reboot as a Chinese-owned marque started in 2013 with the already dated MG6 sedan, but before it, Chery’s terrible trio of the J1 and J3 hatches and the J11 SUV ensured an early exit for the brand.Even some more recent attempts have been less than successful. Poorly calibrated advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) impacted Chery’s relaunch here a few years back with the Omoda 5, while even Deepal’s own company executives admitted the S07 EV was the most annoying car on sale in Australia thanks to incessant beeping and ADAS intervention.And, having driven a large number of Chinese cars currently on sale in Australia, I can confirm it is a mixed bag of good, bad and in between.But things are changing fast. I spent some time recently in China driving a raft of new models from BYD. While the test track was far too limited to develop decent drive impressions, it’s clear the overall quality of their cars has improved significantly. The interior design, materials used and even things like seat design impressed a lot of us hardened Aussie motoring writers.MG is on a roll at the minute, too. While I am yet to drive one myself, everyone that’s tested the MGS5 EV, including our very own Laura Berry, has raved about it. It’s like an SUV version of the already impressive MG4, only even better.GWM is consistently improving its models as it goes and having driven cars like the Tank 300 diesel and Haval H6 GT PHEV, I can confirm this to be true. Hiring noted former GM Holden engineer Rob Trubiani to tune its products will only help further.The quality of Tesla’s product improved greatly when Australian sourcing shifted from the USA to China a few years back.Granted, there are still some decidedly average cars in many of the Chinese brands’ model range.But to dismiss all cars from China is to fight a losing battle. Check those sales numbers again. Very soon half of the brands in the top 10 will be from China. GWM, MG and BYD all have ambitions for the top five or top three and some of the legacy brands aren’t doing much to stop them.I have had some alarming conversations with executives from legacy brands about China’s rise. I won’t name names, but multiple execs from top 10 brands have dismissed the popularity of Chinese brands in Australia and their potential to take over the industry. There is a sense from some that buyer loyalty will ultimately lead people back to long-standing brands.But this ignores the fact that hundreds of thousands of Australians don’t care about loyalty and they just want a good deal. And they are getting that in spades from the Chinese carmakers, much more than they are from the Japanese, Korean and European brands that have dominated for so long.So I guess what I am saying is, it might be time to get over the anti-China bias. Because you’re missing out on some pretty good cars. And in a few years there might not be as many non-Chinese brands to choose from.

GWM will discontinue sales of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid ute just weeks after the launch of its new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant.The move comes as the 2025 GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is available on a limited-time offer from $57,490 drive-away for the base Lux variant until September 30, 2025.With the top-spec Ultra PHEV variant available from $64,490 drive-away for the same period, the two plug-ins are both cheaper than or the same as the $64,490 DA standard hybrid variant.The change in line-up isn’t a coincidence, according to GWM the move hasn’t come due to a lack in popularity for the hybrid, but rather due to wanting to offer relevant products to customers.“With advancements in PHEV technology and a competitive price point, our goal is to offer a range that truly connects with customer needs,” a GWM Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide.“The Cannon Alpha PHEV strikes an ideal balance between cutting-edge electrification and uncompromised 4x4 capability. “For those who prefer a more traditional option, the diesel variant remains an integral part of the Cannon Alpha lineup.”For reference, the Cannon Alpha Hybrid made up around a third of Cannon Alpha sales — the rest being diesel — before the plug-in hybrid arrived. In the first half of 2025, GWM registered 1063 Cannon Alpha sales all-up.The PHEV is also more powerful than the standard Hybrid — its 300kW tops the 255kW thanks to more powerful motors assisting the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine. The PHEV also boasts a claimed 115km electric driving range under (generous) NEDC testing thanks to its 37.11kWh battery.The only other full-hybrid ute on sale in Australia is the larger American Toyota Tundra, the Cannon Alpha PHEV is one of three plug-in utes on sale in Australia alongside the popular BYD Shark 6 and the recently arrived Ford Ranger PHEV.The Cannon Alpha and Shark sit closely on pricing, with the latter kicking off from $57,900 before on-roads, the Ford Ranger PHEV is much more expensive — it starts from $71,990 before on-road costs.

Here’s a little peek behind the curtain for you. During a media launch event for a new car, journalists will often be presented with information about the new model and given the opportunity to ask questions of engineers and executives.

GWM confirms new 3.0-litre diesel to live alongside new 4.0-litre V8 in high-end Tank and Cannon products for the Australian market.