The 2026 AutoChina show was a massive affair, with multiple brands unveiling vehicles destined for our shores. GWM was no exception, and we were on hand to see it all. We were privy to several unveilings and announcements that signal big news for the SA automotive market and GWM's global ambitions.
Related: GWM at Auto China Beijing 2026
After our departure from Beijing, following multiple vehicle unveilings at the show, GWM set about keeping us properly busy with visits to a multitude of its facilities, all involved in either product training, vehicle building, or vehicle testing. There were also a number of surprises in store for us as we took on all things GWM in Baoding, China
National Treasury Extends Fuel Levy Relief
GWM Offroad Training Centre
We have visited this facility before, back on one of our first trips in 2019, and the centre has changed quite a lot. The hill climb, stair test and axle twister are still there, but there are a number of new additions in the form of a river wading drive and a mountain crossing. We sampled the Tank 300 and 400, as well as the Haval H7 and P300 P-Series, through these obstacles, and they proved more than capable, especially once they handed the reins to us and we drove through a river, highlighting their water-fording efficiency and rugged terrain handling and climbed the side of a mountain, showing off the mountain goat-like abilities of the GWM product range.
GWM Road Course and Testing facility
GWM operates an advanced, extensive R&D and testing complex in Baoding. The Xushui Proving Grounds features banked, high-speed ovals, swerve test areas, and specialised off-road tracks for testing models. The facility includes a comprehensive high-speed test track (oval track) for high-speed shenanigans, handling, and endurance, along with severe-surface and environmental testing areas.
We arrived as part of a larger group that saw automotive specialists from Russia, South America, the Middle East, Australasia and central Asia descending on the test grounds to put a range of GWM products to the test. There were various stations where drivers tackled a slalom, moose test, high-speed run, braking test, hill climbs, rough-surface suspension testing, and a thrilling high-speed banked oval run. We were able to sample the ORA 5, WEY V9X, WEY W8, Tank 700, Tank 400 and the soon-to-be-announced Haval Joilon Pro Max. There were also display models to touch and feel, such as the Haval H7 Plus and Ora 5 Sport.
GWM R&D and Technical Centre
Another day, another facility: this time, the Technical Centre, not too far from HQ. It is the epicentre of GWM's global manufacturing and design efforts, supported by a 380,000-vehicle capacity production base established in 2003. The centre houses thousands of engineers conducting R&D for new models, particularly for the Haval and WEY brands. The complex features specialised testing facilities for GWM's autonomous driving technology, such as the self-driving WEY MPV and AI parking assistants, both of which were able to see and test ourselves.
It was fascinating to watch an ORA 5 summoned from the parking lot next door, with no driver behind the wheel, drive into the lot and park itself. Disturbing? Yes, Practical? Very much so! The highlight was a morning rush hour commute around Baoding in an almost completely semi-autonomous WEY W8, which pretty much drives itself with merely a thumbs worth of input from the driver, it pulls off, stops and navigates city streets on its own steam, and the only way you will know that the vehicle is operating itself is the green LEDs that appear in the taillights. The technology is currently only available in China, as GWM are still ironing out legislative framework issues with destination countries.
Watch the WEY W8 drive itself and the ORA 5 park itself here
GWM (BEM) Stamping Facility
Baoding Exquisite Auto Mould Technology Co., Ltd. (BEM), a subsidiary of Great Wall Motor (GWM), is a specialised automotive tooling and stamping facility. It serves as a key supplier for GWM's domestic production bases, providing high-precision moulds, stamping parts, and automation solutions for Haval, WEY, and other GWM brands. BEM is predominantly responsible for designing, developing, and manufacturing high-precision auto moulds (die casting, stamping dies) and checking tools for GWM, as well as a few other brands they wouldn't mention, but we could clearly see were from competitor brands. BEM supports GWM’s “12+5” global manufacturing system by enabling in-house production of complex components, ensuring quality control. Our quick tour through the workshop revealed how the moulds are designed, built, and then tested to ensure utmost quality at the stamping mills.
GWM ANCAP Facility
A highlight of our facilities tour was full access to GWM's ANCAP testing facility. GWM conducts its own rigorous safety testing, including those required for 5-star ANCAP ratings, at its world-class R&D facilities. The centre, launched in 2025, known as the GWM Safety Lab, represents a 510-million-yuan investment covering 57,000 square meters.
The unit has multiple multi-angle crash zones that support Euro NCAP, C-NCAP, and FMVSS standards. The centre is criss-crossed with numerous high-speed imaging cameras that can capture 4 000 frames per second to analyse crash data, and glass-covered pits for recording underbody deformation. The centre is now also capable of specialised testing, featuring a 120-ton moving deformable barrier, a New Energy Safety Zone for crash testing EVs and testing for thermal runaway and heat management, and a deep pit for rollover simulation.
The year ahead
GWM is set for a bumper year, with new models and brands on their way to Mzansi. We had a small taste test of what's on the way and what this global behemoth has in store for our local market in the coming months.
