New GWM models coming to South Africa!
It was a who's who of Chinese automakers at this year's Beijing Auto Show, with all the locally represented Chinese brands showcasing new models and concepts. We travelled to the East with GWM to see what the brand had on offer for SA motorists.
GWM is the Chinese automaker that has the longest tenure in the South African market. The brand has maintained a local presence for over 18 years and, in that time, has established a comprehensive dealer network and earned the trust of South African consumers by offering quality products and services. GWM has also taken select media to China each year since 2018 for the region's largest automotive shows. This year, the contingent headed for Beijing for the AutoChina 2026 show. The showcase alternates between Beijing and Shanghai each year and is recognised as the largest and most influential auto show in China, and is frequently the largest in the world.
Related: Hot hatchbacks from China are coming to SA!
The 2026 instalment solidified this status by using a dual-venue format covering 380,000 square meters with 1.28 million visitors over the week-long event. The 2026 event featured 1,451 vehicles, including 181 global debuts and 71 concept cars. GWM had a massive installation occupying one side of one of the giant halls, with all their brands on display. There wasn't much on offer from well-known local brands like P-Series, with the P-Series booth only featuring accessories for the P300 and P500 double-cab vehicles but GWM had a busy week unveiling monstrous vehicles like the Tank 700 and news-worthy events like their Dakar race team entry, and although these are important, they were not really relevant to the SA domestic market; however, there was still plenty of news for SA consumers with the brand unveiling a nuymber of vehciles that will be coming to SA in the future.
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Haval H7 Plus
GWM recently launched an HEV version of the H7 locally, which we found quite enjoyable, but there's a new big dog on its way to SA. Heading to SA later this year, the H7 Plus is essentially an updated version of the standard H7 available in our market, but now has a much better electrification option. The H7 Plus is powered by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol internal combustion engine (ICE) paired with dual electric motors, one on the front and one on the rear axle. The Hi4 (Hybrid Intelligent 4-wheel drive), showcased at the show, produces a combined system output of 330 kW and 660 Nm.
ORA 5
South African motorists should be familiar with the ORA brand, first introduced in SA late 2023 with the ORA 3 (Funky Cat) EV. The brand didn't create the splash GWM SA envisioned, but GWM is hoping to reverse direction as the brand will be relaunched soon in South Africa with the new ORA 5, which will see the brand divert from its EV-only roots and will now introduce a BEV version, as well as HEV and a 1.5T petrol versions.
The ICE model of the Ora 5 features a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which GWM highlights as equipped with a variable-geometry turbocharger (VGT). It delivers 135 kW through the front wheels and is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The top speed is rated at 190 km/h, and GWM claims it completes the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 8.9 seconds.
The HEV trims also use a 1.5-litre turbo engine, but with reduced engine power of 115 kW. A 140 kW electric motor at the front joins the petrol drive. Both power units deliver drive to the front wheels via a dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT) with 2 speeds. GWM rates combined output at 166 kW; the GWM claimed a 0-100 time of 7.7 seconds and a top speed of 185 km/h. Interestingly, GWM claims a mere 4.5 L/100km consumption figure.
The new powertrains do not introduce major changes in interior or exterior styling, and the Ora 5’s cutesy styling touches remain. There are Fashion and Sport trim levels in the works, but whether these will make their way to SA remains to be seen.
WEY V9X
We have known about the WEY brand from GWM for years now, and we have always seen it in China on every trip. Being the premium SUV brand from GWM SA, WEY has always been overlooked as a destination market. Not anymore, though. GWM SA has confirmed that the WEY V9X is making its way to SA!
The WEY V9X is a luxury six-seater SUV that rides on GWM's new GWM One S architecture, a new super platform that will underpin everything from sedans and SUVs to Bakkies and support a range of powertrain types, including petrol, plug-in hybrid, diesel hybrid, electric, and hydrogen fuel-cell. The V9X will employ a Super Hi4 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 175kW and 385Nm, plus an electric motor on each axle, all-wheel drive, and a four-speed dedicated hybrid transmission.
The bigger of the two models on display uses a 66.6kWh lithium battery with 312km of electric range. Power figures are impressive: 110kW and 170 N·m from the front electric motor, and 220kW and 380 N·m from the rear motor, all mated to the four-cylinder engine to produce total system outputs of 500kW and 930 N·m.
No timeline or indicative pricing has been given, but it's finally coming! A little birdie also told us we can expect the ultra-luxurious WEY W8 transporter van to be bundled into the mix. Exciting Times!
SOUO
Many folks don't know that GWM also produces motorcycles. The GWM SOUO S2000 is a luxury touring motorcycle widely recognised as a direct challenger to the Honda Gold Wing. The bike is powered by a 2000cc horizontally opposed 8-cylinder engine with a maximum power output of 113 kW and 195 Nm of torque. It features an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with a shaft drive, enabling a top speed of over 200 km/h.
The S2000 is packed with premium technology, including a 12.3-inch LCD screen with automotive-grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chips, OTA updates, and a 6-axis IMU for stability. The Souo S2000 GL and ST tourers were on display, marking GWM's entry into the high-end, large-displacement motorcycle market, aiming to fill the gap for luxury cruisers and the best part? These are under consideration for SA!
More to come
The show may be over, but that wasn't the end of the trip to China, as directly after our show attendance, we were whisked off to Baoding for a few days at the company headquarters, R&D centre, test facilities and stamping plant, and to put some models to the test and to see just how far their technology has progressed. There would be plenty more surprises in store for us. You can read all about that here. It's seriously impressive stuff for an established Chinese brand in SA, and it's safe to say that GWM isn't going anywhere.
