1 day ago
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Solid axles, all-terrain tyres and the possibility of V8 power – although unconfirmed – headline a new GWM Tank 300 off-road special edition for China.
GWM has revealed what may be its most hardcore off-roader yet, a GWM Tank 300 with live front and rear axles and taller tyres to take on the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
Australian plans for the Tank 300 Hooke – a special edition in development for the Chinese market – are yet to be revealed.
It is named after the Hooke Trail, an off-road track through a mountain range in western China.
The Hooke is the first Tank 300 with a live front axle – existing variants have independent front suspension and a live rear axle, both with coil springs – accompanied by a strengthened frame.
Front and rear differential locks are available, as with the regular model, plus what GWM calls "disconnecting struts", which may refer to a sway bar disconnect akin to a Wrangler or new Toyota Prado Altitude.
The Hooke edition appears to sit taller than a regular Tank 300, with new beadlock-style wheels, Cooper all-terrain tyres, a different front bumper, and new trim on the front wheel arches.
No firm details of the engine under the bonnet of the Tank 300 Hooke have been confirmed.
The special edition was revealed alongside a new 4.0-litre twin-turbo hybrid V8, which is destined for future models from the Tank brand, and has been linked to the Hooke – helped by the two sitting next to each other on the Shanghai motor show stand.
More likely, though, is one of the other engines currently or previously offered in the Tank 300 in China.
They include a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder in standard or plug-in hybrid forms, a new 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, and a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 offered in a limited edition in recent years.
The GWM Tank 300 Hooke is undergoing final testing ahead of a Chinese market launch in the coming months, or year.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
