GWM already offers five SUVs in Australia with another due to launch before the end of 2025, but the Chinese brand is now looking at multiple flagship SUV offerings.
While the company has previously expressed interest in bringing the adventurously styled Tank 700 to Australia as a flagship model for the off-road-centric Tank sub-brand, it’s also looking at introducing a flagship SUV for the Haval sub-brand.
Speaking with CarExpert, GWM Australia head of marketing and communications Steve Maciver indicated this flagship Haval SUV could be a vehicle called the Wey Blue Mountain.
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“If we were to bring [the Wey Blue Mountain] in, [it would] most likely [be] under the Haval badge here, [with the] six- or seven-seat configuration,” said Mr Maciver.
“It would sit above where our new H6 would sit, so essentially [it would] be a flagship within that Haval SUV line here.
“So under consideration, but certainly too early to confirm anything.”
At this stage, it’s unclear what GWM Australia would call the Blue Mountain locally if it ends up coming here.
While all vehicles from the Chinese carmaker are sold under the GWM name in Australia, in China it markets the Haval, Ora, Tank and Wey brands separately to its ute business.
Wey is a premium GWM brand that offers a range of crossover SUVs and people movers, and the Blue Mountain is currently the most expensive crossover it offers.
GWM Australia has never sold any vehicles from the Wey brand.
In China, the Blue Mountain starts from 299,800 yuan (~A$65,500), and extends to 326,800 yuan (~A$71,400).
The Blue Mountain is also the largest SUV in the Wey lineup. It measures 5156mm long, 1980mm wide, and 1805mm tall, with a 3050mm wheelbase.
This makes it around the same size as a Mazda CX-90, and over 100mm longer than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series with the same width.
This three-row SUV is only offered with two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains in China. Both have a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol and two electric motors, but the two variants have different ternary lithium-ion batteries.
The entry-level model has a 44.5kWh battery, whereas the flagship model has a 52.3kWh battery. This allows for electric range of 185km and 220km, respectively, on the WLTC test cycle.
Wey claims both Blue Mountain variants are capable of travelling over 1300km with a full tank of petrol and a full battery charge, according to WLTC testing.
Haval H9
It’s worth noting GWM has previously indicated it was looking at bringing the boxy Haval H9 to Australia, but it now claims it’s a little too similar to other models in its lineup.
“H9 … has been on the radar,” said Mr Maciver.
“We’ve got to think long and hard about this product because with H9 it’s sitting right at the top … where Tank 500 sits.
“Tank is GWM’s professional off-road range. Very, very capable in terms of technology under the skin.
“[The] H9 begins to hinge a little bit on that as well and we’ve got to ask ourselves the question, ‘How many cars do we need in every segment?’
“Going to keep the complexity to a minimum.
“We haven’t ruled out [the H9] completely, but at this stage, there [are] other models that we are looking at.”
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