GWM seems to be testing the towing capabilities of its new flagship ute, which is ready to beat rival manufacturers in providing a hybrid powertrain in Australia.

The Lavatory Brothers took these footage of the GWM Cannon Alpha, which seems to be present process last testing in Melbourne earlier than an anticipated launch in mid-2024.

It’s towing a Jayco Journey Outback caravan, which has a tare mass of 1940kg.

In response to authorities approval paperwork, the Cannon Alpha will boast a braked towing capability of 3500kg – a primary for a GWM ute in Australia.

The present GWM Ute, which is intently associated to the Cannon Alpha, has a most braked towing capability of 3000kg.

These paperwork additionally present it’ll supply a selection of turbo-diesel or hybrid powertrains.

The latter ought to see GWM beat Ford and Toyota to providing a hybrid ute in native showrooms – Ford’s plug-in hybrid Ranger isn’t due till early 2025, whereas Toyota’s bigger Tundra isn’t formally on sale but.

In response to the federal government approval paperwork, the hybrid incorporates a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 180kW of energy at 5500rpm, however no torque or complete system outputs are listed.

We all know, nonetheless, that this powertrain within the Tank 300 incorporates a 180kW/380Nm turbo-petrol engine mated with a 78kW/268Nm electrical motor for complete system outputs of 258kW and 615Nm.

The Cannon Alpha’s turbo-diesel is stronger than that of the GWM Ute, being a bigger 2.4-litre four-cylinder unit with 135kW of energy at 3600rpm and 480Nm of torque, up from the 120kW determine of the GWM Ute’s 2.0-litre 4.

It will get one further cog, too, with drive despatched to all 4 wheels via a nine-speed computerized transmission. It additionally incorporates a 48V mild-hybrid system.

The submitting doesn’t make word of the opposite engine provided within the Cannon Alpha (aka Shanhai Cannon) abroad: a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6, which pumps out 260kW and 500Nm.

The Cannon Alpha measures 5445mm lengthy, 1991mm extensive and 1924mm tall on a 3350mm wheelbase. Total, that makes it solely 30mm longer than a GWM Ute, so it’s nonetheless significantly smaller than full-sized pickups just like the Ford F-150.

It has 224mm of floor clearance, and rides on 18-inch wheels behind which sit disc brakes.

Tare mass is 2432kg with the diesel and 2526kg with the hybrid. Each variants function a gross car mass (GVM) of 3310kg.

GWM had already confirmed examples of the brand new ute have been right here for testing, with CarExpert spying one instance in Melbourne that includes an uncommon cut up tailgate.

The corporate additionally affords in China a intelligent multi-lid mattress divider, which splits the tray into three separate elements.

The brand new ute is anticipated to be pitched as a extra premium life-style ute than the GWM Ute. That’s as a result of as an alternative of leaf-spring rear suspension, the Cannon Alpha employs a multi-link coil-sprung again axle and double wishbones on the entrance.

In China no less than, it’s provided with electronically locking entrance and rear differentials and a full suite of energetic security and driver help options.

These embrace freeway driving help, entrance and rear cross-traffic help, blind-spot monitoring, and protected exit warning.

There’s a typical 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, surround-view digicam and energy tailgate whereas, relying on the variant, there’s additionally a head-up show, panoramic sunroof, semi-autonomous parking help, heated steering wheel, entrance and rear wi-fi telephone chargers, and heated, ventilated, massaging and power-adjustable entrance seats.

The Cannon Alpha will sit on the high of the native vary together with the Tank 500, a hybrid-powered rival for the Toyota LandCruiser Prado that’s due right here within the second quarter of 2024.