Bigger new diesel engine to power GWM Tank 500 off-roader, Cannon Alpha ute

A larger-capacity, new-generation diesel engine will make its global debut in Australia in the large GWM Tank 500 off-road SUV – and most likely the GWM Cannon Alpha dual-cab ute, too.

An updated Tank 500 due to be launched here in mid-2026 will include a new four-cylinder 3.0-litre turbo-diesel, the largest diesel engine yet seen in GWM’s answer to the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest, combined exclusively with a nine-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. 

It will give GWM one of the larger diesel engines in Australian showrooms, rivalling the displacement of the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel available in the Ford Ranger and its Everest sister model.

“Our 3.0-litre diesel Tank and pickup model will make their global debut right here in Australia by mid next year,” said GWM chief technology officer, Nicole Wu, at the company’s 2025 Tech Day in Melbourne. 

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Ms Wu said the bigger new diesel engine will be a development of the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine currently available in the Tank 300 and the Cannon and Cannon Alpha utes in Australia, and initially won’t be electrified.

There’s no information about performance or efficiency, but given its circa-600cc capacity increase it’s safe to assume the new 3.0-litre engine will produce more power and torque than GWM’s existing 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, which delivers 135kW of power and 480Nm of torque.

First launched exclusively with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol/electric hybrid powertrain, the Tank 500 is now also available with the same 300kW/750Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol/electric plug-in hybrid system as the Cannon Alpha, in which the bigger new diesel engine should replace the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, perhaps for a price premium.

At the same time, however, it would lower the price of entry to the Tank 500 range, which currently opens at $66,490 drive-away for the base Tank 500 Hybrid Lux 4×4.

It could also make its way to local showrooms in the larger and more luxurious Tank 700, which is yet to be confirmed for this market but was part of recent GWM Australia media drive events.

GWM said it’s following a ‘multi-pathway’ approach to vehicle powertrains – the same strategy as market-leading Toyota – having announced more electric vehicles (EVs) as well as upcoming hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and diesel-powered models.

However, unlike Toyota Australia – whose sales, marketing and franchise operations boss Sean Hanley recently predicted the demise of diesel – GWM says diesel is here to stay.

“Diesel – I don’t think in this country – is going anywhere in a hurry,” GWM Australia marketing chief Steve Maciver told CarExpert.

“We think diesel is still going to play an important part for us… but the key is the brands who can develop the offsets and credits to offset the penalties diesel may attract are the ones who get the best chance.”

Mr Maciver was referring to the financial penalties imposed by the federal government for breaching Australia’s new automotive emissions regulations under the New Vehicle Efficiency Scheme (NVES), which came into effect this year.

“We are relatively confident based on the powertrains we know are coming our way that we’re going to be pretty well positioned going through NVES… we think that competitive advantage remains,” he said.

While Toyota, which will the first (V6 petrol-electric) hybrid version of its iconic LandCruiser to its Australian showrooms in 2026, has said it expects hydrogen will start to take over from diesel in around a decade, once again GWM differs in its forecast.

‘“I think hydrogen is a way off yet,” said Mr Maciver. 

“The infrastructure, the packaging – there’s a whole lot of things we’ve got to work through. If we can get our emissions right, and our uptake of plug-in and EV, we can keep diesel for a while.

“I think this country is set [for diesel] – you’re going to need it for a while.” MORE: Explore the GWM Tank 500 showroom