GWM Australia hasn’t officially confirmed the Toyota LandCruiser Prado-rivalling Tank 500 for our market, but yet another prototype has been spied locally.
A CarExpert reader sent these pictures of a prototype spied in Wentworth Point in Sydney’s north west.
This Tank 500 wears “Hybrid Electric Vehicle” stickers on it, but it’s unclear which powertrain it uses.
Two Tank 500 prototypes were spied in Melbourne earlier this year: a mild-hybrid or hybrid right-hand drive model covered in camouflage, and an undisguised, left-hand drive plug-in hybrid model.
This latest spied prototype is a right-hand drive model.
GWM Australia has previously confirmed the Tank 500 is under “very serious consideration” for our market and that it was working on a business case.
CarExpert understands the model is expected to launch locally in the first quarter of 2024.
The Tank 500 measures 5070mm long, 1934mm wide and 1905mm tall on a 2750mm wheelbase. In contrast, the current Toyota LandCruiser Prado is 4995mm long, 1885mm wide, 1890mm tall, and has a 2790mm wheelbase.
The body-on-frame SUV was first revealed in August 2021 at the Chengdu motor show with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.
The V6 features a 48V mild-hybrid system, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and total outputs of 260kW of power and 500Nm of torque sent through a four-wheel drive system.
It was subsequently revealed in hybrid form with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, an electric motor housed within the nine-speed automatic transmission, and a 1.7kWh battery pack. Total system outputs are 180kW and 380Nm.
The Tank 500 PHEV was revealed last December at the Guangzhou motor show in China.
It’s powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, an electric motor, and a 19.94kWh battery pack. Total system outputs are 300kW and 750Nm, which makes it the most powerful variant thus far.
The 0-100km/h time is a claimed 6.9 seconds.
The Hi-4T, as the plug-in hybrid powertrain is called, also allows you to power appliances at up to 3.3kW.
Inside, the Tank 500 boasts a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
Available luxury features include Nappa leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and heated and ventilated front seats with eight different massage modes.
