GWM Cannon Alpha now has a price on its head

The Cannon Alpha double-cab ute from GWM now has a price to its name, released ahead of its imminent arrive. Recommended retail pricing kicks off at $54,990 for the Lux turbodiesel variant, plus ORCs. Three models will be available, the range topper packing a full hybrid powertrain.

GWM dealers report high levels of inquiry across Australasia. That’s partly because it will be available with both diesel and hybrid powertrains. Cannon Alpha is the first ute in New Zealand to go on sale with a full hybrid powertrain. It will come in Ultra specification with a sticker price of $68,990 plus ORCs and a similarly specified turbodiesel variant costs $59,990 plus on roads. Ultra comes with extra kit, such as leather upholstery, 64-colour ambient lighting and front and rear seat heaters. Also, it comes with a 10-speaker Infinity sound system.

The new Cannon Alpha range topper shares its powertrain with that of the GWM Tank 300/500. It consists of a 2.0 litre turbopetrol engine and an electric motor. The combined output is 255kW and 648Nm, while combined fuel consumption averages 9.8L/100km.

The diesel option is a new 2.4 litre unit generating 135kW of power and 480Nm of torque. Fuel consumption is a claimed 8.9L/100km.

Both are mated to a GWM-developed nine-speed automatic transmission. The output is grounded by a Torque-On-Demand (TOD) four-wheel drive system that includes a Borg Warner transfer case. That increases torque output by a factor of 2.64 in low range.

The Cannon Alpha is GWM’s largest model to date. At 5445mm in length, it is 35mm longer than the Cannon Ute, and 57mm wider at 1991mm. Its height is 1924mm, 38mm taller while its wheelbase of 3350mm is 120mm up on the Cannon Ute. GWM suggests sizing sits between that of a New Zealand standard dual-cab ute and a full-size American pick-up truck. So the Cannon Alpha offers similar interior space and rear seat comfort to the full-sized utes without being too big for New Zealand roads and parking spaces.

All models have a 3500kg braked towing capacity and a payload of up to 821kg. Smart features include a high-mounted tray lamp, 60/40 split tailgate (on the Ultra grade only) allowing easy access to the tray, and a tough spray-on tray liner.