TANK 700 Has Launched in China, and it will Challenge Toyota Prado

GWM TANK 300 HEV and GWM TANK 500 HEV, the mainstay products in the Chinese market, have previously entered into Thailand market. On Feb 26, TANK 700 Hi4-T was officially launched in the Chinese market, with its sights directly on the Toyota Prado. It is worth noting that the Prado, as a globalized model, holds an authority in the SUV field since it can deal with all types of rough roads and it has earned a good reputation due to its reliability. Although TANK mainly sells off-road vehicles, and the product capabilities of TANK 300 and TANK 500 are quiet well, the newly launched TANK 700 explicitly targets Prado as its competition, indicating its ambitious aspirations.

The TANK 700 Hi4-T is currently only available in the Chinese market, but considering its ambition to become an authoritative model, it is highly likely that the TANK 700 will become a globalized model. Thus, let's take a first look at its appearance and see what are the highlights.

The TANK 700 Hi4-T is priced between CNY 428,000 to 700,000 (approximately THB 2,133,000 to 3,489,000). The regular versions are priced at CNY 428,000 and CNY 468,000, while the limited edition model, equipped with carbon fiber exterior kits, is priced at CNY 700,000. As the latest flagship model of the TANK series, the TANK 700 Hi4-T still adopts the mecha-style design language. Although the overall design may not have been universally accepted by some consumers, it is exciting that TANK has finally developed its design language and style. Additionally, the new car is equipped with a 3.0T engine matched with a P2 hybrid power system. Compared to the TANK 500, it is believed that this combination will significantly improve the fuel efficiency of the 3.0T V6 engine in the TANK 700 Hi4-T.

The things we should know about TANK 700 Hi4-T:

The TANK 700 Hi4-T maintains the TANK series' strong off-road capabilities and configurations. While its mecha-style design may not appeal to all consumers, it provides improved approach and departure angles suitable for off-road driving. The new vehicle boasts an approach angle (standard 32°, maximum 37.8°), departure angle (standard 33°, maximum 37.6°), ramp angle (standard 22.5°, maximum 28.6°), and a water fording depth of up to 900mm (in the raised state, it's 970mm), which make it well-equipped to handle a wide range of off-road terrains.

The vehicle is equipped with an intelligent mechanical four-wheel-drive system, capable of switching between two-wheel drive, intelligent four-wheel drive, high-speed four-wheel drive, and low-speed four-wheel drive modes. This system, combined with the Mlock mechanical locking system and three differential locks at the front, middle, and rear, provides the most optimal solutions for the vehicle on complex surfaces with varying levels of traction. Additionally, the vehicle is equipped with a detachable stabilizer bar that offers different riding experiences on various road surfaces.

Concerning driving modes, the TANK 700 Hi4-T has 12 driving/terrain modes, which places it at the forefront among similar all-terrain off-road vehicles. The major modes include snow, mud, sand, 4A, 4H, 4L, rock, water crossing, and so on.

In terms of design, the TANK 700 Hi4-T continues the armored style of the TANK 400 Hi4-T. While the current armored design of TANK may differ significantly from the most successful exterior design of the TANK 300 model, it at least exhibits a more distinctive visual language compared to the somewhat muddy exterior design of the TANK 500.

The front face of the TANK 700 Hi4-T features a large irregularly shaped grille with horizontal chrome slats. The bold design concept, coupled with refined detailing, creates a striking visual impact.

In terms of dimensions, the new vehicle measures 5090/2061/1952mm in length, width, and height respectively, with a wheelbase of 3000mm. The unique design of the waistline on the vehicle's side echos the window lines, while the muscular shapes of the front and rear wheel arches accentuate a powerful presence, creating a highly dynamic atmosphere.

At the rear, there is an externally mounted spare tire with a cover, and the tail lights and indicators adopt a split design, with the tailgate opening on the side. Finally, the TANK 700 Hi4-T's towing package includes a 12,500-pound front winch, a 2.5-ton electric trailer hook, and a trailer power outlet.

The interior of TANK 700 Hi4-T reveals a luxurious and distinctive style. The actual vehicle's interior is wrapped in red, matched by extensive metal cladding, creating a prestigious and refined atmosphere. The car is equipped with advanced features with a five-screen interaction, including an LCD instrument panel, a floating central control screen, and a HUD (Head-Up Display), which provides users with a more intelligent and convenient driving experience.

The TANK 700 Hi4-T is also equipped with advanced intelligent driving assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and other functions, effectively enhancing driving safety. Additionally, the TANK 700 Hi4-T features intelligent connectivity capabilities, and supports remote control via smartphones, voice commands, and more, which provide drivers with a more convenient and intelligent driving experience.

In terms of seats, the vehicle is equipped with ultra-wide-angle Light Cloud seats, with front and rear rows featuring ventilation, heating, and massage functions, along with adjustable wing-shaped headrests. The front seats also come with independent leg supports, while the rear seat backrest supports a 141° wide-angle adjustment. Additionally, the vehicle will feature a 16-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system.

Regarding NVH within the car, the TANK 700 Hi4-T adopts Harman Kardon Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology, including generating counteracting waves with the audio system that have the same frequency but opposite phase to the engine's low-frequency order noise, effectively reducing engine low-frequency order noise by 5-20 decibels.

TANK 700 Hi4-T still uses TANK's unique Hi4-T hybrid technology. The car uses a 3.0T V6 twin-turbo engine matched with a P2 motor, with a combined maximum power of 385kW and a torque of 800N·m(850N·m for the limited edition). It is worth mentioning that this is also the first time that GWM's 3.0T V6 engine is equipped with a hybrid system. Previously, the fuel consumption performance of the engine was disappointing when it was mounted on the TANK 500 alone. It is hoped that the energy consumption performance of this engine can be optimized with the blessing of the Hi4-T hybrid system.

At the same time, the TANK 700 Hi4-T also adopts the 9HAT speed ratio design, the speed ratio range from 1st to 9th gear span reaches 8.84 times, so that the vehicle can maintain the best power output in different road conditions. In addition, the TANK 700 Hi4-T is equipped with a torque converter to effectively buffer and attenuate torsional vibration of the drivetrain, prevent overloading of the drivetrain, and increase engine torque.

The new vehicle is equipped with air springs and CDC electromagnetic shock absorbers. The air springs have a maximum upward travel of 70mm and a maximum downward travel of 50mm, which endows the vehicle with enhanced off-road capabilities in scenarios such as gravel and water crossings to achieve a better handling experience. The Full-Time-AWD structure, including mechanical four-wheel drive and three locks, is retained. With the standard MLock mechanical lock on all models, torque distribution between the front and rear axles can be maintained at 50:50, offering users a more comprehensive power output and outstanding off-road capabilities. Even when only one wheel has traction, the vehicle can output 100% torque to assist in extricating the vehicle from challenging situations.

First use of breakable electronic stabilizer rod:

The electronic disconnecting stabilizer bar is a very suitable mechanical system for off-road vehicles, which can disconnect or link the stabilizer bar according to the needs of driving road conditions. In urban or flat road conditions, the stabilizer bar is in the linked state, which can ensure the stability of the vehicle during driving and improve the comfort on the paved road. In difficult off-road sections, the suspension formation can be released after the stabilizer bar is disconnected, even if the single wheel landing can ensure better passing ability.

The TANK 700 Hi4-T is the first Chinese brand to be equipped with an electronic disconnecting stabilizer bar. The stabilizer bar uses an electro-hydraulic system, which can realize the one-click disconnection of the stabilizer bar during off-road escape, so that the vehicle can increase the 60mm suspension rebound stroke, and greatly improve the difference between the left and right wheel runout stroke. Through the formation of the side length of the suspension, the adhesion between the ground and the wheel is improved, making the vehicle off-road escape easier.

Due to the use of one-button electronic control in the car to disconnect and link the stabilizer bar of the vehicle, the stabilizer bar can be switched anytime and anywhere, which also makes the driver easier.