Great Wall Australia is looking to reinvigorate its ailing ute sales with a new model under development which is scheduled for a potential release in 2020.
The current dual cab Steed has struggled to command the attention of Australian buyers in the face of increased competition from entry-level Japanese offerings, such as the regularly discounted Mitsubishi Triton.
There is also pressure from fellow Chinese marque LDV, which released the T60 dual cab last year and an updated Mahindra Pik-Up.
Great Wall has fairly lofty ambitions to grow its presence in new markets like South Africa where bakkies are popular, making a highly capable and featured model essential.
The new ute will be built on an all-new platform allowing for greater flexibility to meet market expectations. Great Wall’s Australian arm has sent a wishlist back to head office to give the new ute the spec sheet required to compete with the established brands.
The local arm tells us increased size, a 3-tonne towing capacity (a 500kg improvement over the current Steed, but 500kg below the majority of competitors), the latest safety technology, 4x2 and 4x4 configurations, an eight-speed transmission and a hybrid option can be expected.
Having a petrol-electric hybrid option would give Great Wall a significant point of difference in a very crowded section of the local new car market. Bringing a hybrid ute to the market would also reshape the perception of the brand around innovation rather than just price.
For the Australian market, it is possible the new ute will wear a Haval badge – the SUV arm of Great Wall Motors. This would be a good move if the ute is looking to move upmarket.
To expand the appeal of the current generation Steed, a new diesel-powered cab chassis variant with sharp pricing is planned for release in March this year.
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