Facelifted GWM P-Series gains new 2.4 turbodiesel overseas
The facelifted GWM P-Series recently launched in China, complete with a new 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine. Could this more powerful motor be offered in South Africa, too?
Just over a year ago, the facelifted GWM P-Series was revealed at the Shanghai motor show, boasting fresh front-end styling and an overhauled interior. Now, the updated version of the bakkie has finally launched in China, complete with the option of a new 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine.
Yes, the double-cab version of the Chinese bakkie – which also wears the Cannon, Ute, Poa or Poer badge, depending on the country – can now be ordered in its domestic market with a choice of 3 engines. There’s a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol motor (140 kW/360 Nm) as well as the 2.0-litre turbodiesel (120 kW/400 Nm) familiar from the current P-Series line-up here in South Africa.
However, the big news for the Chinese market is the addition of a new 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel mill. Codenamed GW4D24, this engine generates peak outputs of 135 kW at 3 600 r/min and 480 Nm from 1 500 to 2 500 r/min. Drive is delivered via a 9-speed automatic transmission rather than the 8-speeder mated to the smaller-capacity oil-burning engine.
So, could this engine be offered in the SA-spec P-Series at some point? Well, considering the upcoming P500 will be available locally with the same 2.4-litre unit (alongside a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol hybrid engine familiar from the Tank 300), we certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see the new motor eventually trickle down the range.
After all, its loftier outputs would close the gap to the likes of the Toyota Hilux’s 2.8-litre unit (150 kW/500 Nm) and the Ford Ranger’s 2.0-litre bi-turbodiesel engine (154 kW/500 Nm). As an aside, this oil-burning powerplant is also rumoured to be on the cards for the GWM Tank 300.
From what we understand, GWM South Africa plans to launch the facelifted P-Series locally in August 2024. For the record, the refreshed model on offer in China features a new grille design, along with a restyled front bumper housing updated foglamps. The wheel-arch extensions, too, have been tweaked.
Inside, the revised P-Series gains a freestanding 7-inch colour LCD instrument cluster and a new 12.3-inch touchscreen (as opposed to the old integrated 9-inch item) that likewise sits proud of the facia. The cabin employs fewer physical controls than before, which suggests more functions have been moved to the touchscreen, while we also spotted new steering-wheel and automatic gear-shifter designs as well as a change in orientation for the air vents (from vertical to a more conventional horizontal layout).
As a reminder, the current P-Series range launched in SA in December 2020. The local line-up currently comprises 17 derivatives (4 single cabs, 8 “commercial” double cabs and 5 “passenger” double cabs), with pricing running from R413 050 to R694 950.
All derivatives are powered by the aforementioned 2.0-litre turbodiesel motor generating 120 kW and 400 Nm, though there is a choice of driven wheels (4×2 and 4×4) and transmissions (a 6-speed manual gearbox and a ZF-sourced 8-speed automatic cog-swapper).
In 2023, the P-Series registered 4 462 sales (+6.7%) in South Africa, securing it 7th place on the list of Mzansi’s best-selling bakkies, ahead of established contenders like the Toyota Land Cruiser 79, Volkswagen Amarok and the Mitsubishi Triton. Over the opening 5 months of 2024, GWM registered 1893 units of the P-Series to remain in 7th, close behind the Rosslyn-built Nissan Navara.
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