Shark attack! GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV manages feat BYD Shark 6 couldn't
GWM Australia has posted footage of its GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV climbing a muddy 'Beer O'clock Hill' – the same hardcore hillclimb on which a BYD Shark 6 was seriously damaged in a similar attempt last month.
In a thinly veiled shot at fellow Chinese automaker BYD, GWM is now spruiking the Cannon Alpha PHEV as the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to scale the infamous, vehicle-destroying off-road ascent.
The plug-in Cannon Alpha ute not only beat the Shark 6 to the summit, but also the Ford Ranger PHEV, which is due in showrooms in within weeks and, as far as we know, is yet to tackle Beer O'clock Hill.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Located in The Springs 4×4 Adventure Park two hours southwest of Brisbane, Queensland, the cheekily named Beer O'clock Hill is a rutted 100-metre hillclimb with a gravity-defying gradient of up to 50-degrees.
It was the site of recent heartbreaking damage to a BYD Shark 6 that failed to make it to the rock-ledge summit.
Owner Chris Baker, who runs the All Terrain Action website, seriously damaged his weeks-old Shark 6 during his attempt to climb the steep and muddy hill, bending the chassis and disabling the vehicle.
The Shark 6 could only be driven in electric mode after the mishap.
It's worth noting that the damage was not the result of a product failure on BYD's part.
Yet the result led to members of the BYD Shark 6 owners group kicking off a GoFundMe campaign to get Mr Baker's ute back in shape – or replaced.
The GoFundMe page for Mr Baker has so far raised $1045.
Now, GWM has posted footage of its Shark 6 rival climbing the same slippery hill, complete with mud and ruts following more recent rain, with comparative ease. The Cannon Alpha PHEV was fitted with a set of non-standard all-terrain tyres but was, according to GWM, as it rolled off the showroom floor.
"I reckon Beer O'clock Hill has caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicle damage over the years," said The Springs Park 4×4 Adventure Park owner Lucas Bree in a statement.
"[It's] Shut down some of the most heavily modified rigs I've seen, so watching showroom-spec GWM vehicles, including a plug-in hybrid, make it to the top has completely changed my view of the brand. They've earned serious respect."
For good measure, GWM also showed a Cannon XSR and a GWM Tank 300 large SUV confidently conquering the slippery slope – also fitted with Cooper A/T tyres – again in what appears to be relative ease.
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
GWM Australia has posted footage of its GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV climbing a muddy 'Beer O'clock Hill' – the same hardcore hillclimb on which a BYD Shark 6 was seriously damaged in a similar attempt last month.
In a thinly veiled shot at fellow Chinese automaker BYD, GWM is now spruiking the Cannon Alpha PHEV as the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to scale the infamous, vehicle-destroying off-road ascent.
The plug-in Cannon Alpha ute not only beat the Shark 6 to the summit, but also the Ford Ranger PHEV, which is due in showrooms in within weeks and, as far as we know, is yet to tackle Beer O'clock Hill.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Located in The Springs 4×4 Adventure Park two hours southwest of Brisbane, Queensland, the cheekily named Beer O'clock Hill is a rutted 100-metre hillclimb with a gravity-defying gradient of up to 50-degrees.
It was the site of recent heartbreaking damage to a BYD Shark 6 that failed to make it to the rock-ledge summit.
Owner Chris Baker, who runs the All Terrain Action website, seriously damaged his weeks-old Shark 6 during his attempt to climb the steep and muddy hill, bending the chassis and disabling the vehicle.
The Shark 6 could only be driven in electric mode after the mishap.
It's worth noting that the damage was not the result of a product failure on BYD's part.
Yet the result led to members of the BYD Shark 6 owners group kicking off a GoFundMe campaign to get Mr Baker's ute back in shape – or replaced.
The GoFundMe page for Mr Baker has so far raised $1045.
Now, GWM has posted footage of its Shark 6 rival climbing the same slippery hill, complete with mud and ruts following more recent rain, with comparative ease. The Cannon Alpha PHEV was fitted with a set of non-standard all-terrain tyres but was, according to GWM, as it rolled off the showroom floor.
"I reckon Beer O'clock Hill has caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicle damage over the years," said The Springs Park 4×4 Adventure Park owner Lucas Bree in a statement.
"[It's] Shut down some of the most heavily modified rigs I've seen, so watching showroom-spec GWM vehicles, including a plug-in hybrid, make it to the top has completely changed my view of the brand. They've earned serious respect."
For good measure, GWM also showed a Cannon XSR and a GWM Tank 300 large SUV confidently conquering the slippery slope – also fitted with Cooper A/T tyres – again in what appears to be relative ease.
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
GWM Australia has posted footage of its GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV climbing a muddy 'Beer O'clock Hill' – the same hardcore hillclimb on which a BYD Shark 6 was seriously damaged in a similar attempt last month.
In a thinly veiled shot at fellow Chinese automaker BYD, GWM is now spruiking the Cannon Alpha PHEV as the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to scale the infamous, vehicle-destroying off-road ascent.
The plug-in Cannon Alpha ute not only beat the Shark 6 to the summit, but also the Ford Ranger PHEV, which is due in showrooms in within weeks and, as far as we know, is yet to tackle Beer O'clock Hill.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Located in The Springs 4×4 Adventure Park two hours southwest of Brisbane, Queensland, the cheekily named Beer O'clock Hill is a rutted 100-metre hillclimb with a gravity-defying gradient of up to 50-degrees.
It was the site of recent heartbreaking damage to a BYD Shark 6 that failed to make it to the rock-ledge summit.
Owner Chris Baker, who runs the All Terrain Action website, seriously damaged his weeks-old Shark 6 during his attempt to climb the steep and muddy hill, bending the chassis and disabling the vehicle.
The Shark 6 could only be driven in electric mode after the mishap.
It's worth noting that the damage was not the result of a product failure on BYD's part.
Yet the result led to members of the BYD Shark 6 owners group kicking off a GoFundMe campaign to get Mr Baker's ute back in shape – or replaced.
The GoFundMe page for Mr Baker has so far raised $1045.
Now, GWM has posted footage of its Shark 6 rival climbing the same slippery hill, complete with mud and ruts following more recent rain, with comparative ease. The Cannon Alpha PHEV was fitted with a set of non-standard all-terrain tyres but was, according to GWM, as it rolled off the showroom floor.
"I reckon Beer O'clock Hill has caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicle damage over the years," said The Springs Park 4×4 Adventure Park owner Lucas Bree in a statement.
"[It's] Shut down some of the most heavily modified rigs I've seen, so watching showroom-spec GWM vehicles, including a plug-in hybrid, make it to the top has completely changed my view of the brand. They've earned serious respect."
For good measure, GWM also showed a Cannon XSR and a GWM Tank 300 large SUV confidently conquering the slippery slope – also fitted with Cooper A/T tyres – again in what appears to be relative ease.
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
GWM Australia has posted footage of its GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV climbing a muddy 'Beer O'clock Hill' – the same hardcore hillclimb on which a BYD Shark 6 was seriously damaged in a similar attempt last month.
In a thinly veiled shot at fellow Chinese automaker BYD, GWM is now spruiking the Cannon Alpha PHEV as the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to scale the infamous, vehicle-destroying off-road ascent.
The plug-in Cannon Alpha ute not only beat the Shark 6 to the summit, but also the Ford Ranger PHEV, which is due in showrooms in within weeks and, as far as we know, is yet to tackle Beer O'clock Hill.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Located in The Springs 4×4 Adventure Park two hours southwest of Brisbane, Queensland, the cheekily named Beer O'clock Hill is a rutted 100-metre hillclimb with a gravity-defying gradient of up to 50-degrees.
It was the site of recent heartbreaking damage to a BYD Shark 6 that failed to make it to the rock-ledge summit.
Owner Chris Baker, who runs the All Terrain Action website, seriously damaged his weeks-old Shark 6 during his attempt to climb the steep and muddy hill, bending the chassis and disabling the vehicle.
The Shark 6 could only be driven in electric mode after the mishap.
It's worth noting that the damage was not the result of a product failure on BYD's part.
Yet the result led to members of the BYD Shark 6 owners group kicking off a GoFundMe campaign to get Mr Baker's ute back in shape – or replaced.
The GoFundMe page for Mr Baker has so far raised $1045.
Now, GWM has posted footage of its Shark 6 rival climbing the same slippery hill, complete with mud and ruts following more recent rain, with comparative ease. The Cannon Alpha PHEV was fitted with a set of non-standard all-terrain tyres but was, according to GWM, as it rolled off the showroom floor.
"I reckon Beer O'clock Hill has caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicle damage over the years," said The Springs Park 4×4 Adventure Park owner Lucas Bree in a statement.
"[It's] Shut down some of the most heavily modified rigs I've seen, so watching showroom-spec GWM vehicles, including a plug-in hybrid, make it to the top has completely changed my view of the brand. They've earned serious respect."
For good measure, GWM also showed a Cannon XSR and a GWM Tank 300 large SUV confidently conquering the slippery slope – also fitted with Cooper A/T tyres – again in what appears to be relative ease.
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
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Also distinctly Mercedes-esque – in both style and function – are the column-mounted transmission shifter, door-panel-mounted seat adjustment knobs and squared-off rotary vent outlets. The level of fit and finish is exemplary and there's good use of contrasting colours and materials. Our test car featured beige Nappa leather upholstery and faux brushed aluminium trim on the dashboard, door panels and centre console, with some piano black inserts thrown in for good measure. There are a few hard plastic bits (including the faux aluminium trim), but these don't overly detract from a cabin that otherwise has a genuinely premium ambience. Consequently, the J8 could even make sense for buyers who might fancy a Merc or BMW but can't quite make the stretch financially. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert There's not much to fault in terms of ergonomics either, as all-around visibility is generally good, while the seats are superbly comfortable – this goes particularly for the captain's chairs in the second row with their ample adjustability and massage functions. That said, access to the small third-row seats (suitable only for children) is cumbersome, as the occupants of said pews need to clamber up and then navigate through the narrow gap between the two second-row chairs to access the rear. However, opting for the seven-seat version (which has a bench in the middle row) should make life easier for third-row dwellers as the second-row seats in this variant can be tilted forward for simpler access to the back. Another minor annoyance is the lack of physical buttons for the HVAC settings, but at least there's a permanent tab on the bottom of the infotainment screen with fan and temperature settings – so you don't need to scroll through additional screens just to turn the fan up or down or notch, or to make the cabin warmer or cooler by a degree or two. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert There are a sufficient number of storage cubbyholes in the cabin. Tucked under the floating centre console is a little shelf for keys and loose change, while a large lidded bin is housed behind the centre console. The door pockets, too, are generously sized. However, luggage space in the seven-seat version is a paltry 200 litres with the rear pews in place. The five-seat version offers a more usable 717 litres, which can be expanded to 2021 litres by folding down the rear bench. The Jaecoo J8 is currently offered in the UAE with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 195kW of power and 400Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels only, or through an all-wheel drive system, depending on the variant. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain is offered in other markets. It includes a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and two electric motors to produce total system outputs of 450kW and 915Nm – which is quite a lot of grunt. If one were to sum up in very simple terms what the Jaecoo J8 is like to drive, it would be pleasant but unspectacular. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert On the plus side, the J8 feels a bit sprightlier than we'd expected, given that its propulsion comes from a 2.0-litre engine, which seems a small displacement for a vehicle that's this large. Jaecoo quotes a 9.0-second 0-100km/h sprint for the AWD J8 (the FWD model is 0.2s quicker) and, while this figure doesn't sound particularly impressive, there's never a perception of sluggishness or lacklustre performance. Rolling acceleration is also adequately sprightly, as the seven-speed dual-clutch auto is quick to kick down when you stab the throttle. This means overtaking slow-moving cars on single-lane country roads is never a problem. The engine and dual-clutch transmission team up to deliver seamless performance, and refinement levels aren't compromised by excessive noise or coarseness, even if you work the 2.0-litre motor hard. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Ride quality and overall noise levels are also impressive, so the J8 stands up as a credible alternative to the Euro SUV brigade if you're a value-conscious buyer, or simply don't have the budget for the latter. Minor irritations when mooching around town include a brake pedal that tends to be grabby in stop-start traffic. In addition, you'll find during back-and-forth parking manoeuvres the steering-column-mounted transmission lever needs a resolute nudge with the brake pedal firmly depressed, otherwise 'D' or 'R' won't engage – a casual flick of the stalk won't do it. Dynamically, the J8 is a middle-of-the-road offering as its agility and cornering behaviour are neither class-leading nor mediocre. Then again, most prospective buyers won't care too much as the Jaecoo isn't positioned as a sporting SUV by any stretch. As for off-road ability, the J8 has no less than seven drive modes (including dedicated modes for sand, mud and snow), and its torque-vectoring AWD system is supplied by GKN, which also provides Land Rover with similar tech. With two multi-plate clutches at the rear axle, each wheel can be driven independently. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Even so, the fact the J8 Flagship is equipped with road-biased 50-series Michelin Primacy tyres on 20-inch rims is a clue to its orientation as more urban warrior than an outback tamer. Approach and departure angles of 20 degrees and 17 degrees respectively are nothing to write home about in any case. It hardly matters though, as the typical usage patterns of prospective owners will likely include the daily schlep to and from office, the school run and – possibly – the odd excursion for camping, mountain biking and the like, which will entail nothing more than light-duty off-road use, and for all of this the J8 will happily oblige. Among the Jaecoo J8's USPs is a generous quota of mod-cons and safety features, so the vehicle potentially represents strong value for money vis-à-vis its competitors. Of course, we're yet to see how the J8 will be specced and priced in the Australian market. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8 equipment highlights: 19-inch alloy wheels Auto LED headlights Auto high beam Power tailgate Panoramic sunroof Dual-zone climate control Leather seats Leather multifunction steering wheel 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat Driver seat position memory Heated and ventilated front seats Multicolour ambient lighting 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless charger Dashcam driving recorder 2 x 12V power outlets 4 x USB ports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto 12-speaker Sony sound system 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Flagship AWD adds: 20-inch alloy wheels 6-seat layout with captain's chairs in second row Nappa leather upholstery 4-way electric adjustment of second-row seats Ventilated second-row seats incl. massage function Black suede headliner Rear console with cupholders Metal pedals Head-up display with augmented reality 14-speaker Sony sound system No independent crash test results are available for the J8 yet, but one could infer from the five-star ANCAP scores earned by its Chery Tiggo 7 Pro and Omoda 5 stablemates that the Jaecoo is likely to fare well in terms of safety ratings. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Standard safety equipment in the UAE includes: Dual front, side and curtain airbags 540-degree surround-view camera Autonomous emergency braking Adaptive cruise control Front collision warning Lane departure prevention Traffic jam avoidance assistant Front and rear radars Leading vehicle departure alert Intelligent avoidance Flagship adds: Emergency lane-keep assist Blind-spot detection Lane change assist Driver monitoring system Rear collision warning Reversing lateral emergency braking Door open warning Automatic parking assist In the UAE, Jaecoo vehicles are backed by a seven-year/250,000km warranty, but we'd expect Chery Australia's seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty to apply here too. That said, we'll wait for official confirmation closer to the brand's local launch. All told, the Jaecoo J8 is a polished and well-rounded offering that should be able to hold its own against established players in the seven-seat SUV segment. 2025 Jaecoo J8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Solid although unspectacular in its driving characteristics, the J8's fortes lie in its premium cabin ambience (for its price) and overall refinement. We'll deliver a more emphatic verdict once Australian pricing and specs are known. MORE: Everything Jaecoo J8 Impressive premium feel, well equipped Clean, albeit slightly generic styling Strong and refined performer Not hugely exciting to drive; grabby brake pedal Fiddly column shifter requires a firm nudge Odd placement of hazard light switch
