The World's Newest Twin-Turbo V8 Comes From The Last Place You'd Expect
Chinese automakers might be getting the most attention for their electric vehicles, but as Great Wall Motor has just shown at Auto Shanghai, the country's engineers are just as capable when it comes to developing and building gas power. GWM has just announced a brand-new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, an engine bound for its largest Tank brand SUVs as well as for cars. An engine it calls a 'secret weapon in luxury markets,' where it could go after similarly sized engines in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
GWM's hot-vee engine, where the turbos are mounted between the cylinder banks, looks the part. It also looks shockingly narrow, at least compared with other current V8 engines we've seen. That likely gives it the ability to put the engine and its long automatic transmission in more places and more vehicles.
Big V8 Could Power Luxury Cars And Off-Roaders
The automaker reportedly has two different plans for this V8, and they're both very different. The first is to create a new luxury brand under the GWM family. Drive.au reports that the new brand will sit above its existing Wey premium brand and that it could be called Confidence Auto. A brand name that may sound good at home, but doesn't exactly inspire confidence with us. GWM's second plan is the more interesting of the two. It's going to put this in a Tank.
Not just any tank, but future models of the GWM Tank off-roaders. Tank currently sells four rugged off-road SUVs, the 300, 400, 500, and 700. The names denote size, not engine displacement, and they include retro-stylish SUVs and large luxury off-road competitors. They're also largely copies of competitors like the Toyota Land Cruiser.
Drive reported that GWM's right-drive market head James Yang said, 'This [V8] is something that is definitely under consideration, and for right-hand-drive markets, it's definitely something we are still considering.'
The Tank 300, which is the model most likely to get the V8 according to the report, is sort of a Chinese take on the modern Bronco. Retro styling combined with real 4×4 drive. It has locking differentials and a low-range transfer case. It also has options the Bronco doesn't, including hybrid and diesel power.
V8 Will Be Offered As PHEV
While we assume that this large-displacement V8 is going to be quite powerful, GWM didn't specify its projected output. It did say, though, that the engine will get a bit of a boost. It will be offered as a PHEV model, utilizing the V8 only when the battery runs low or when towing.
In a line that makes all of us a little happy, Tank brand VP Gu Yukun said at the show that 'We still believe that new energy [hybrid/electric power] cannot [replace] the V8 engine.'
Related
The Chinese motor industry is exploding, and venturing into new markets. But their car culture do differ on key aspects with that of the West.
This is not GWM's first eight-cylinder, but it is the company's first meant for automotive. Strangely, the original eight from the brand was a flat eight-cylinder. Designed not to go into a car or an SUV or even a heavy truck, but in fact meant for a motorcycle. GWM called the flat-eight the only eight-cylinder motorcycle in the world, and it displaced around 2.0 liters.
GWM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Chinese state media calls for crackdown on 'zero-mileage used cars'
By Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) -The Chinese practice of selling brand new cars as heavily discounted second-hand vehicles to get rid of inventory should be ended, the official newspaper of the country's governing Communist Party said in an article published on Thursday. The People's Daily, which often signals the positions of China's top Party leaders on a variety of issues, called for a crackdown on the practice, also known as zero-mileage used cars, just weeks after Great Wall Motor's Chairman Wei Jianjun publicly condemned it and China's commerce ministry met with Chinese automakers to discuss it. While China's Commerce Ministry did not make public its position, the People's Daily struck a harsh tone, calling out the inflation of sales data motivating Chinese carmakers and urging "tough regulatory action" to restore market order. "This disguised form of price cutting disrupts normal market order and is a striking example of the auto industry's 'involution'," the People's Daily said, using a term popular in China that describes a race to the bottom driven by excessive competition. "Once market competition rules are properly enforced, 'zero-mileage used cars' won't be able to run far — or for long." China is experiencing growing deflationary pressures as U.S. tariffs add to the gloomy mood in the world's No.2 economy. Companies in sectors from fast food to high fashion have been cutting prices amid concerns about oversupply and sluggish household demand. Price wars have gripped the Chinese auto industry in recent years, partly driven by slumping domestic consumption and overcapacity that has left many struggling to meet sales targets. While the sale of zero-mileage used cars is seen by many Chinese automakers as an effective way of clearing out an ever-growing inventory of unsold cars, with domestic and overseas consumers lured by deep discounts on what are still brand new cars, the state-run newspaper listed a litany of negative effects caused by the practice. "For manufacturers, this sales tactic may help reduce inventory in the short term but compresses profit margins, increases losses, and hinders investment in product quality and innovation — ultimately harming sustainable development," the article said. "For consumers, what seems like a good deal in terms of price comes with hidden risks: the loss of first-owner benefits, potential battery degradation, and steeper depreciation when reselling," it continued, adding the practice undermines fair competition, distorts market data, and disrupts both new and used car markets. The People's Daily singled out manufacturers of electric vehicles as needing to move beyond "data worship" and competing on volume, in order to focus on product quality and technological innovation. It did not name any specific automakers. The newspaper also listed measures Chinese regulatory authorities should adopt in order to prevent the sale of zero-mileage used cars, including strengthening oversight of second-hand vehicle registration, establishing a vehicle lifecycle tracking system, and strictly controlling the practice of immediate resale after registration. Sign in to access your portfolio
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
CNBC Daily Open: 'Good reports' from U.S.-China talks could push S&P 500 to new high, analysts say
Trade negotiators from the U.S. and China have met in London, and talks are expected to continue Tuesday, a source familiar with the situation told CNBC's Megan Casella. It seems that coaxing China to relax its rare earths export curbs is at the top of America's agenda, according to a CNBC interview with U.S. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett. If China's actions late last week — when it seemingly gave Western automakers concessions regarding those minerals — are any indication, Beijing could be willing to accede to the request. The world's second-biggest economy would demand reciprocity. On June 2, Beijing bristled at Washington's tighter grip on exports of chip design software to China. It's a good thing, then, that Washington also appears to be in a conciliatory mood. "Our expectation is that … immediately after the handshake, any export controls from the U.S. will be eased," Hassett said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." Indeed, Trump has reportedly authorized Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's team to lift those curbs, according to The Wall Street Journal, and has described receiving "good reports" from the U.S. contingent. If the U.S.-China talks go well, there's a chance the S&P 500, only around 2% off its February high as of Tuesday morning Singapore time, could reach a new peak, noted the JPMorgan trading desk. That'd be something to cheer, of course. But it's slightly disappointing that the S&P could have continued scaling heights from February, or at least broken its closing high much earlier in the year, if not for truculent trade policy from the White House — which, as is evident from the meeting between U.S. and China, governments are still trying to undo. U.S.-China talks set to go into Day 2U.S. President Donald Trump's top trade officials met Chinese counterparts in London on Monday for talks aimed at resolving their trade dispute — particularly with regard to mineral exports. Discussions are set to continue Tuesday. Late last week, in an apparent olive branch, China seemed to offer U.S. and European auto giants something of a reprieve regarding its exports of rare earth elements. Markets inch up globallyU.S. stocks edged up Monday. The S&P 500 added 0.09%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was mostly flat, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.31%. Asia-Pacific markets rose Tuesday. South Korea's Kospi index was up 0.38% at 1:30 p.m. Singapore time. Analysts from Macquarie Group say they think the country's stock market will rally and enter a bull market on the back of "expansionary fiscal policy" from the new government. A new 'Liquid Glass' look for Apple's iOSApple held its annual Worldwide Developers Conference keynote on Monday. At the event, the company announced a redesign to its iOS system called "Liquid Glass," a virtual glass look that was inspired by the Vision Pro and the most significant redesign of its operating system since 2013. Investors were underwhelmed by the announcements — which lacked developments on the AI front — and sent shares down 1.2%. UK in a 'Goldilocks' moment: Nvidia CEO "The U.K. is in a Goldilocks circumstance," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Monday on a panel with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson. "You can't do machine learning without a machine — and so the ability to build these AI supercomputers here in the U.K. will naturally attract more startups," Huang said, though he added that the country lacks homegrown AI infrastructure. [PRO] New record for S&P soon?The S&P 500 ticked higher on Monday and continues to chip away at the gap to a new record high. The broad-based index is just 2% below its record close set in February. Several events in the days ahead could prove to be the catalyst that vaults it over the top, according to the JPMorgan trading desk. China's homegrown coffee giants are brewing up a U.S. expansion Chinese beverage chains are redefining coffee culture in the country — and now they're trying to win over customers in the U.S. and beyond. Luckin Coffee, China's largest coffee chain, has expanded aggressively in China and overtaken Starbucks on the mainland, with more than twice as many outlets. After venturing into Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, Luckin is set to take its biggest leap yet with plans to open a branch in lower Manhattan. "New York is probably culturally the best testing ground for an international brand to expand into, especially a Chinese one," said Bernstein senior analyst Danilo Gargiulo, citing the city's diversity and large base of young consumers. "But it's also the most saturated, one of the most competitive markets."
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Japanese frigate arrives in Australia as Tokyo bids for defense deal
NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — A state-of-the-art Japanese warship has arrived in Australia as part of a high-stakes campaign to secure a $6.5 billion contract to build the country's next fleet of general-purpose frigates. The JS Yahagi, a Mogami-class stealth frigate from Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, is docked in Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory in what appears a symbolic and strategic move aimed at strengthening defense ties with Australia and showcasing Japanese naval technology. Japan's bid, led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was short-listed in November for the Royal Australian Navy's SEA 3000 frigate project and is competing against Germany's MEKO A-200 offered by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. Japan would jointly develop and produce the frigates for the Australian navy. Bolstering defense industry As part of its military buildup, Japan is pushing to strengthen its largely domestic defense industry by participating in joint development, including a next-generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy, and promoting foreign sales like the Mogami-class ships. In a sign of its commitment and heavy investment Japan has pledged to prioritize the RAN's order over its own naval procurement. The project not only serves to further deepen cooperation between Japan and Australia but also to enhance Japan's warship capabilities, Defense Minister General Nakatani has said. The Japanese Mogami-class design boasts advanced combat systems, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare capabilities, and mine countermeasure operations — all operated by a lean crew of around 90, helping to address ongoing recruitment challenges in the Australian Navy. The vessel's commanding officer, Tamura Masayoshi, said the ship's smaller crew was an aim of the Mogami-class ship. 'The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force thought we need stealth, and less people, and a little bit smaller ship,' Masayoshi told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Closer military ties The JS Yahagi's visit to Darwin comes amid intensifying strategic cooperation between Canberra and Tokyo, both of which have emphasized the importance of maritime safety and security of sea lanes. The frigate's arrival is also seen as a gesture of Japan's growing role in regional security and its desire to align more closely with key partners like Australia. In September 2024, Australia and Japan agreed to increase joint military training exercises to address shared concerns of China's incursions into Japanese airspace and territorial waters. Two months later, defense ministers from Australia, Japan and the U.S. held tripartite talks in Darwin to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening security ties and planning for joint military operations in northern Australia. —— Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed.
