2020 Great Wall Model P ute: what we know so far

For a company that’s immensely proud of its brand-new Model P ute range, Great Wall was a little guarded when it came to providing specific information at its Shanghai motor show reveal.

So we dug around a bit and prodded some of its executives to come up with a list of things we can confirm about what looks to be a huge leap forward for the Chinese pickup brand.

• The Great Wall Model P will come with three main variants that have been created to suit three very different purposes: Commercial, Passenger and Recreational.
• The Passenger and Recreational versions will be available with a longer 3.23m wheelbase (10mm longer than Ford Ranger) that gives it large SUV-like rear-seat space with heaps of legroom and more comfortable seat-back angle than most other dual-cab utes.

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• Short-wheelbase and single-cab versions of the Commercial ute will also be available.

• The top-spec Passenger version comes with leather interior, digital cockpit, air vents and USB sockets for rear-seat passengers, 5G connectivity and Level 3 Autonomy that includes auto braking, active cruise control and lane-keeping assist
• The Passenger and Recreational variants will be available with a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension.
• The downside of the multi-link suspension is that the payload is limited to 500kg, which is almost that of rivals including the Ford Ranger Wildtrak and Mitsubishi Triton GLX+.
• The commercial version rides on leaf spring suspension which will afford a bigger, yet to be revealed, payload.

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• Its 3500kg towing capacity is on a par with its key rivals.
• The load tray is 1.52m long, which is the same as Triton but 19mm less than Ranger.
• Power will come from a choice of 120kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol or 145kW turbodiesel engine which will produce up to 400Nm of torque. They’ll be coupled to a manual gearbox or a new eight-speed auto.

• Great Wall is also working on bigger petrol and diesel engines, with the latter producing up to 500Nm.
• Fuel economy figures are yet to be confirmed, but Great Wall claims each engine meets Euro 6D emission standards. The 80-litre fuel tank will help ensure a decent range.
• The 4WD Recreational version revealed at Shanghai is a concept, but is 95 percent production ready. All the accessories tacked on including the roof rack, rollbar and snorkel were crafted in house and will be standard equipment on the ‘Recreational’ variant.

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• The 2020 Great Wall Model P will go on sale in China in September this year. It’s not expected to arrive in Australia until late in 2020.
• Great Wall expects to sell 200,000 Model P utes in 2020, with the bulk of those being sold in China. That number will grow during subsequent years as it flows into overseas markets.
• The mid-spec, but plush, Passenger variant is expected to start at $35,000.

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• The Great Wall Model P will have a different name when it arrives in Australia. The Akubra-wearing Chinese male models standing near the off-road concept at Shanghai may be a clue that Great Wall is leaning toward some Aussie-themed moniker.