GWM is moving forward with its new six-cylinder powertrain in an attempt to tackle the more established off-road bakkies and SUVs head-on. New details regarding this engine and its supplementary transmission have surfaced together with plans for a hybridised electric drivetrain.
According to information sourced from Car Expert, the engine will be called 6Z30. GWM’s new aluminium block petrol V6 will have a capacity of 2 993 cm3 and source induction from a pair of variable geometry turbochargers. The cylinder bank will be positioned at a 60 degree angle and sport an 11,0:1 compression ratio with direct and port fuel-injection.
With this, GWM claims its new engine will produce 260 kW at 6 000 r/min and 500 N.m of torque available from 1 500-4 500 r/min. A 48 volt mild-hybrid variant with a torque figure of 550 N.m is on the cards for production as well.
The engine will be mated to a longitudinally positioned nine-speed torque converter developed in-house by the Chinese manufacturer. This transmission is planned to house a supporting plug-in hybrid system that will add 125 kW and 425 N.m to the powertrain. The battery that is intended to support this system can already be accommodated by the brand’s current ladder-frame chassis.
GWM confirms that its new powertrain will be Euro 6b compliant while the plug-in hybrid system will elevate its status to Euro 6d. It’s understood that the new drivetrain will be applied to the brand’s Tank line-up which includes the 300, 600, 800 and X Cannon
