GWM Shanhai Cannon 2024: luxury ute rumoured for late 2023 launch

The rapidly-expanding GWM vehicle lineup could see two large utes welcomed to the local fleet before the end of the year

GWM’s upcoming Shanhai Cannon could be hitting showroom floors as early as October of 2023, if it’s given the green light for Australia.

Chasing Cars spoke to multiple Australian dealerships, who said it would likely arrive in the fourth quarter of the year.

Revealed in full earlier this month at the Guangzhou Auto Show in China, the GWM Shanhai Cannon promises to be a worthy rival for the Ford Ranger and the Toyota Hilux.

GWM King Kong cannon ute 3/4 view — The GWM King Kong Cannon ute is even bigger than the Shanhai Cannon

The same goes for the even larger King Kong Cannon, which would face up to the likes of the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado upon entry to the Australian market.

When the Shanhai Cannon first debuted in August of 2022, GWM’s local arm appeared excited at the prospect of bringing a more luxurious ute to the local market.

“As a product we like what we see,” GWM Australia spokesperson Steve Maciver told Chasing Cars.

“Ute for us has gone very well, the Shanhai Cannon could be a good option for us to extend the range further. We are in discussions with our head office colleagues about bringing it to Australia but it’s very much on the cards.”

GWM Shanhai 2023 rear — The Shanhai Cannon gets a split-folding tailgate

One dealership representative mentioned that the current focus is on the GWM Tank 300, which is set to launch in Australia within the first quarter of the year.

When Australian pricing was revealed for the Tank 300, GWM warned that supply would initially be patchy, so it makes sense to see the brand giving the SUV some breathing room before the potential introduction of the Shanhai Cannon.

What is the Shanhai Cannon?

2023 GWM Shanghai Cannon front 3/4 outdoor mountains — The GWM Shanhai Cannon gets twin-turbo petrol V6 power

Offered as a slightly larger variant of the regular Cannon ute, the Shanhai Cannon sounds like a better proposition in more ways than one.

Engine options include a twin-turbo petrol V6, a 2.4-litre turbo diesel, both of which are paired with a 48-volt mild hybrid system.

The flagship V6 model is set to produce 260kW and 500Nm, which is significantly up on the 135kW/480Nm currently offered from the Cannon’s 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine.

2023 GWM Shanghai Cannon interior dash — Two-tone leather and wood grain covers the interior of the Shanhai Cannon

The Shanhai Cannon looks to be a lot more premium on the inside as well, with two-tone leather around the cabin contrasted by wood-grain panelling. There’s also a panoramic sunroof and a dash-mounted analog clock to round out the luxury features.

In terms of tech, the pick-up gets a 14.6-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital cluster, as well as a heads up display.