New P300 ups GWM's game

FACELIFT: PREMIUM BAKKIE ONSLAUGHT IN FULL FORCE

- Charl Bosch

To aligned its bakkie nomenclature after the recent introduction of its new P500, GWM has renamed the facelift P-Series to the P300.

The renamed P-Series, which cemented its place as the best-selling imported bakkie behind the Hilux, Ranger, D-Max and Mahindra Pik Up, is positioned between the P500 and the work-orientated Steed 5.

A gradual product roll-out that will see the P-Series being phased out entirely before year-end. In this regard, the initial P300 range will be sold in tandem with the P-Series, but at the expense of the latter's top variants.

As such, the LT and off-road focused LTD versions of the P-Series fall away, leaving the nomenclatures as the pair of initial denominators for the P300. Arriving in the second quarter, the LS will replace the P-Series DLX and LS, while the third quarter will see the P-Series SX make way for the P300 with the same grade name.

Until the second quarter, only double cabs will make up the P300 range, followed by the single cabs from the third quarter.

Aside from the DLX grade being no more, the same won't apply to the 2.0-litre turbodiesel that has been the sole option across the entire P-Series until now.

The in-house developed 120kW/400Nm mill will, therefore, prevail in the P300, but only underneath the bonnets of the SX and LS and more, than likely, in the single cabs as well.

For the LT and LTD, the mid-life update and name change mean the introduction of the all-new 2.4-litre oil.