A New Contender in the Luxury SUV Market
Move over, Denza B8! China’s most convincing answer yet to the Mercedes-Benz GLS, Lexus LX, and Range Rover is making its way to Australia. This luxury SUV promises to deliver most of the high-end features found in European and Japanese upper-large luxury SUVs at a significantly lower price. The GWM flagship brand Wey’s V9X was revealed in early March and made its debut at last month’s China Auto Show in Beijing. However, its official confirmation for the Australian market is still pending.
According to a company spokesperson speaking to CarsGuide at the company’s headquarters in Baoding, the V9X is under serious consideration for Australia. While no final decision has been made, it is expected to be priced over $100,000. This would make it more expensive than the Denza B8, which starts from $91,000 and nearly $98,000 for the seven-seater and six-seater models respectively. To justify this higher price, the Wey SUV is designed, packaged, and specified to compete with the higher-grade versions of its competitors.
Luxurious Features and Advanced Technology
The Wey V9X comes equipped with a range of luxurious features that are rare in this segment. These include GWM-first air suspension with three comfort settings, four-wheel steering with a “Crab Mode” for a tighter turning circle, AI assistance inside, next-level autonomous driving tech where legal, powered doors, massaging seats (with captain’s chairs and ottomans in the second and third row), expansive multimedia systems accessed by various huge touchscreens, multiple conductive charging surfaces for devices, and more.
The vehicle offers a colossal amount of individualisation, available in two body lengths (5.2 metres and 5.3m) and wheelbase sizes (3050mm and 3150mm). Kerb weight ranges from 2740kg to 2930kg, making it a substantial presence on the road.
Advanced Powertrain and Electrification
Built on GWM’s all-new ONE Platform, the electrified architecture supports internal combustion engine (ICE) in hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) formats branded Hi4, as well as coming EV power using battery and – later on – fuel-cell hydrogen applications. Even the Hi4 is available in faster-charging 800 volt as well as 400V configurations.
For now, the V9X is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol Hi4 PHEV-only proposition, using a three- or four-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (depending on spec), paired to two electric motors and a choice of battery packs in around 55.5kWh, 66kWh and 80kWh sizes, for China-rated CLTC range of 240km, 312km and 363km respectively. Not bad for a massive electrified SUV.
Performance and Handling
The 400V PHEV with the 55.5kWh battery delivers a combined 510kW of power and 862Nm of torque to all four wheels, for a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds on the way to a 210km/h top speed, while the 800V PHEV’s numbers are 550kW, 930Nm, 4.6s and 225km/h.
To help keep all that performance in check, the V9X features intelligent-torque-distribution all-wheel drive and electronically-controlled air suspension for the double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension systems.
Future Details and Specifications
More information, including full data specs for the whole range, will be revealed later this year. The V9X is set to challenge the current luxury SUV market in Australia with its advanced technology, impressive performance, and luxurious features. As the automotive landscape continues to evolve, the V9X represents a significant step forward in the world of luxury SUVs.
