Images of the Tank 500 SUV, which entered the Chinese market in the spring of 2022, appeared in the open database of the Federal Intellectual Property Service this week, and an application for its preservation was filed in October, shortly after its world debut. The car featured at the Chengdu Motor Show. .
The Tank 500 SUV is similar in size and functionality to the products of Japanese automobile concerns. In the modification without a spare wheel on the trunk lid, it is only 7 cm shorter than the latest Toyota Land Cruiser 300. At the same time, the brand itself is quite young and belongs to the Great Wall concern, under this brand sales began. 2021 with the younger model Tank 300. The same company owns an automobile plant in the Tula region, as well as the Haval and GWM brands represented on the Russian market.
tank 500
tank
With a total length of about 5 meters, the Tank 500 is offered on the Chinese market in five-seat and seven-seat versions. In accordance with modern trends in the automotive industry, the instrument cluster is virtual and based on a 12.3 inch color screen.
The larger 14.6 inch tablet screen is for the media system.
Wood and metal are used in the interior trim, and an analogue clock is placed in the center console that directly references premium models from Japanese brands. The equipment includes LED matrix headlights, a panoramic roof and four-zone climate control.
Tank 500 inner
tank
The SUV is built according to the classic frame scheme, with a longitudinal (not transverse) engine and all-wheel drive, a permanent rear axle and an independent front suspension. If necessary, the front axle is connected by an electromagnetic clutch, in the arsenal of the tank there is a reduction gear and inter-wheel locks, as well as a drive mode selection system (there are 11 in total).
The car is equipped with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 gasoline engine and produces 354 horsepower, the transmission is automatic 9-speed.
The power plant is powered by a “mild hybrid” system with a separate 48-volt electrical system for a starter-generator that recharges the battery.
The appearance of the Tank 500 on the Russian market is very likely in the near future – and as an independent automotive industry consultant, the Toyota Land Cruiser can become a worthy alternative to cars such as Volkswagen Touareg or Mitsubishi Pajero (at least used ones). Sergey Burgazliev believes.
tank 500
tank
“According to the information I have, it will definitely appear in Russia this year or early next year,” Burgazliev told socialbites.ca. “Given most competitors are unlikely to offer anything in the next six months, it has every chance of success with adequate price positioning.”
If we consider that the price of this car in China starts from 335 thousand yuan (2.8 million rubles at the current exchange rate), then in Russia the prices for the Tank 500 are very likely to start from 4-4.5 million rubles,
and the expert believes that such a price is enough. Haval’s experience shows that buyers were cautious when getting to know a new brand for the first six months, but as soon as the knowledge of the car’s value spread among people, they began to see it as an alternative to more famous brands. argues.
“I can predict that some people considering a five-year-old Land Cruiser for themselves will take over the new product,” Burgazliev said.
If we consider the car in terms of all its qualities and driving sensations, then the Chinese Tank 500 is unlikely to replace cars like the Toyota Land Cruiser, said Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem magazine.
Federal Institute of Industrial Property
“There is not a single Chinese car that does not reach the iconic models on the market, even given the fact that they are getting better in terms of the sum of their qualities. I’m not talking about a set of equipment, but about how it works, looks, feels – Kadakov notes in an interview with socialbites.ca. – I do not think that the Tank 500 can become a full-fledged replacement for the “Japanese”.
Kadakov states that the possible success of the Tank 500 will primarily depend on its price positioning. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that introducing a model to the market is associated with additional costs for personnel training, advertising and other similar expenses – and the entry of this brand into the Russian market can only be justified by sales volumes. “There are not tens, but thousands of cars,” he concludes.
Source: Gazeta
