Great Wall ute gets even cheaper

CHINA’S Great Wall Motors has set a new price benchmark for Australia’s utility market with the release of single-cab versions of its pioneering V240 dual-cab ute.

Now on sale from an astonishing $17,990 drive-away, the V240 4x2 single-cab is $6000 cheaper than the equivalent V240 dual-cab ($23,990 drive-away) and $1000 more affordable than Great Wall’s inferior SA220 dual-cab ($18,990 drive-away), which remains a four-door-only model.

More importantly, however, Great Wall’s newest and cheapest V240 ute derivative significantly undercuts the prices of every ute available in Australia except Proton’s soon-to-be-discontinued Jumbuck (from $13,990 drive-away).

That includes entry-level petrol-powered Japanese-brand single-cab utes such as Toyota’s top-selling HiLux 2.7 WorkMate cab-chassis ($18,490 plus on-road costs) and Mitsubishi’s Triton 2.4 GL cab-chassis ($20,990 plus ORCs), not to mention diesel-only models like Mazda’s BT-50 (from $24,065) and Nissan’s D22 Navara ($23,690).

It also includes India’s diesel-only Mahindra Pik-Up (from $21,999 drive-away) and the diesel-only Isuzu D-Max (from $24,900), which is built in Thailand like most Japanese-brand utes sold in Australia.

The Great Wall V240 single-cab will also be available as a 4x4, priced at an equally bargain-basement $20,990.

Despite the keen pricing, the two-door V240 will come standard with twin front airbags, ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, a drop-side alloy tray, air-conditioning, alloy wheels, power steering, remote central locking, CD player and power mirrors.

Like all Great Wall models in Australia, the V240 is backed by a three-year/100,000km new-vehicle warranty and 24-hour roadside assist and loan car programs.

Without its tray, the V240 single-cab measures 4825mm long, 1800mm wide and 1662mm high, while the tray measures 2400mm long, 1842mm wide and 250mm high. The two-door V240 rides on a 3050mm wheelbase and has 1515mm front and 1525mm rear wheel tracks.

Both 4x2 and 4x4 versions also come with minimum ground clearance of 194mm, a 12-metre turning circle, a 30-degree approach angle and average fuel consumption of 10.7L/100km.

Kerb weights range between 1387kg (4x2) and 1507kg (4x4), while GVMs are listed at 2705kg (4x2) and 2825kg (4x4).

As with the V240 dual-cab, the single-cab is powered exclusively by a 2.378-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with long-stroke 87 x 100mm cylinder dimensions, which delivers 100kW at 5250rpm and 200Nm of torque between 2500 and 3000rpm.

Wheels and tyres on both variants are 16x7.0-inch and 235/70 R16 respectively, while braking is via front discs and rear drums, and suspension comprises independent double wishbones with torsion bar springs up front and leaf-sprung live axle at rear.

An automatic transmission will not become available for either of Great Wall’s ute models, but a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine delivering 100kW at 4000rpm and 310Nm from 3000rpm and matched with a six-speed manual transmission is eventually due to join the range, and should appear first in the V240 dual-cab by mid-2011.

“The twin-cab V240 has proven to be extremely reliable and very popular with a wide range of customers over the past year,” said Ric Hull, the managing director of Great Wall’s Australian importer, Ateco Automotive.

As we’ve previously reported, Ateco has targeted sales of between 200 and 300 per month for the V240 single-cab, which will not be available with a style-side tray – on top of an average of 500 sales a month for Great Wall’s V240 and SA220 (4x2 and 4x4) dual-cabs.

“We are optimistic that this very keenly priced single-cab V240 will be embraced just as enthusiastically,” said Mr Hull.

Great Wall V240single cab pricing:
4x2	$17,990
4x4	$20,990