Facelifts for Great Wall

AUSTRALIA’S first Chinese vehicle brand, Great Wall Motors, has introduced facelifted, upgraded and diesel-powered versions of its popular X240 compact SUV and bargain-basement V240 dual-cab ute, which also comes in for a further $1000 price cut.

Details of the new-look Great Wall range were revealed via the brand’s Australian public website on Friday (April 1), but won’t be officially announced until later this week.

First images of the facelifted MY2011 X240 wagon reveal an all-new front-end with a revised Mazda-style bumper, grille and new back-swept triangular headlights, while new standard equipment will include a reversing camera, DVD player, Bluetooth connectivity and steering wheel audio controls.

Pricing for the X240 remains steady at just $23,990 drive-away (including all on-road costs).

Hitherto available only in 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol guise, the X240 will be bolstered by the addition of a diesel version.

Left: Updated Great Wall V240 dual cab.

GoAuto has learned that while the X240’s 93kW petrol engine remains unchanged and will continue to be available only with a five-speed manual transmission, it will be joined by a new X200 TDi model powered by a 105kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine matched with both six-speed manual and five-speed automatic gearboxes.

The X240 – which was launched in Australian in October 2009 and last year attracted in the first quarter of this year has attracted 3270 customers to outsell compact SUVs like Ford’s Escape and Kia’s Sportage – continues to come standard with twin front airbags, ABS brakes, power windows/mirrors, remote central locking, alloy wheels and front/rear foglights.

Meantime, the first Great Wall to hit Australia (in June 2009), the V240 ute, has also come in for a MY2011 refresh, headlined by squarer new headlights, a $1000 price cut and diesel power for dual-cab versions.

Now priced from $22,990 drive-away, the new-look V240 petrol dual-cab also gains steering wheel controls, and will get the same 105kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel as the X240 wagon.

The V240’s 93kW four-cylinder petrol engine remains unchanged and continues to be matched only with five-speed manual transmission, while the new V200 dual-cab diesel will come with a six-speed manual transmission.

The V240 single-cab retains the MY10 model’s polarising oval-shaped headlights and remains one of Australia’s cheapest utilities at $17,990 drive-away, with 4x4 versions adding $3000 to the cost of both single and dual-cab models.

All Great Wall utes continue to come standard with twin front airbags, ABS brakes, remote central locking, power windows/mirrors and 16-inch wheels.

Last year, Australian sales of V240 4x2 models surged by 176 per cent to 1770 – more than Nissan’s Navara 4x2 and the Isuzu D-Max 4x2 – for a three per cent share of the segment, while sales of V240 4x4 models increased by 90 per cent to 1338, proving almost as popular as Nissan’s 4x4 Patrol ute.

Stay tuned for full technical and pricing details of the new Great Wall diesels.