GWM embarks on
global drive

Once upon a time in 1990, in the industrious heart of Baoding, China, a 26-year-old named Jack Wey walked into a modest manufacturing plant and declared: “Let there be trucks.” 

Fast forward three decades, and that humble operation has transformed into GWM, a global powerhouse in the automotive world.

At the core of GWM’s international game plan lies a charming paradox: “Global standards and local customisation.” 

GWM insists on keeping safety and quality consistent across the board. Nobody wants a car that performs like a rockstar in Europe and like a tricycle in Africa. With multiple five-star ratings under its belt in some of the world’s toughest testing programmes, GWM has proven that it is not just playing bumper cars with safety regulations. As President Mu Feng put it at the Shanghai Auto Show 2025: “There is always room to raise the bar for safety. There is no such thing as ‘just right’ – only the relentless pursuit of better.”

GWM has flung 500 million yuan (R1,25-billion) into building Asia’s largest safety testing facility. During Auto Shanghai, GWM rolled out scale models of this facility, which may not have been as thrilling as a test drive, but certainly made safety look sexy.

_{Photo: SHERYL GOLDSTUCK.}

GWM is not only about crash tests and crumple zones. Different markets, different strokes. The TANK 300 Middle East Edition has a roof that resembles a starry sky, because what else do you look at while conquering sand dunes at midnight? The ORA Nordic Edition has aurora-themed lighting, perfect for those who want their drive to feel like a mobile light show in the Arctic.

In 1995, GWM made its big debut with the “Deer” pickup, a name that might not sound fierce, but evidently did the trick. By 1997, they were going global. Today, the GWM Poer is the number one pickup brand in China and one of the top three worldwide. Add in the Haval H6, the luxurious Wey, the electric personality of Ora, and the rugged charm of Tank, and GWM has a full fleet that caters to cowboys, commuters, and connoisseurs alike.

_{Photo: SHERYL GOLDSTUCK.}

Of course, no modern automotive saga is complete without a green twist. The GWM’s 2.4T diesel powertrain, as clean and efficient as a germaphobe with a PhD in environmental science. Alongside this, GWM has developed a broad lineup of hybrid systems – Hi4, Hi4-T, Hi4-G, and a few more that sound like superhero aliases, all built to conquer the future one low-emission tyre at a time.

GWM is now in more than 170 countries and regions, including Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. The company has formed alliances with over 300 global suppliers, weaving a web of collaboration tighter than a pair of skinny jeans in winter.

* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.