GWM Targets 50,000+ Sales in Australia by 2025, The afternoon heat radiates off the asphalt as I walk through GWM’s new flagship dealership in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The showroom floor is packed with the brand’s current lineup—Tank SUVs, Ute pickups, and Haval crossovers displayed under careful lighting that accentuates their increasingly premium design cues. But it’s the conversation happening in a glass-walled conference room that reveals the true scale of GWM’s Australian ambitions.
Also Read:- Mitsubishi PHEV Owners Prefer EV Mode, Study Reveals
“Fifty thousand vehicles next year is just the beginning,” says Michael Johnson, the dealership’s sales manager, gesturing toward a presentation slide visible through the glass. “They’re talking about fourteen new models in basically two years. It’s going to transform our business completely.”
This scene reflects the rapidly accelerating plans of Great Wall Motors (GWM), the Chinese automotive giant that has set its sights on dramatically expanding its Australian footprint. In a market historically dominated by Japanese, Korean, and American brands, GWM’s ambitious target of exceeding 50,000 annual sales by 2025—backed by an aggressive new model offensive—represents one of the most significant expansion plans ever attempted by a Chinese manufacturer in Australia.
After speaking with industry analysts, dealership staff, and GWM representatives over the past week, it’s become clear that this push is no mere aspiration but a carefully structured strategy to transform GWM from a value-oriented alternative to a mainstream competitor across multiple market segments.
The Numbers Game: Targeting 50,000 Annual Sales
GWM’s sales target of exceeding 50,000 vehicles in 2025 represents a staggering leap from its current performance. The company delivered approximately 25,300 vehicles in Australia during 2023—itself a record for the brand and an 8 percent increase over 2022. Achieving the 50,000 target would mean nearly doubling current volumes in a market that’s expected to remain relatively flat overall.
“It’s an extremely ambitious target,” notes Sarah Thompson, automotive market analyst at Industry Insights. “To put it in perspective, that volume would place GWM ahead of established brands like Honda and Volkswagen in the Australian market, and potentially challenging Subaru for position as a top-ten brand.”
What makes the target particularly significant is Australia’s position as a mature, highly competitive market. Unlike developing markets where overall growth might provide a natural lift, GWM’s Australian expansion will necessarily come at the expense of established competitors in a relatively stable market.
“They’re essentially saying they’re going to take significant market share from someone else,” explains Thompson. “In a market of roughly 1.2 million annual sales, capturing an additional 25,000 units means taking roughly 2 percentage points of market share from existing players.”
Current Performance and Trajectory
GWM’s confidence in this target stems from its recent performance trajectory. The brand has shown consistent growth since rebranding from Great Wall to GWM in 2021, with particularly strong results in the 4×4 ute and medium SUV segments. The GWM Ute has established itself as the best-selling Chinese vehicle in Australia, while the Haval Jolion has found success in the competitive small SUV category.
Year-to-date sales figures for 2024 show continued momentum, with the brand tracking at an annualized rate of approximately 30,000 vehicles based on first-quarter results. This trajectory provides a foundation for the more aggressive growth targeted in 2025, though still leaves a substantial gap to bridge.
“Their current growth rate is impressive but would still fall short of the 50,000 target,” notes Robert Chen, dealership network consultant who has worked with several Asian manufacturers entering the Australian market. “What they’re banking on is the new model offensive creating a multiplier effect rather than just incremental growth.”
The Product Offensive: Fourteen New Models
Central to GWM’s expansion strategy is an unprecedented product offensive, with the company confirming plans to launch at least fourteen new models in the Australian market by the end of 2026. This aggressive launch schedule encompasses both updates to existing vehicles and entries into entirely new segments.
“The scope of the product rollout is unlike anything we’ve seen from a Chinese manufacturer in Australia,” notes Thompson. “Most have taken a gradual approach, introducing perhaps one or two new models annually. GWM is essentially planning to refresh or expand its entire lineup in approximately 24 months.”
The confirmed model launches span multiple segments and propulsion types:
- Additional Tank variants, including a potential smaller model below the current Tank 300
- Expanded Ute lineup, including higher-performance versions and potentially a lifestyle-oriented variant
- New Haval SUV models across different size categories
- Multiple hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants across the lineup
- At least two pure electric vehicles, likely under the Ora sub-brand
“They’re not just adding new nameplates but expanding into powertrains and body styles that give them presence in virtually every major market segment,” explains Chen. “It’s a volume play combined with a coverage play—ensuring they have competitive offerings wherever there’s significant market demand.”
Strategic Product Positioning
What’s particularly notable about GWM’s product strategy is its evolving positioning. Where earlier Chinese entrants to the Australian market competed primarily on price, GWM appears to be pursuing a more sophisticated approach that balances value with increasingly premium features and distinctive design.
“The new models we’ve previewed show a clear upward trajectory in terms of quality, technology, and design sophistication,” notes Johnson from his dealership perspective. “They’re still offering strong value compared to Japanese and Korean alternatives, but the gap in perceived quality has narrowed dramatically.”
This positioning is evident in vehicles like the Tank 500, a large SUV that combines genuine off-road capability with luxury interior appointments, and the recently launched Ora electric vehicles that feature distinctive styling and technology-focused interiors. Both represent significant departures from the utilitarian, budget-focused vehicles that once defined Chinese automotive exports.
“What we’re seeing is a shift from competing solely on price to competing on a more holistic value proposition,” explains Thompson. “The next wave of products will offer competitive specifications, distinctive design elements, and increasingly premium features while maintaining a price advantage—though not the dramatic underpricing seen in earlier generations.”
Market Challenges and Competitive Response
Despite GWM’s ambitious plans and promising trajectory, significant challenges remain in achieving the 50,000 sales target. The Australian automotive market presents unique hurdles for new entrants, particularly those from China.
“Brand perception remains the single biggest challenge,” notes Chen. “GWM has made significant strides in quality and design, but Australian consumers still harbor some skepticism about Chinese vehicles—particularly regarding long-term reliability, parts availability, and resale value.”
These perception challenges are compounded by Australia’s highly competitive market environment. Established Japanese brands like Toyota and Mazda maintain strong market positions, while Korean manufacturers Hyundai and Kia have successfully completed their own journey from budget alternatives to mainstream competitors.
“The incumbent brands won’t surrender market share without a fight,” warns Thompson. “We’re already seeing more aggressive pricing, extended warranty offerings, and increased feature content from established players in the segments where GWM is gaining traction.”
Dealer Network Expansion
A critical element of GWM’s strategy involves expanding its dealer network to support the higher sales volumes and broader model range. The company currently maintains approximately 100 dealers nationwide but has indicated plans to increase this number significantly.
“You simply can’t sell 50,000 vehicles through 100 dealers efficiently,” explains Chen. “Most successful brands in that volume range operate networks of 150-200 dealers to ensure adequate geographic coverage and sales capacity.”
According to dealer sources, GWM is actively recruiting additional partners in metropolitan areas while also focusing on improving facilities at existing locations. This expansion carries its own challenges, particularly in securing prime retail locations and experienced staff in a competitive industry environment.
“Finding the right dealer partners is perhaps as challenging as developing the right products,” notes Chen. “Established dealers with premium locations are often locked into agreements with incumbent brands, while new facilities require substantial investment with uncertain returns.”
Electric Transition and Australian Market Dynamics
A significant portion of GWM’s planned model offensive involves electrified vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and pure EVs. This focus on electrification represents both an opportunity and a challenge in the Australian market, where EV adoption has lagged behind other developed economies.
“The timing of their electrification push is interesting,” observes Thompson. “Australia’s EV market is still developing, with electrified vehicles accounting for less than 8 percent of new vehicle sales. GWM appears to be betting on accelerated adoption coinciding with their product offensive.”
This strategy could position GWM advantageously if Australia’s EV adoption accelerates as predicted. By establishing early presence in the electrified segments while they’re still developing, the company could secure market position before competition intensifies further.
“Their approach to electrification appears quite pragmatic,” notes Chen. “Rather than going all-in on pure EVs, they’re offering a spectrum of electrified options including conventional hybrids that require no charging infrastructure. This hedges their bets while the Australian market continues to develop.”
Price Positioning and Value Proposition
Perhaps the most critical factor in GWM’s expansion plans is maintaining its value proposition while moving upmarket in terms of features and quality. The current lineup has established clear price advantages versus comparable Japanese and Korean alternatives, but this gap may narrow as the brand seeks to improve profitability.
“The sweet spot for Chinese brands in Australia has typically been a 15-20 percent price advantage versus established competitors with similar specifications,” explains Thompson. “As GWM moves upmarket, maintaining this differential while improving product quality creates margin pressure that will test their business model.”
Early indications from recent launches suggest GWM is managing this balance effectively. The Tank 300, for instance, offers genuine off-road capability and distinctive styling at a price point approximately 20 percent below comparable Japanese alternatives—a formula that has resulted in strong initial sales and lengthy waiting lists at some dealerships.
“What’s changed is that the value equation now extends beyond just price,” notes Johnson. “Customers are responding to the design distinctiveness, feature content, and overall package rather than making decisions based solely on the bottom line. That’s a significant evolution for Chinese brands in this market.”
Transforming Australia’s Automotive Landscape
As GWM pursues its ambitious growth targets and model offensive, the implications extend beyond the company’s own success or failure. The brand’s expansion represents a potential inflection point for Chinese manufacturers in the Australian market, testing whether they can transition from value-oriented alternatives to mainstream competitors across multiple segments.
“If GWM achieves anywhere near their 50,000 sales target, it fundamentally reshapes the competitive landscape,” concludes Thompson. “It would demonstrate that Chinese brands can successfully compete across the full market spectrum, not just in budget-sensitive niches.”
For Australian consumers, this intensified competition promises benefits regardless of which brands they ultimately choose. The pressure on established manufacturers to respond with improved value, extended warranties, and accelerated product cycles creates a more favorable buying environment across the market.
“The next two years will be fascinating to watch,” notes Chen. “GWM’s ambitious plans have already prompted competitive responses from Japanese and Korean brands. The real winners in this scenario are ultimately Australian car buyers, who will have more choices, better value, and accelerated technology adoption regardless of which manufacturer succeeds.”
As I leave the GWM dealership, a customer is taking delivery of a new Tank 300, excitedly exploring features with a sales consultant. Five years ago, this scene—an enthusiastic buyer choosing a Chinese SUV over established alternatives—would have been rare. If GWM’s expansion plans succeed, it may soon become commonplace across Australia’s automotive landscape, marking a new chapter in the country’s evolving relationship with Chinese automotive brands.
Also ReaD:- Upcoming GWM Car Launches in 2025 – Full List and Features