Chinese carmaker Great Wall reached a decision in late 2018 to switch exclusively to the production of pickup trucks. Over the course of the next three years, the company plans to design and produce at least five new trucks, including one fully electric. At the impending auto show in Shanghai, the manufacturer will show its new P series pickup.
It has to be pointed out that the car is largely identical with the next-gen Haval H9 SUV in terms of its underlying architecture and components. It comes equipped with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and a multi-link suspension in the rear.
Based on the teaser image, the Shanghai show car is still in its early concept stage. Interestingly, Chinese media claim that the truck is so hardcore it ships with a diff lock, snorkel, and winch in base.
The company has released a single cabin photo as well, showing a premium leather combo trim with diamond stitching. Then again, Great Wall will also ship the car with a more affordable interior trim.
Demand for pickup trucks has grown ca. 10% in China lately, mostly owing to the Chinese government relaxing multiple regulations concerning this type of transportation. Considering this, Great Wall’s switch to pickups looks perfectly logical, as it gives the company a chance to earn its place in the sun before the competition.
Photos: Great Wall