New-look dealerships coming for GWM

WITH seven new models joining the GWM range across the course of the calendar year – and as many again in 2026 – GWM says its focus on creating larger and more cohesive showroom centres is one that hasn’t passed it by.

The Chinese importer will expand its dealership network from 113 to 125 locations before December this year, as it grows Australian sales to an expected 50,000 units.

“We finished 2024 with 42,782 sales, which was a record for us in Australia, and we finished top 10 in New Zealand as well, which again is a very strong result,” said GWM Australia and New Zealand head of marketing and communications Steve Maciver.

“But we’re not resting on our laurels. We’re confident there is more (sales) there, and we’re working very hard to make sure that we can consolidate our position in 2025 – and moving forward.

“At the end of February, we have our first ever top seven finish (in Australia) – the highest we’ve ever finished in a single month – and we think that’s close to where we’re going to be (positioned in the market) moving forward.

“Year-to-date, we are in eighth position, and against a market that is down 6.7 per cent, we have shown a good increase (in sales) to be up 9.2 per cent year-to-date.”

Mr Maciver said the arrival of models, which include the Cannon Alpha PHEV and all-new Haval H6 in Q2, the Haval H7 in Q3, and new Tank 500 PHEV in Q4, will spur further interest in the brand, promising it will “invest heavily” not only in the localised tuning of its vehicles, but also in the dealership space.

“We will have a minimum of seven new model launches of new or significantly updated models arriving into the range in 2025 … and in addition to that, roughly the same number of new or significantly updated models in 2026,” he said.

“We are continuing to invest heavily in our GWM master brands, and in making sure people understand how Haval, Tank, Ora, and Cannon fit underneath that GWM master brand.”

Further to the statements made by Mr Maciver, GWM Australia and New Zealand managing director Charles Zhao told GoAuto the parent company was also working toward improving its dealership image, adapting where possible to offer larger floor area to showcase its broadening model portfolio.

“Our business in Australia is about building long-term partnerships,” he said.

“We have been through difficult times in the past, and we thank our dealers for supporting us. In those times, as now, the cost of doing business in Australia is very high, which is why many of our dealerships are smaller than some of our rival brands.

“And while we certainly encourage our dealers to invest more in the brand, we need to make sure they are making money first. We need to make sure their business is sustainable.

“We are using incentives based on their sales volumes to allow them to support larger showrooms, but, at the moment, we appreciate this is still something of a transition period for most.

“Over the coming two to three years, you will see a very different dealer image.”

In growing from 113 to 125 locations across 2025, GWM Australia and New Zealand chief operating officer John Kett said the brand’s growth places it in the enviable position of being able to move into spaces abandoned by other marques.

“Our network is in a position at the moment where the real positive for our brand is in conquesting bigger showrooms from those brands that are losing scale,” he told GoAuto.

“When we move and get a beautiful new CI (corporate identity) – and can demonstrate to our dealer partners that there is profitability there – you will see that presence evolve. We think 130 dealer locations nationally is probably reasonable and will cover the major metropolitan and rural centres that you speak of.

“Ultimately, I think it’s our vehicles that will bring technical credibility to us and allow our dealers to generate more profitability over time, and address some of those emerging issues around the standardised look and feel of our showrooms.”