Great Wall Motors Releases First Images Of The Haval B06 SUV

Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors (GWM) was one of the first-time entries to the AutoExpo, held earlier this year at Greater Noida and they exhibited quite an exciting range of products up their sleeve under the brand name Haval. Now, the GWM subsidiary has revealed first images of their new SUV- the Haval B06 (internally codenamed).

This new SUV  will be independent of Haval’s current H and F series of SUVs. The brand is yet to officially reveal the model’s name or technical specifications. The new B06 SUV is slated to make its international debut in the second half of this year. The upcoming SUV is based on the same platform as the H5 model and is expected to replace it in the future.

Design Details

The official images show many similarities with the design sketches that were recently released. The new SUV has got a fairly aggressive design, the mastermind of which is a former specialist. Judging by these, Phil Simmons, who once was the chief designer at Land Rover, gave the car a distinct and bold exterior appearance with strong Jeep and Mercedes G-Class vibes.

The images reveal a sharp and squared-off overall design with some rounded edges to balance the visuals. The relatively upright and rather large grille dominates the front fascia, with round headlights and LED DRLs flanking the grille. These elements give the SUV a retro appearance, similar to the Mercedes-Benz G-class. The production version of the SUV will also get roof rails and a wider grille.

Also READ: Know More About An Upcoming Brand: GWM (Great Wall Motor) And Haval

On the sides, there are heavily flared fenders with distinct shoulder lines that give the model a muscular stance, especially with the body cladding around the car. At the back, the boxy cues continue, though the sharp crease of the tailgate and L-shaped tail-lights, which remind us of the Haval Concept H shown at the 2020 Auto Expo, help break the monotony. Another similarity with Concept H is the window line, which tapers towards the rear.

The interior of the car has not been revealed yet, however, some insider information suggests that the SUV will get a big centre console, vertical vents of the ventilation system and combined into one digital unit of the instrument panel and media system. A large infotainment screen takes centre stage on the dashboard, with the driver getting a digital instrument cluster. The dashboard design is upright and uncluttered, to the extent that the traditional gear selector has been replaced by a rotary dial. However, what the final production model will look like is still not confirmed.

Expected Powertrains

Apart from these, no technical details have been revealed as of yet. As far as engines are concerned, rumour has it that the new ladder-on-frame SUV might borrow its engine range from the F7 and F7x models, both of which come equipped with petrol four-cylinder turbos with 1.5 and 2.0 litres of displacement. The former has an output of 169 hp and 285 Nm of peak torque and the latter cranks out 224 hp and 385 Nm of peak torque. Both link to the same 7-speed DCT transmission. Mild and plug-in hybrid modifications also exist, and customers can choose between FWD and AWD.

Expected Launch

Great Wall Motor is the largest SUV and pickup manufacturer in China. GWM owns four major brands – Haval, Wey, Ora and Great Wall Pickup. The Haval B06 will likely debut later this summer, with sales in China planned for November. GWM has entered into an agreement to take over General Motors’ plant in Talegaon, Maharashtra. The Chinese brand had showcased the Haval H9, F7, F7X, H concept, F5,  Vision 2025 concept and GWM R1 electric car at the 2020 Auto Expo. However, the carmaker is yet to confirm which models will be introduced in our market.