The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
GWM Philippines presented its newest pickup workhorse – the GWM Cannon – in sizzling fashion as it put to a grueling test their newest product during the GWM Track Day last Thursday at the R33 Drift Track in San Simon, Pampanga.
It was truly a New Cannon Experience for all the huge number of attending motoring media and content creators who took turns in riding and driving the vehicle under various conditions.
No less than the president of the Luxuriant Automotive Group Inc., Ruben Tan, was on hand to lead the top officers of the GWM Philippines (led by its brand head and marketing director Dax Avenido) in welcoming the members of the motoring media.
“I was so happy to see many members of the motoring media participating in our track day to experience the GWM Cannon which is a real tough utility vehicle but very pleasurable to ride and drive,” Ruben Tan said.
Produced by Great Wall Motor, the GWM Cannon is known for its combination of smart technology and rugged capability and now available in two variants here – the Cannon SLUX 4×4 9AT – P1,498,000 and the Cannon LUX 4×4 9AT – P1,348,000. GWM has not put an additional excise tax yet on their new product because of the big inventory for the consumers.
The 2025 update version has a new 2.4-liter turbodiesel engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission that produces 184 horsepower and 480 Nm of torque. It has a towing capacity of 3.5 tons and a payload of up to 995 kg.
The interior boasts of a more premium feel with well-detailed seats (the front seats are ventilated) and well-lighted surroundings. There’s a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster.
The full capabilities of its upgraded engine and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assist System were put to the test, reinforcing how the New Cannon merges power, precision, and smart safety in a commanding yet refined package.
“The New GWM Cannon represents the next evolution of pickups in our market — capable, refined, and packed with features that today’s drivers value. “This event allowed our guests to experience that firsthand, and to see just how much engineering and innovations went into this vehicle,” said brand head and marketing director Dax Avenido.
Avenido also said that GWM Philippines continues to gain momentum in the local automotive scene as the brand overshot its sales targets, achieving 124% of its goals in April and sustaining a strong average growth rate in the second quarter at 39%. This solid second-quarter performance reflects growing market confidence in GWM’s offerings, particularly with the New Cannon leading the way.
As the brand moves into the second half of 2025, GWM Philippines is set to expand with new product rollouts and nationwide activations, with the New Cannon playing a central role in driving growth and customer engagement.