Now GWM South Africa has managed to procure a supply of the turbodiesel Hover, powered by a Mitsubishi 2,5-litre turbodiesel engine, with an intercooler. Performance from this engine is far more impressive than that of the petrol engine, and it produces 300 Nm of torque and maximum power of 80 kW, as opposed to the 100 kW and 200 Nm of the petrol. Common rail and direct injection technology is used in the diesel engine.
The turbodiesel Hover, like the petrol version, is available in both 4x4 and 4x2 derivatives. Ground clearance of 200mm and a Borg-Warner low-range system make the 4x4 version capable off-road, and the extra torque of the diesel is particularly useful off-road.
The Hover features double-wishbone independent suspension in the front and coil-spring with multilink suspension at the rear. A 74-litre fuel tank ensures a decent range.
Standard features include roofracks, reverse radar, electric mirrors, a leather interior, air-conditioning, an MP3 compatible CD player, electric front seats and electric windows.
Safety is another aspect that has received considerable attention from the GWM engineers, and the result is a four-star rating from Euro NCAP. Side-impact bars, dual front airbags, ABS and EBD are all standard features on all models.
The GWM Hover TCi is already available from GWM dealerships countrywide. It is priced at R244 990 for the 4x2 and R264 990 for the 4x4, and comes with a three-year/100 000km warranty.