GWM Cannon: range day

GWM Philippines has taken its updated pickup truck to the R33 Drift Track in Pampanga to showcase its capabilities to members of the motoring media and guest influencers. 

And much like how one would practice firearm drills at the range, the people behind the brand — and the instructors from Ramirez and Cutter Incorporated — allowed attendees to run some exercises with the new GWM Cannon. 

Here are some sections of the custom-made track that allowed us to experience what China’s best-selling pickup has to offer. 

Turning and braking 

We put the GWM Cannon through a routine that simulates a scenario where the driver must slam the brakes while entering a corner at a decent pace. 

Here, it showed some balance as the vehicle remained planted on the ground despite the abrupt turn. The brakes, too, proved to work well as they managed to bring the truck to a halt — with some grace. 

To note, the new GWM Cannon uses a double wishbone suspension system at the front and leaf spring rigid axles at the rear. It relies on ventilated disc brakes all around. 

Pushing us forward is a 2.4-liter turbocharged diesel engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission that generates the following figures: 

Maximum power output (in horsepower)	181
Maximum torque (in Newton-meters)	480

Overall, it handled pretty adequately on turns with some noticeable body rolls. Acceleration is reasonable, while pulling power was impressive. 

Smart parking 

Another practical scenario we drilled was using the GWM Cannon’s advanced driver assist systems when parking. To imitate common situations, the instructor had us park backward and parallel to highlight the handful of cameras and sensors that are fitted on the pickup truck. 

Needless to say, squeezing in and out of tight parking spots would be easy not only for experienced drivers but also for beginners. 

Here are the technological features one may find in the GWM Cannon: 

• 12.3-inch multi-touch infotainment system 
• 540-degree surround-view monitor with four high-definition capture cameras
• Front and rear parking sensors 

ABS test 

We also got to test the GWM Cannon’s anti-lock braking system (ABS), but this was on an instructor-led exercise. That said, our coach did a similar maneuver as the aforementioned turning and braking exercise to activate the truck’s ABS. 

On that note, the experience was pretty rough but that’s how you know that the said safety feature is working. 

Speaking of which, here are other safety technologies that will benefit would-be owners in the future: 

• Brake assist 
• Electronic stability control 
• Hill-descent control 
• Hill-start assist control 
• Roll movement intervention 
• Traction control system 
• Automatic emergency braking 
• Cross traffic alert
• Forward collision warning 
• Intelligent cruise assistance 
• Lane centering assist 
• Lane change assist 
• Lane departure warning 
• Intersection assistance 
• Automatic fuel cut-off function 

GWM Cannon first look

Want to know more about the new GWM Cannon? Check out Zigwheels Philippines’ first look of the pickup truck in the video below: 

Variants, pricing 

The new GWM Cannon is available in two variants. Below are their respective price tags: 

GWM Cannon Lux	P1.348 million
GWM Cannon SLux	P1.498 million

“The New GWM Cannon represents the next evolution of pickups in our market — capable, refined, and packed with features that today’s drivers value,” GWM Philippines Brand Head and Marketing Director Dax Avenido said in a press release. 

“This event allowed our guests to experience that firsthand, and to see just how much engineering and innovation went into this vehicle,” he added. 

Also  read: 

GWM PH surpasses Apr. 2025 sales target by 125%

Pickup truck comparo: GWM Cannon vs Dongfeng Rich 7

MIAS 2025: GWM PH rolls out updated Cannon

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