Great Wall Motors has taken the wraps off the Tank 300 Hooke Trail, a new special edition of its rugged SUV that abandons the standard model's independent double-wishbone front suspension in favour of a dual live-axle configuration. The move positions the vehicle as a direct rival to the Jeep Wrangler in the extreme off-road segment, with the Chinese automaker claiming a 38% increase in suspension rigidity.
The Hooke Trail is based on the extended-wheelbase Tank 300L, which was introduced earlier this year with a repositioned front axle that stretched the wheelbase to 3,010 mm and shortened the front overhang. The standard short-wheelbase Tank 300, with its 2,750 mm wheelbase, remains on sale, but the new variant clearly draws its foundations from the longer 300L. The name references a popular off-road destination in the Helan Mountains near the border between Ningxia and Inner Mongolia.
Underneath the ladder-frame chassis, the upgrades are substantial. The solid front axle uses 80 mm housing tubes, reinforced control arms, a Panhard rod with heavy-duty bushings, and solid tie rods. Electro-hydraulic power steering, a Multi-Terrain Select system, and a semi-active electronic anti-roll bar disconnect function are fitted as standard, the latter enabling more than 500 mm of wheel articulation. According to Great Wall Motors, the Hooke Trail achieves a 41-degree approach angle, a 34-degree departure angle, 245 mm of ground clearance, and an 850 mm wading depth. The suspension setup can accommodate 35-inch tyres as standard, or 40-inch rubber with modifications.
Visually, the Hooke Trail sets itself apart with a snorkel intake and special profile decals. It adopts the rugged bumpers and blacked-out grille of the 300L and can be specified with the same optional accessories, including a rooftop tent, a refrigerator, and additional LED lighting. Inside, equipment includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a free-standing 15.6-inch infotainment display, heated, ventilated, and massaging seats, Nappa leather upholstery, and a comprehensive advanced driver assistance system suite.
Power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 228 hp and 400 Nm of torque, sent to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. The part-time four-wheel-drive system features front, centre, and rear locking differentials along with a two-speed transfer case. Documents from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology indicate that a more potent turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 option will be offered in the future.
Great Wall Motors is now accepting pre-orders in China ahead of a market launch scheduled for 20 September, with official pricing to be announced at the launch event. The Tank 300 is already exported to Southeast Asia, Oceania, Latin America, the Middle East, and Russia, though it remains unclear whether the live-axle variant will be offered outside China. The Tank 300 was originally introduced in 2020, one year before the launch of the Tank sub-brand, and has since become a notable player in the global off-road market.