GWM’s new luxury Wey brand has surfaced in Australia ahead of its showroom launch, with its first model approved for local sale.
The seven-seat GWM Wey G9 people mover has appeared in Australian Government homologation documents with both plug-in hybrid and conventional hybrid powertrains, ahead of its expected introduction before the end of 2026.
The filing is another concrete step towards the arrival of Wey, which will join GWM’s existing Haval, Tank, Cannon and Ora brands in Australia and is being positioned as a rival for BYD’s premium Denza marque.
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The G9 will make a relatively low-key debut because of the small scale of the Australian people-mover market, before Wey expands into higher-volume SUV segments during 2027.
The Road Vehicle Descriptor (RVD) identifies the vehicle internally as the M81 and gives its Australian marketing designation as the GWM Wey G9.
Known as the Gaoshan in China and Wey 80 in some export markets, the G9 is a substantial vehicle measuring 5055mm long, 1985mm wide and 1925mm high, with a 3085mm wheelbase and seven seats.
The first of the two Australian-approved versions is an all-wheel drive PHEV combining a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with front and rear electric motors and a six-speed DHT transmission.
The RVD lists the PHEV powertrain at 325kW. It has a hefty 2759kg tare mass and 3355kg gross vehicle mass, while the homologation documents currently list zero braked and unbraked towing capacity.
However, the bigger surprise is the approval of a conventional hybrid G9 alongside the PHEV.
When GWM originally confirmed Wey for Australia, the plan was for the luxury brand to concentrate exclusively on PHEVs. Since then the G9 hybrid has become available internationally and is now expected to join the Australian line-up.
The HEV uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with electric assistance, all-wheel drive and a six-speed DHT. The RVD lists its output at 263kW.
At 2504kg, the hybrid is 255kg lighter than the PHEV and, unlike the plug-in version, is homologated to tow 1500kg braked and 750kg unbraked.
The addition of the HEV also indicates Wey’s Australian powertrain strategy is becoming more flexible. Rather than sticking rigidly to the original PHEV-only plan, other powertrains could be considered for future models depending on what becomes available.
The G9 will arrive later than initially anticipated, with GWM previously targeting a mid-2026 introduction for Wey. EV Central understands there is no specific problem behind the delay, which instead reflects the usual complexities of establishing a new brand and building its supporting dealer network.
That work continues ahead of a more substantial Wey push expected from early 2027. The large six-seat V9X SUV is expected to play a central role in that expansion, while the smaller V8X SUV is another potential Australian addition.
Those SUVs will give Wey access to much larger segments of the Australian market and provide a more direct challenge to Denza as the two Chinese luxury brands expand their local ranges.
For now, though, the G9 will have the job of introducing Wey to Australia. Pricing and final specifications have yet to be announced, but GWM has previously indicated Wey models would be positioned below $100,000.
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