GAC has landed in Australia with a colossal thud, previewing its initial three-car range and some unexpected surprises at a lavish launch event attended by Driving Enthusiast. We also managed to get some static hands-on time with the vehicles.
Starting with the headline act, we previously anticipated the 130kW EMZOOM small SUV would be around the $30,000 mark, due to its luxury market positioning and best-in-class power. Staggeringly, our expectations were blown out of the water by its $25,590 price tag (plus on-roads costs). It’s covered by a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, five years roadside assist and a $500 fuel card before December 31.
As previously reported, the GAC EMZOOM is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. The reason its pricing is so disruptive is because it is equipped above and beyond flagship ZS/ Tiggo 4/Jolion levels but priced significantly less. Standard inclusions include moonroof, double ambient lighting, ventilated driver’s seat and a biggest-in-class 14.6-inch infotainment screen.
First impressions sitting in the car are overwhelmingly positive. The steering wheel feels genuinely premium with its sporty three-spoke design. Every touch point feels premium, especially the door handles and climate control array, with no apparent cost-cutting. First impressions are very good then, but it could all fall apart if the EMZOOM’s ADAS systems and driving dynamics are calibrated poorly. We’ll have to wait and see in a couple of weeks before we get behind the wheel.
Also on display was the AION V electric SUV – a rival to the likes of MG S5, Jaecoo J5 and BYD Atto 3 with a 75.26kWh battery, and WLTP range of 510km via a 400V architecture. Two variants are on offer, with the entry Premium starting from $42,590, and the Luxury retailing for $44,590. Both battery and vehicle warranties are set at 8 years, with 200,000km for the battery but no ceiling for the overall warranty. To sweeten the deal, GAC is offering $500 charging credit, $1000 cash-back and an EV wall charger – all to the end of 2025.
Moving on to the M8, it is an elegant plug-in hybrid (PHEV) MPV, with a ‘lions mane’ grille and some incredible luxury features to rival the likes of Lexus LM and Zeekr 009. In spite of this, it retails for $76,590 for the Premium and $83,590 for the Luxury. A $500 fuel card, EV wall charger and $1000 cash-back are part of a promotion until the end of the year. It manages 106km of EV-only range, or a total of 1032km from its 274kW/630Nm system and 2.0-litre turbo engine.
Sitting inside the car reveals a beautifully finished interior and controls – it seems GAC picked up a few tricks from its collaborations with Toyota and Honda. In particular, the door handle mechanism and ‘crystal fidget spinner’ amused this oft-fidgety writer.
But there was more to be revealed in a separate room. The first surprise came in the form of the GAC S7 large SUV. Measuring just under five metres long, the five-seater is said to be available in PHEV, REEV (range-extender) and full EV iterations. Its floating roof, high belt line and rear LED motif do scream Range Rover clone, until it winks at you with its LED eye motif at the front. Here’s looking at you, kid.
In another corner was the gullwinged GAC Hyptec HT. Hyptec, as you might recall, is GAC’s supercar brand, including the SSR hypercar which set a top speed drift record earlier this month.
The HT gives more than a nod to the Tesla Model X philosophically with a similar rear door mechanism but bears more than a passing resemblance to the Maserati MC Pura at the front. It actually works very well and results in a genuinely desirable design – especially with frameless front doors.
Tellingly, this one was right-hand drive too with a wicked interior. Specs for this futuristic coupe SUV include a 250kW/380Nm rear-drive electric motor with 620km of range (NEDC). Performance varies from 5.8-6.8 seconds for 0-100km/h, depending on the 400V or 800V version.
The brand also showcased its home battery storage solution and GOVY eVTOL drone – which is actually operational in some parts of China. We are in the future.
Make no mistake, GAC has done its homework and clearly wants to sink its claws into our over-saturated market for the long haul. See below for the starting prices of the newly-arrived models (excludes on-road costs):
2026 GAC AION V: $42,590
2026 GAC EMZOOM: $25,590
2026 GAC M8 PHEV: $76,590
