Great Wall Motors earns European WVTA

By Matt Brogan | November 26th, 2009

Great Wall Motors has become the first independent Chinese vehicle manufacturer to earn European Whole of Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) from the UK-based Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA).

Four Great Wall designs received approval including two variants currently on sale in Australia: the V240 ute and the X240 SUV.

WVTA testing encompasses 48 tests, including 13 on active safety, 13 on passive safety and eight on emissions and environmental protection.

Two recently introduced and stringent regulations involve pedestrian safety and end of vehicle life requirements such as re-use, recycling and recovery.

The VCA is an executive agency of the United Kingdom Department for Transport, responsible for operating the system of automotive type approval in the UK.

Managing Director of Great Wall’s Australian distributor Ateco Automotive, Ric Hull, said the European WVTA simply reinforced his confidence in the Great Wall Motor Company.

“I am certain that Great Wall will go on to bigger and better things both here in Australia and in other markets.

“Great Wall vehicles are selling very well across Australia through our steadily expanding dealer network.

“The European approval is yet another indication that the Chinese automotive industry will be a global force to be reckoned with in the near future,” Mr Hull said.

The news follows yesterday’s revelation that the company will start production of off-road vehicles in Lovech, Bulgaria by the end of next year.

The agreement with Litex Motors is believed to be worth 80 million Euro (AUD$130 million), but Great Wall is yet to announce any production figures for the European venture.

by Tim Beissmann

Nick

In My opinion, X240 SUV looks likes Toyota Land Cruiser Prado..

toxic_horse

and you can buy three of them for the price of a prado lol

ahsingkk

the car in the second pic look very nice indeed!!

Tome

the car in the second pic is a copy of the ford mondeo design with some elements of mazda 6 in the front grill for example…. if theres one thing you can rely on chinese car makers doing, its ripping off other car makers designs!

Martin

Try harder! Looks more like the Renault Laguna from the front with a Skoda grille.

Car fanatic

exactly what I thought, definitely Laguna

Sammy

Chuck an old design Mitsubishi diesel in that SUV, sell it for $26990 for the base manual, and those things would sell like hotcakes, Heck even I would be interested.
Nick

the car in the second pic Make look even Ford Au Falcon Sexy..
alex

These cars are pretty good looking.
Baddass

In the odd chance that sedan pictured and the new Chevy Spark mated, the offspring’s headlights would reach the taillights.
http://www.tireunit.com tirefan88

Definitely agree with Nick: X240 SUV looks likes Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. Moreover, the Chinese manufacturers had similar problem with BMW – one of their SUVs was a copy of BMW X5!!! BMW even had to take legal action!

gary

There are good and bad car manufacturers in China. I would say Great Wall is one of the good ones, maybe they haven’t been able to create a styling as good as BMW or BENZ, but it is fair to say they do not rip off design from some one else.

Philthys_grandad

Surely you cant be serious. Have you seen the SA220? Old rodeo from the A pillars back and old navara front end..

Car fanatic

Which BMW lost

Cupid Stunt

Unproven! Can never see them being big selers or having any cred really. Most will steer clear as residual values will make them worthless 2nd hand.

toxic_horse

Well i guess your the expert …

Cupid Stunt

Just an opinion Toxic I’m not an ex-spurt.

toxic_horse

I have seen quite a few of the duel cab utes around.
i havn’t seen on of the 4×4′s yet but i reckon people will buy them.

gary

Same thing had been said about japan/korean car when they first got into international market. See what happens now?
LessQQ

Look at it this way, for the price of a 2nd hand any other brand, you could buy a NEW Great Wall.

http://caradvice Onepoppa

Cupid, fropm what I have read of his contributions, seems to live in the UK, so his view of the Oz market mught be a bit remote and outof date. We are talking about the market here – whilst the “experts” keep bagging Korean cars, Australians voted with their wallets, and over recent years have bought hundreds of thousands of Korean cars. Don’t be so quick to write off Chinese cars – European type approval for Great Wall is the start of their penetration into the place that makes the cars so many of us love, Europe.

Cupid Stunt

Poppa your right I’m ‘up-over’. We do have Kia’s/hyundai here you know. Believe it or not I’ve driven them and were reasonably impressed but not impressed enough to buy one. Last motor show I went to (London Docklands last year) I made a point of sitting in plenty of Korean metal but was noticably unimpressed when compared to the usual high sellers here bearing in mind there similar pricing levels.
Oh and by the way I did live with you lot for a while in Mel. Sackville Street post code 3101 from memory.

http://caradvice Onepoppa

Cupid, I rest my case. Sackville Street Kew (just behind Carey Grammar)is not exactly where the Hyundai buyers hang out. But they are around, because Hyundai, together with Audi, are the only nameplates to increase, not decrease, their sales in Australia in ’09.
http://carz.com/ Carz

These cars are definitely amazing. Both looks awesome…I wonder if performance is great too.
ws

I think these cars look great……..every car manufacturer has a humble beginning….they all have to start at somepoint…….give em another 10 yrs and they’ll be just like Hyundai, KIA, etc…..which embraces Australia’s roads now. I’ve seen them in the flesh…….and I can tell ya…..they look very impressive for the money. You have to be realistic….with the amount of $$ you’re paying….you can’t compare it to an expensive Euro car….but against all it’s competitors in it’s own price bracket…..they are bloody good.
Andrew

Just bought my V240 from my local dealer in Darwin, great car, great service, great guys !!!

HERC

hi Andrew…My partner live accross the track in NOOSA & we’re looking to purchase an X240 ourselves in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately there’s so much misinformation out there or lack there of regarding this new SUV. I’ve just read your positive comments on your purchase.

Can you tell me how your X240 is going now nearly 2 months on. Is it living up to your expectations? Is it still performing just as well? Have you had any warranty issues as yet? Have you been off-road with it yet?

Your comments are extremely valued by all of us wanting to purchase one but are still a bit unsure of the unknow.

Many Thanks,

HERC

Keepleft

The X240 SUV, like its stablemate the V240, here in AUS, have rear fog lamps, and a UNECE Specification “Hazard Warning Triangle” (a Euro triangle).

In the X240, the triangle is located under the driver-side, rear passenger seat.

Found the fit and finish, incl leather trim to be better than I had expected.

Not driven it though, yet.

Wife wishes it was available in auto and purple!
David

Amazing. Looking at the second car I can see design features stolen from Renault, Audi, Toyota and Volkswagen and I havent even seen the back yet. Wonder if they also adopted those companies safety features as well.
http://rjc_surf09@yahoo.com.au rjc_surf09

just test drove a 4×2 v240 today very suprised deffinitly a tick accross all boxes will be buying if deal write $$$
G. Freeman

I find it interesting that the words style, design, looks (even cred) feature here, more so than reliability, economy, longevity, comfort. Will do well here in Australia if it is very thirsty, and can be driven badly. Skill shortage of panel beaters here, not sure why ??

LessQQ

its a new model.

how can you tell how reliable it is until a few years into the future?

economy? wtf, its more than $10k+ cheaper than all the cars in its class. how much petrol do you think it’ll consume to even out a saving of $10k+?

George

I have seen X240. From what I see It is not like Prado or any other cars.

Can’t stand people bagging for nothing.
SLOPPY

Im interested in the SUV but bwish it came with the Diesel Engine, other than that it looks like a Great Cheap option for most Aussie Families with little disposable $$$$$$$$
SLOPPY

Im interested in the SUV but wish it came with the Diesel Engine, other than that it looks like a Great Cheap option for most Aussie Families with little disposable $$$$$$$$
Mike Burdon

Hi,
I purchased my Great Wall V240 (4/2) last March 2010.
Traveled 24,000klms so far and it has been Great.
Towed the family van, used it for work and general running around.
Not a problem with it (no rattles or body noises at all).
Fuel econ’around 8.5 lt/100kms.
Looking forward to more pleasant motoring.
JEKYL & HYDE

yes,

don’t let your “great wall” hit a “great wall”…