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GWM Motorsport Culture Day Opens at Auto China 2026, Boosting the High-Quality Development of Chinese Motorsport
GWM Motorsport Culture Day Opens at Auto China 2026, Boosting the High-Quality Development of Chinese Motorsport
BEIJING, April 26, 2026 — GWM Motorsport Culture Day officially opened at the Great Wall Motor booth during Auto China 2026. The event brought together GWM’s TAKLIMAKAN RALLY race vehicles, the GF (Great Faith) high-performance technical architecture, the brand’s first hybrid NAZCAR-style race car, and a wide range of motorsport elements.
Alongside the event, the China Motorsport Summit Forum also took place at the GWM booth. Jack Wey, Chairman of GWM, joined leading figures from across the industry for an in-depth discussion on the optimal path for the development of Chinese motorsport, exploring the industrial mission behind independent development and the building of a stronger motorsport culture in China.
TAKLIMAKAN RALLY Race Car Makes Its Global Debut as GWM Expands Its Motorsport Footprint
At the Motorsport Culture Day, GWM unveiled a series of major race vehicles, including its all-new TAKLIMAKAN RALLY car, classic rally vehicles and a NAZCAR-style race car. Together, they demonstrate the tangible progress GWM has made in building a diversified motorsport portfolio. At the auto show, Jack Wey announced GWM’s return to the Dakar Rally and compete in some top-tier international events, including the Rallye Monte-Carlo and the Baja 1000, accelerating its global racing strategy.
GWM’s 2026 TAKLIMAKAN RALLY race car made its global debut at the auto show. Built on prototypes of the TANK 700, TANK 500 and TANK 300 while retaining core production powertrain and chassis components, the new race car has been modified primarily to meet mandatory safety requirements, including roll cages, racing seats, explosion-proof large-capacity fuel tanks and fire suppression systems, as well as essential repair, first-aid and communication equipment.
GWM also unveiled its first plug-in hybrid NAZCAR-style race car featuring a V6 engine system, which will be upgraded to a V8 hybrid in the future. By bringing new energy technology into traditional circuit racing, GWM is expanding beyond off-road rallying and into a more diverse international racing ecosystem.
GWM and K-MAN co-created Huopao race car also made its debut. Developed through deep integration between competition-grade shock absorbers and full-vehicle tuning, the model sets a benchmark for motorsport co-creation between an automaker and an aftermarket performance specialist. In addition, the No. 208 HAVAL H9 race car driven by Jack Wey in the Dunhuang Endurance Race and the classic HAVAL H8 Dakar replica were displayed together at the booth. Chinese rally racing legend Zhou Yong also appeared at the GWM booth, revisiting the grit, passion and determination behind his Dakar Rally journey.
GWM GF High-Performance Architecture Debuts, Turning Engineering Strength into Race Vehicle Capability
Two decades of racing experience have taught GWM one essential truth: there are no shortcuts on the track. Only self-reliance, technical depth and hard-earned capability can create lasting competitiveness. Guided by its global strategy, GWM has built a full-stack, self-developed technology system covering engines, transmissions, new energy systems and intelligent technologies, laying a solid engineering foundation for its motorsport development.
At the auto show, GWM officially unveiled the GF(Great Faith) high-performance technical architecture. Representing GWM’s firm belief in racing and its pure passion for motorsport, the GF architecture is designed to support the development of Chinese motorsport and allow more users to experience the thrill of racing. The core logic of the GF architecture is “track first, civilian second.” Based on this architecture, GWM plans to develop both GT3 race cars and a supercar. The GF architecture features three core technical components: a track-level 4.0T V8 engine, a mid-engine layout and a full carbon-fiber monocoque chassis. These technologies are destined for upcoming high-performance supercar.
The GF high-performance architecture is designed to create GT3 race cars capable of competing on the world’s top circuit-racing stages, as well as a supercar with an outstanding handling capability. The system is expected to exceed 1,200 horsepower (PS), with a power-to-weight ratio better than 0.68 PS/kg — a leading position among production hybrid supercars priced under RMB 10 million. The GF V8 engine includes China's first self-developed track-level electronic control software and a dry-sump lubrication system, achieving a significant 30kg reduction in total weight with an extreme lightweight design.
GWM also displayed several self-developed and self-produced power units, including the V8 powertrain and a diesel hybrid system. As an automaker capable of independently developing and producing a full range of engines and transmissions, GWM is using motorsport to accelerate road-car innovation. This “race-to-road” strategy not only helps break through long-standing bottlenecks in motorsport technology, but also enables GWM to offer global users a complete range of powertrain choices.
Building the Future of Motorsport and a Stronger Automotive Culture
Held under the theme “The Optimal Path for the Development of Chinese Motorsport,” the summit forum was moderated by renowned international motorsport commentator He Xin. Jack Wey, Chairman of GWM; Wang Xiaogang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Federation of Automobile and Motorcycle Sports of China (CAMF); legendary driver Zhou Yong; four-time CTCC champion Zhang Zhendong; and Yao Qiming, widely recognized as a premier race track designer in China, the five heavyweight industrial experts gathered together to discuss the development opportunities of Chinese motorsport, analyze industrial challenges, and draw a blueprint for the future direction, building consensus for China's transformation from a major automobile manufacturing country to a powerful automotive nation.
All guests agreed that Chinese motorsport is at the prime. China’s annual vehicle production and sales have surpassed 30 million units. Models such as the TANK 300 have ignited a nationwide off-road boom. Short video and livestreaming platforms have broken down communication barriers. Grassroots events and professional circuits are rising in parallel. Together, these forces are creating unprecedented momentum for the growth of Chinese motorsport. At a time when new energy vehicles dominate the market, GWM continues to invest heavily in race cars and ICE development. This commitment is rooted not only in a pure passion for cars, but also in the company’s responsibility toward China’s ambition to become a true automotive nation. For years, Chinese motorsport has faced three major barriers: in technology, parts and rules. High participation costs and limited access to core technologies, these barriers have kept many racing enthusiasts away from the sport they love.
Sharing his own experience competing overseas, the racing driver Zhang Zhendong said he was highly looking forward to GWM’s GT3 race car and hoped to become the first driver to get behind its wheel. By insisting on full-stack self-development, GWM aims to break the century-long technical dominance of establish brands at the source, making racing more accessible for young Chinese drivers and giving more motorsport enthusiasts a real opportunity to compete.
As Jack Wey stated at the close of the forum, GWM’s responsibility is to provide high-performance, highly reliable and truly attainable race cars for the broad community of motorsport enthusiasts — turning racing from something people can only admire from afar into something they can one day own and experience for themselves.
Looking ahead, GWM will continue to increase its investment in motorsport, actively support Chinese automakers in participating in the formulation of international racing rules, and strengthen China’s voice in global motorsport. GWM will also work to bring motorsport beyond niche communities and into broader public engagement. Through ecosystem co-creation with industry partners, drivers and users, GWM aims to cultivate richer soil for Chinese motorsport and help China’s automotive industry build a distinctive culture of its own.