Great Wall Motor has turned the Tank 300 into a far more serious off-roader: the Hooke Trail version swaps the independent double-wishbone front suspension for a solid front axle, and with it comes two solid axles and the ability to fit 40-inch wheels. Pre-orders are already open in China, with a full launch promised before early October, according to infohub.kz.

The main difference of the Tank 300 Hooke Trail is hidden underneath. The independent front suspension has given way to a solid axle. The front section of the structure has also been reinforced — with a more massive axle housing and links, while suspension stiffness has been increased by 38%.

This setup allows for the installation of huge 40-inch off-road tires. On a standard Tank 300, the independent front suspension creates limits on travel and drive angles under serious tuning.

There is an important nuance here. The ability to fit 40-inch wheels does not mean the vehicle will come that way from the factory. The stock size is 265/70 R18, and the huge tires are left as an option for further modification.

The exterior has also been reworked: new bumpers, black lower cladding, a snorkel, and tow hooks. A passive night vision system is available as an option.

The Tank 300 Hooke Trail measures 4886×1984×1960 mm, with a wheelbase of 3010 mm. The approach angle reaches 41°, and the departure angle is 34° or 36° depending on the version.

Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbo engine producing 170 kW and 400 N·m of torque. In addition, the off-roader gets a final drive with a higher gear ratio for driving over difficult terrain.

On September 15, the Tank 300 Hooke Trail entered pre-orders. Buyers are promised priority in production, a certificate worth 3,000 yuan (about 200,000 tenge) for modifications, and a set of branded badges for another 3,000 yuan.

For the standard Tank 300, this is a rather unusual evolution. In essence, Great Wall Motor has implemented one of the main modifications that owners of the “300s” used to do themselves. Now the question is how much such a version will cost.

Earlier, Kursiv Auto compared the Deepal G318 and Tank 400 off-road.