In his book The Art of War, Sun Tzu said ‘let your moves be dark and impenetrable.’ Obviously, because you don’t want your rivals to know what’s coming. But GAC Philippines must be confident because not only did they preview 2 of the 6 cars they’re introducing next year, they also shared details up to the price range of their upcoming MPVs.
M8
The all-new M8 is a luxury MPV that wants a slice of the pie the Toyota Alphard enjoys. It has a 2-2-3 configuration and is powered by a 2-liter engine that puts out 248 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque, paired to an 8-speed automatic.
It’s fully loaded from inside out. The exterior has Multi-Function LED Headlights, Power Folding Side Mirrors with Position Memory and Reverse Tilt, Dual Power Sliding Doors, and Surround View Camera System.
Inside, there’s a 3-zone Automatic Climate Control, 14.6-inch Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, 12-way Power Adjustable Seat for the driver, Ventilated and Heated Seats with Massage Function, Ambient Lighting, and Sectional Panoramic Roof with Starlight Decoration.
As for safety, the M8 will have Front and Curtain Airbags, Hill Start and Hill Descent Control, Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Brake Hold, Tire Pressure Monitoring, and Advanced Driver Assistance System.
The M8 will come in two variants, with indicative pricing of PHP 3M to 3.1M for the GL and PHP 4M – 4.1M for the GX Master trim.
M6 Pro
Backing up the luxurious M8 is the more attainable M6 Pro that starts at PHP 1.2M – 1.3M. Despite the lower price tag, the M6 Pro still looks classy from all profiles. The variant shown in the event has 2 captain seats for the second row, while the front has a covered unified screen which is a great touch to avoid glare during daytime driving. It’s also distinctly GAC with the segmented areas of the screens, aircon controls, and the buttons around the shifter.
The M6 Pro will have a smaller 1.5-liter turbo engine that delivers 174 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque, coupled to a 7-speed wet dual clutch automatic.
As for the features, GAC managed to put a lot of toys for this MPV. It will come with Surround View Camera System, Dual Zone Climate Control, Ambient Lighting, Panoramic Sunroof, 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Tire Pressure Monitoring, and Advanced Driver Assist Features.
The M6 Pro will be available in two trims starting at PHP 1.2M – 1.3M for the GS, and PHP 1.5M – 1.6M for the GL variant.
All these prices are indicative and not yet final. They didn’t mention any clue regarding the other 4 cars they’re about to bring into the country. My bet is there will be a smaller sedan comeback since it’s still the best-selling category in the Philippines – but that’s just me. GAC is very much welcome to surprise all of us in 2024.