Chinese brand Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) has launched the GAC M8 Master plug-in hybrid in SA.
The newest member of the brand that launched here in SA in mid-2024 with the GAC Emzoom and Emkoo crossovers is a people mover measuring 5,212mm in length with a dramatic and shiny front-end “star diamond prism” grille.
It’s a popular model in its country of origin as seen during our travels and used as a luxury shuttle similar to the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, or a family multi-purpose wheels. It’s here to do battle with the aforementioned German minibus and others, including the VW Transporter and Ford Tourneo Custom.
The MPV class is once more coming into prominence in SA, with many takers favouring to drive to near or faraway work and social gatherings by luxury multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) or minibus.
A large set of 18″ alloy wheels are fitted as standard, as are power-folding side mirrors and dual electric sliding doors, allowing for effortless ingress and egress. An aluminium-look finish is applied to the vehicle’s side skirts and window trim. Customers can pick between two exterior colours: Elegant Black and Crystal White.
With a wheelbase of 3,070mm, the M8 Master PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) has a spacious cabin tailored for long-distance driving comfort. Available in two colourways (Olympus Brown or Black and Red), the second row consists of two first-class seats equipped with four-way power adjustment, a 10-point air-pump massage function, and heating and ventilation.
The third-row bench offers seating for three people and is upholstered in similarly luxurious Nappa leather. Adding to the luxury vibes are sectional panoramic sunroofs, an inductive electric tailgate, tri-zone climate control with plasma PM2.5 air purification, soundproof laminated glass, an eight-speaker Yamaha sound system, wireless charging and USB-C ports conveniently located across all rows. Up front there’s a 10.1″ touchscreen infotainment system and a customisable 12.3″ digital instrument cluster.
Standard safety features include seven airbags as well as a generous array of driver assistance features: adaptive cruise control; autonomous emergency braking; lane keep assist; traffic jam assist; traffic sign recognition; blind spot detection; automatic parking assist; and rear cross-traffic braking.
A tyre pressure monitoring system is also present, as is an integrated panoramic camera plus two front and four rear parking sensors.
Powering the M8 Master is a 2.0l four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine paired to an electric motor and a 25.57kWh battery pack. With a combined output of 274kW, GAC says this sophisticated powertrain offers spritely performance, with 0-100km/h coming up in 8.8 seconds.
Fuel consumption across the combined cycle comes in at 8.8l/100km. On a full charge, the battery promises an all-electric driving range of up to 106km.
Now available at GAC dealerships, the new M8 Master is priced at R1,499,900. This includes a five-year/150,000 km warranty, five-year/100,000 maintenance plan and an eight-year/150,000km warranty on EV battery components.
