GWM confirms 2027 launch for 1,200 hp hybrid supercar targeting Ferrari

Great Wall Motor (HKEX: 2333) has set 2027 as the launch year for its first hybrid supercar, a model targeting Ferrari and promising more than 1,200 horsepower of system output. The Chinese automaker expects the car to make its formal debut by the end of 2026.

GWM chairman Wei Jianjun tested the prototype against a Ferrari SF90 and shared the comparison in a video posted on Weibo on Thursday. His verdict was blunt. "I have to admit that our sports car still falls short of Ferrari in overall capabilities," Wei wrote. He said he was confident the team would step up its efforts and deliver a surprise when the model launches next year.

What's under the hood?

The supercar is expected to feature GWM's in-house-developed 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine paired with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system. The company disclosed some technical details of the engine at this year's Beijing Auto Show. The powertrain forms part of GWM's GF high-performance architecture, developed for both road-going supercars and GT3 race cars.

GWM has already announced a target system output of more than 1,200 horsepower for the road-going version. Final production specifications remain undisclosed — a distinction worth noting: the 1,200 hp figure is an announced target, not a confirmed production rating.

Five years in development

The 2027 timeline brings GWM's years-long supercar project closer to commercialization. Chief technology officer Wu Huixiao said in an April 2025 interview that the project started roughly five years earlier. Cost reduction was among the reasons it had not yet launched, she said.

The engineering has not been easy. Wu said the team ran into considerable difficulties developing the carbon-fiber cockpit and conducted extensive testing. In July 2025, Wei posted a photo of himself and other executives standing beside a supercar covered in black fabric — a quiet teaser of the program's progress.

Why a supercar maker is pushing into this segment

The project extends GWM's lineup beyond its core SUV and pickup businesses, which span the Haval, Wey, Tank and Ora brands. Chinese automakers have begun pushing into a supercar market long dominated by European names. BYD's (HKEX: 1211) premium brand Yangwang launched the all-electric U9 supercar in February 2024, and GAC Aion has introduced electric supercars as well.

What does this change for GWM's volume business? Not much, immediately. The company sold 120,374 vehicles in October, down 15.87% year-on-year — its third consecutive monthly decline, according to data compiled by CnEVPost. The NEV side is the bright spot: October NEV sales rose 7.25% year-on-year to a record 49,499 vehicles, or 41.12% of total sales that month.

A halo supercar won't fix a 15% sales slide. But it signals engineering ambition — and a V8 hybrid platform that could trickle down.

What to watch next

Watch the formal debut by end-2026, where final production specs should replace targets. Then the 2027 launch itself, and whether Wei's promised "surprise" closes the gap he conceded against the SF90. First delivery numbers will tell whether GWM can sell a supercar, not just build one.