URUMQI, CHINA -
Media OutReach Newswire
- 11 June 2026 - When the 2026 Taklimakan Rally ended on June 1, GWM
had done more than just finish the 2026 Taklimakan Rally. It swept every
T2 production title: T2.E New-Energy Manufacturers'Cup, T2.1 Fuel
Manufacturers'Cup, T2.3 Club Production Cup.
Across 13 special stages, the GWM TANK 700 Hi4-T took 11 stage wins; GWM
club entries took 11. Zero mechanical retirements across the entire
factory lineup. GWM delivered a dominant performance across all three
categories
Over 17 days, competitors covered 7,500 total kilometers, including
3,400 kilometers of special stages — the longest special-stage distance
in the event's history.
SS3 stretched 468 kilometers, making it the longest single stage in six
years. SS5 and SS6, known as the "Devil Double," have historically seen
completion rates fall below 20 percent. SS8, through the Keriya River
corridor, demanded precise navigation, where a single wrong turn could
cost teams hours. SS9 featured a 353-kilometer crossing of the N39
desert, with soft sand and hidden drop-offs creating constant risks for
drivers and vehicles.
While many competitors failed to finish or crossed the line with
significant damage, GWM's lineup delivered consistent performance
throughout the rally, turning extreme conditions into a demonstration of
strength and reliability.
GWM TANK 700 Hi4-T race cars were modified strictly to FIA international
standards, with the original production chassis and body structure left
completely untouched, no internal engine components altered, and all
core production hardware retained throughout. That is what
"production-based" means here: the race car and the showroom car share
the same engineering backbone.
Across 13 stages and three categories, GWM completed the 2026 Taklimakan
Rally with zero mechanical retirements. It happens because every
cooling circuit, every torque vectoring command, every suspension joint
is designed for the same extreme durability
This year GWM brought co-creation partners K-MAN and Dongli into a
shared garage: shared parts, shared technicians, shared strategy. The
result was not just wins — it was a lower barrier for the entire Chinese
off-road industry to step up. When suppliers race alongside the
manufacturer, everyone learns faster. Lessons from the desert are
already feeding back into production development.
World-class drivers including Nicolas Cavigliasso and Pau Navarro raced
alongside Chinese champions, trading lines, data, and pit lane
experience. That kind of exchange raises the level of every driver and
team on the grid.
At the finish line, GWM Vice President Liu Yanzhao draped traditional
Atlas silk sashes over returning drivers — a gesture honoring not just
the champions, but every mechanic, navigator, and support crew who made
the run possible.
From the Taklimakan to global stages. From race cars to showrooms. From
champions to the next generation of off‑road enthusiasts. GWM's clean
sweep is not a finish line. It is a starting point. And the message is
clear: what survives the desert earns the right to lead the road ahead.