In a move that’s set to shake up the local automotive landscape, GWM has just played its strongest hand yet in its bid to win over Australian and New Zealand drivers. The company has secured permanent, full-time residency at the legendary Lang Lang Proving Ground in Victoria, the very same hallowed ground that shaped generations of iconic Australian vehicles.
This isn’t just about renting some track time; GWM is now the only carmaker to hold such a status, signalling a profound commitment to tailoring its vehicles specifically for our unique and demanding roads. For years, GWM has been on a determined journey, listening to feedback from customers, dealers, and the media across the ANZ region.
This move is the powerful culmination of that effort—a direct answer to the call for vehicles that are more dynamically suited to local tastes. According to GWM COO ANZ, John Kett, this is “far more than symbolic, it’s a statement of intent.”
The ace up GWM’s sleeve is Rob Trubiani, one of Australia’s most respected automotive engineers, who was appointed earlier this year to lead the brand’s local development.
Trubiani is no stranger to the proving ground’s demanding tarmac, having spent a huge portion of his 25-year career there with Holden. For him, this is a return to a place he knows intimately. “Lang Lang is an iconic proving ground, one of the best in the world,” said Trubiani. “I know this track like the back of my hand… The intimate knowledge I have of the road network, combined with understanding the high-performance benchmarks required here, is key to ‘Aussifying’ our vehicles.”
With permanent access to the facility, Trubiani’s team can now go far beyond minor tweaks. The mission is to undertake full vehicle integration and precision tuning, engineering dedicated ride and handling packages from the ground up.Trubiani’s goal is ambitious: “We’re not just tweaking cars, we’re transforming them to deliver the confidence, control, and comfort that local drivers deserve.” We won’t have to wait long to see the results. GWM has announced that a program codenamed “AT1” will soon showcase the ride and handling enhancements shaped by this new local focus.
In an even more exciting development, the insights gained from this “Aussification” process have the potential to influence GWM’s future global programs, ensuring that cars destined for our shores are developed with our conditions in mind from the very beginning.
This is a huge investment and a clear signal that GWM is serious about building cars that feel truly at home right here. The game has officially changed.
