Chinese auto giant GAC’s international chief has revealed highly ambitious sales growth for Australia on a stunningly short timeline.
The state-owned brand (full name Guangzhou Auto Group) is only scheduled to launch in Australia in late 2025.
But it wants to be one of Australia’s top 10 brands how soon?
“Twenty twenty seven,” declared GAC International President Wei Heigang without hesitation. Yep 2027.
“We will strive for that.”
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“We have good product,” continued Heigang. “And not only the product, but the solution for the ecosystem, and the mobility solutions.
“So we think we want to provide the high quality, high technology, and reliable good products in Australia.”
Heigang’s top 10 goal in under two years is bullet-like even for a Chinese brand.
Four Chinese brands have achieved top 10 sales on a monthly basis in Australia – MG, GWM, BYD and Chery and all four did it together for the first time in August 2025.
SAIC-MG launched in Australia in 2013, relaunched in 2016 and made the top 10 on a monthly sales basis in 2021. GWM launched in Australia in 2009, relaunched in 2016 and reached the top 10 in 2024. BYD launched in 2022 and got there in 2025. Chery first launched in 2011, relaunched in 2023 and cracked the top 10 in 2025.
But only two – GWM and MG – have finished in the top 10 on an annual sales basis.
At the same time as he outlined this stupendously ambitious goal, Heigang said it was important to achieve it methodically.
“We want to have the ambitious goal, but we want to do it step by step,” he said.
“For the network, for the service, and for the customer.
“So the volume is not the first, but the service, the satisfaction of the customers.
GAC will launch in Australia via a factory-owned subsidiary starting with three models including the Aion V battery electric Tesla Model Y fighter.
But the plan is to quickly expand to eight sharply-priced models as soon as possible to aid its sales ambitions.
Models set to come as well as the Aion V are the smaller Aion UT BEV , which Heigang predicted could be the top-seller.
“I think Aion UT is … the star model in Europe.
And also in Australia? “Yes.”
The UT is a 4.27m front-wheel drive electric hatch driven by a choice of 100kW/150kW e-motors depending on the market.
It launches in Europe in 2026 and will likely also arrive in Australia next year.
GAC will also launch hybrid – including plug-in and range extender powertrains – and ICE models and a 4×4 ute that was previewed by the Pickup 01 concept in Shanghai this year.
“We are now developing the pickup, the hybrid pickup now. But it will be launched in the end of, perhaps in the end of next year for China and then Australia,” explained Heigang.
He was speaking to Australian media just moments after launching the GAC Auto brand in Europe at the Munich motor show last week.
Models featured on stage alongside the Aion V and UT included the GS7 plug-in SUV and E9 plug-in people-mover and Hyptec HL battery electric luxury SUV.
The E9 and Aion V are expected to be joined by the GS3 compact SUV in the Australian launch line-up.
Heigang confirmed work continued to hire for its new Australian head office and develop a launch network of around 30 dealers.
“Now we are preparing all of our assets,” he said.
“We are recruiting the local people there, so we can ensure everything is going well in Australia.”
