Deluxe Minivan: Is GAC M8 a worthy Alphard alternative?

Last week, GAC Motor invited us to Guangzhou to see their latest models, how they make their cars, and to see their R&D center. During our visit, we saw one of its latest luxury vehicles, the M8. Essentially serving as the successor to the GN8, the all-new M8 is sleeker and comes with more luxurious appointments.

At the time, there was no word yet whether the automaker actually plans on offering the M8 to the Philippine market. But according to a well-placed source, it looks like GAC is already looking at a timeline to bring to the country.

According to an insider who wished anonymity, GAC Motor plans to bring it to the Philippines sometime next year. There is no exact date or month yet on which GAC will launch the M8. However, given that the brand has already discontinued the GN8 in the Philippines, it may arrive as early as Q1 2024 in order to expand its lineup as soon as possible.

There's also the possibility of GAC debuting the M8 at the 2024 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS). Since they have already made their presence felt in both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the shows, it stands to reason that they could hold a public launch event during the annual auto show.

As far as specs and features are concerned, the M8 will likely come with a pair of captain seats on the second row which can be controlled via a touchscreen on one of the armrests. There's also a panoramic sunroof which will let more light into the cabin. While there is third-row seating in the M8, the bench seat at the very back can actually be removed to make the vehicle into a 4-seater MPV limousine.

Under the hood, the M8 has two engine choices for the PRC. First is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 253 PS with 390 Nm of torque and is coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The other engine is a 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain that makes a total system output of 190 PS and uses the fourth-generation THS II hybrid system from Toyota. The M8 Hybrid is exclusively mated to a CVT.

Do you think GAC should bring the M8 early next year or could the automaker instead launch it at the MIAS 2024?