GWM hopes Trubiani’s local tuning goes global

FRENETIC would describe Rob Trubiani’s first three months under the employ of Great Wall Motors Limited (GWM), with senior executives detailing a whirlwind induction split between early tuning efforts and meets-and-greets with China intended to bolster Mr Trubiani’s position.

Brought on as Project Engineering Manager at GWM, Mr Trubiani’s career’s highpoints included steering the ride and handling program for the dynamically sophisticated Holden VE/VF Commodore atop the Australian-developed ‘Zeta’ chassis, culminating in setting a 8:19.47 lap in a VF SS at the Nurburgring.

Among Chinese carmakers playing in the Australian market, GWM has been more receptive than most to media and customer feedback in relation to perceived dynamic and software shortcomings.

The employment of Mr Trubiani is intended to localise the ride and handling characteristics of GWM’s cars – making them more suitable to Australian roads – but internally, there are aspirations that Mr Trubiani will take on a global role influencing dynamics years before a given model launches.

“Rob has been extremely busy since we took him on two or three months ago,” GWM head of marketing Steve Maciver told GoAuto.

“We brought Rob in to sprinkle magic dust (on GWM products) and find the one per cent (improvements).

“We believed (this project) was important for us locally. We are very lucky the factory has got behind this tuning project.”

The first updated GWM model to launch since Mr Trubiani joined the local team was the facelifted Haval H6 midsize SUV – the marque’s best-selling vehicle – but it was too late for additional chassis tuning to occur.

“Rob came to the party too late in this car to make changes right now,” said Mr Maciver, revealing that first tests of prototype GWM cars fettled by Mr Trubiani is expected to occur in October this year.

Newly-appointed GWM chief operating officer John Kett, a big-name hire poached from Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA), hinted that the Australian arm intends to put Mr Trubiani in a position where he can influence product at an early stage.

“(Mr Trubiani) needs a little more time to influence outcomes on products already coming our way,” Mr Kett told GoAuto.

“Then it is finding a pathway, which (GWM Limited) wants to, in making sure he can be 18 months ahead of the curve.

“He is learning the design philosophies or the life cycle of how we build cars and how quickly we build them relative to some other Western companies.”

Quizzed on whether Mr Trubiani’s chassis tunes would only be seen on GWM cars in Australia, or whether those tunes would be rolled out to other global markets, Mr Kett hinted the hope is for the latter.

“You will just have to be patient. I think you’re heading in the right direction (with the global question). We’re definitely heading in the right direction around what we promised we were bringing Rob in for,” he said.

GWM’s Hebei, China-based head office has been entirely supportive of Mr Trubiani’s efforts thus far, marketing boss Steve Maciver said.

“There has been no pushback or no sort of denial from any of the engineers that these things aren’t possible,” he explained.

“We have had five senior engineers working with Rob the past couple of weeks across suspension, steering, a number of areas.”

Mr Trubiani’s team is understood to be utilising his old General Motors stomping ground at the Lang Lang, Victoria proving ground to adjust current GWM product ahead of a broader effort to influence unseen, new models.

“The tune that Rob is getting us to, we are pretty confident that will come through in production eventually,” concluded Mr Maciver.