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Lepas will change into the third new sister model beneath the Chery umbrella in Australia – and it nearly definitely gained’t be the final – when it launches domestically in the midst of 2026.
It follows within the wheel tracks of the Jaecoo and Omoda manufacturers which were established Down Beneath during the last 12 months, which supply a variety of SUVs based mostly on mainstream Chery fashions however that includes distinctive exterior and inside design remedies.
Lepas will probably be no totally different by way of its mannequin vary, launching with the L8 medium-large SUV that shares its underpinnings with the Chery Tiggo 7, Jaecoo J7 and Omoda 7.
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However it plans to create its personal premium identification with a singular showroom expertise that would enable potential patrons to purchase garments and equipment in the identical place as a part of collaborations with trend homes and designers.
“We’re planning to create a unique house from the standard showroom [for Lepas],” Lepas model and advertising and marketing director Nick Xuan informed CarExpert throughout an unique interview at Chery’s headquarters in China final week.
“We need to incorporate with some trend [designers] or elegant manufacturers. If now we have this type of atmosphere, we additionally need to make it an expertise centre that may be very near the buyer with merchandise that we expect will probably be of their life.”
“I feel that for the Lepas model, we’re specializing in the customers and their pursuit for elegant life and a really comfy drive expertise. Possibly not very excessive by way of efficiency, like now we have limitless energy or one thing like 0-100km/h in three seconds.
“That’s not our goal, however we hope that that buyer may expertise and drive it in a really comfy and chic model, and likewise the house may give the drivers extra confidence.”
Mr Xuan says Lepas is designed to have a definite European really feel about it, positioning it above the mainstream Chery model however alongside Jaecoo and Omoda, that are designed to enchantment to out of doors adventurers and tech-savvy patrons respectively.
It says it’s going to obtain this with a brighter palette of exterior paint color decisions and two-tone inside configurations.
The L8 is aimed toward semi-premium SUVs such because the Mazda CX-60, Volkswagen Tiguan, Peugeot 3008, and Skoda Karoq.
Nevertheless, regardless of being a five-seater, it’s slighter larger than a lot of its opponents, measuring 4688mm lengthy and driving on a 2800mm wheelbase, and driving on the identical T1X platform because the seven-seat Tiggo 9.
Beneath the bonnet, the L8 is powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain which pairs a 105kW 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with a single-speed devoted hybrid transmission that drives the entrance wheels and incorporates a 150kW electrical motor.
With a 18.3kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, the Lepas L8 is prone to match the Tiggo 7’s claimed common gasoline consumption of 1.4L/100km and 93km electric-only driving vary (on the NEDC cycle).
Pricing and closing specs for the Lepas L8 in Australia have but to be locked down, however anticipate a protracted checklist of ordinary tools in addition to a complete suite of energetic security features and driver aids.
The L8 will probably be joined in showrooms earlier than the tip of 2026 by two different fashions, the compact L4 (based mostly on the Chery Tiggo 4) and the mid-size L6 (based mostly on the Tiggo 7).
Mr Xuan additionally confirmed the vary will probably be joined by extra bookends within the Lepas 2 – a totally electrical compact SUV – and the full-size seven-seat Lepas 9, and there’s potential to additionally add a luxurious four-door sedan down the observe.
“Sooner or later, I feel in our plan we can have totally different merchandise together with SUV and sedan,” he informed CarExpert.
MORE: How Chery’s many manufacturers match collectively – and why extra may come
