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Lepas range will initially consist of three combustion engine SUVs, two sedans and an entry-level EV.
Lepas L6 will take-up station as the intermediate model between the L4 and L8. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
Yet another Chinese range of SUVs is heading for South Africa, this time under the banner of Chery’s new international brand called Lepas.
The first model to roll off the assembly line, the Lepas L8, was revealed in Wuhu, China, on Thursday (25 April).
It will go into production towards the end of this year, with two smaller models, the L6 and L4, to follow.
In the pipeline after that is an all-electric L2 and two sedans.
The Lepas brand has been confirmed for South Africa, but the L8 is not expected to arrive before early next year.
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Chery plans to have around 30 dealerships up and running before then. They will function as independent entities like Chery’s other sub-brands, Omoda & Jaecoo, and Jetour.
Lepas will only be offered in Chery’s international markets, not China. Chery believes there is a gap in these markets for a more upmarket and trendier styled SUV.
According to the manufacturer, the Chery Tiggo Pro family SUVs cater to a moderate and traditional buyer, while Lepas is aimed at younger buyers with a fashion sense.
The name Lepas is a combination of the words “leopard” and “passion.” According to Chery, its shoulder lines were sculpted on the contours of an American leopard, and its LED headlights resemble the eyes of the big cat. Chinese porcelain inspired the curves on the doors and door handles.
The Lepas L8 features a striking yet simplistic front grille design, which is said to resemble luxury goods such as gemstones. The standout feature at the rear is a thin light bar connecting the taillights.
The L8 is 4 688 mm long, 1 860 mm wide and 1 695 mm tall, which is very much on par with the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro. The latter is 32 mm longer, 15 mm higher and features a similar width.
Staying true to the Lepas slogan of “Colourful Life, Masterful Drive,” the L8 will be offered in three launch colours. Norwegian Forest Green, Canada Maple Yellow, and Scotch Grass Green are reserved for the exterior but will also be used on the seats, dash, and door panels.
The cabin features a 13.2-inch portrait-style infotainment system with multimodal voice control. It also has a rotary gear shifter and features such as diamond-shaped texture on the seats, a “pebble suspended speaker” and “rhythmic ripples” finishing.
Chery claims that the 970 mm rear legroom in the Lepas L8 is more than the BMW X1, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offer. The rear recline angle of 32 degrees also gives it the edge over most others in the segment.
An innovative configurable cabin enables the driver’s seat to be almost fully reclined to provide “Nap Mode”.
Both front seats can be reclined with a pull-down screen providing what is called “Cinema Mode”, while “Sleeping Mode” provides a double bed with the rear seats folded down and the dashboard double acting as a headrest.
No powertrain details were divulged during the launch, but expect that the range of Lepas SUVs will be offered with internal combustion engines, as plug-in hybrids (PHEV), or fully electric vehicles.
The combustion engine L8 is likely to be powered by the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine used in other Chery products.
The PHEV version should use the Chery Super Hybrid powertrain, which was announced for various Chery products at the Shanghai Auto Show this week. It combines the familiar 1.5-litre turbo engine with an electric motor and battery pack.
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