A NEW car brand is set to launch in the UK later this year – called Lepas.
Part of the Chery, a major Chinese state-owned manufacturer that’s already introduced Omoda, Jaecoo and the Chery brand itself, Lepas has reportedly been developed with Europe in mind.
According to Autocar, the brand’s name has been created as a blend of “leopard”, “leap” and “passion”, with the brand focusing on what China calls “new energy vehicles”.
This means plug-in hybrids and fully electric motors, though the plan for the UK appears to include a wider spread of powertrains.
Lepas says it will reveal details of its first UK model in the coming weeks, but previous reporting suggests the initial line-up will include the L4 and L6 crossover SUVs – expected to be offered with conventional combustion engines as well as plug-in hybrid and battery-electric options.
They boast Chery’s T1X modular platform – already used by the Omoda 5, Jaecoo 5 and the hugely popular Jaecoo 7.
In terms of styling, the L4 and L6 have been described as having softer, rounded design cues that take inspiration from Chery’s existing Tiggo family while also echoing the look of established European brands such as Audi.
Chery has said they are quite aware that running multiple marques in the same market risks overlap and fierce competition within their own ranks.
Indeed, this was acknowledged at Lepas’s launch, when Chery International president Zhang Guibing reportedly presented a slide asking whether there were “too many brands”.
And he’s possibly got a point, especially as Lepas’s models are said to resemble Chery’s Tiggo range more closely than Omoda and Jaecoo do.
But to reduce that clash, Chery plans to reposition the Tiggo line with a tougher, chunkier design – aimed at more traditional family buyers.
Omoda, meanwhile, will be pushed in a more overtly aggressive direction, including more angular, polygonal styling on the upcoming Omoda 3 crossover.
“By offering different brands on the same platform, the volume is very big and that gives us a good price,” Zhang added at the unveiling.
With the arrival of Lepas, it’s perhaps a never feather in the hat of Chery’s attempt to become a long-term fixture in the UK – where it has grown quickly.
Last year, Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery together reached an impressive 2.65% share of the UK new car market, placing the group ahead of Mini, Tesla and fellow Chinese manufacturer BYD.
With Lepas added to the mix and with their other brands’ ranges expanding, Chery could move closer to the market shares of larger mainstream players such as Renault, Skoda and Kia.
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