During this year’s Auto Shanghai, Chery launched its new sub-brand called Lepas that will be introduced in global markets. The name fuses the words ‘leap’ and ‘passion’, so it should be pronounced as ‘leap-pass’ and not ‘le-pas’.
Models under the Lepas banner are designed following what the company calls ‘Leopard Aesthetic’. Key cues include slim daytime running lights that are meant to evoke a leopard’s focused eyes, while the sides feature three distinctive lines that point to the muscles of the big cat’s front arms, hind legs and lower abdomen. Meanwhile, the company says the smooth and simple surfacing are inspired by pottery.
Our sister site paultan.org/BM, which was present for the Lepas preview, also pointed out that the interior design is inspired by the Earth’s sky and sports a simple dashboard. A flowing centre console with a large, portrait-format touchscreen is meant to represent a waterfall following downwards. Premium-touch fabrics are also used on the door cards and dashboard, with the texture said to be “as soft as a baby’s skin.”
Emotive descriptions aside, the first Lepas model to begin production is the L8, an SUV measuring 4,688 mm long, 1,860 mm, 1,695 mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2,800 mm. The L8 is in the same D-segment class as Chery’s Tiggo 8, with both sharing the same platform.
Commonality is a recurring theme for Chery, as the L8’s T1X platform is also used by Chery Tiggo 7, Omoda C7 and Jaecoo J7. As such, the L8 will have access to a wide range of powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid setup you see here, along with petrol-only, hybrid and fully electric options.
Sales of the L8 will begin later this year, and the SUV will be joined by two smaller models called the L6 and L4, which are twins to the Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 4 respectively. Lepas deputy CEO Zhong Wei also revealed there will be two sedan models on the way, and the line-up will include even smaller cars like the L3, L2 and L1, as per what was said during the Chery International Business Summit. The brand intends to sell 500,000 units globally within three years of its launch.
For now, it isn’t known if the Lepas brand will be brought to Malaysia, although our sister site’s presence at the official media preview hints that this could happen. According to Kompas, the L8 has already been confirmed for Indonesia and will be launched there in either Q2 or Q3.
GALLERY: Lepas L8
GALLERY: Lepas L6
GALLERY: Lepas L4
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Chery top mgmt , please read this !
Oh man! Please tweak the name slightly to “Lipas”,
Changed the emblem to cockroach .
How hilarious this Chinese automakers are getting … if you can’t named your product properly . It only leads to nowhere .
Maybe we should start creating a sub-brand challenger name Lipas or our fan favorite Lepas Tangan.
Lepas ni ada banyak lagi sub-brand.
Hmm… Really too many sub brand, and most of these design are mix and match with many other brands. This one is a little bit of Hyundai, Porsche, Jaguar cook together, there you have it…
Lipas?
does seem to carry the Lipas design language. LOL.
Main lepas je korang ..
What is going on with most Automakers giving cool features and big wheels for their SUVs and pickup trucks while giving less features and small wheels for their sedans and hatchbacks. It’s NOT about going off road, it’s about having a car with a high-seating position and can drive on our Beautiful, Bumpy and Rough roads . Sedans and hatchbacks can be cool like SUVs and pickup trucks, it just depends on whether automakers want to make them cool….. Or…… Automakers just want to make SUVs and Pickup trucks cool…. And let their sedans and hatchbacks stay as boring cars. Even the gearbox, for example, Toyota can give a 6-speed Auto, a turbocharged engine, decent HP , high ground clearance and big wheels for the Fortuner and the Hilux, but they decided to give a 4-speed CVT, low ground clearance, Noisy NA ENGINE , less HP and small wheels for the Vios and the Yaris…Just why? And I know people will say “because if they give their sedans and hatchbacks decent ground clearance, big wheels, cool features and a 6-speed Auto or a 7-DCT Gearbox , that would increase the car’s cost. ”
True I agree, but even with little techs and gizmos, people are still paying a high price to buy sedans and hatchbacks….. And getting very little features , a sluggish gearbox and low ground clearance.
In conclusion, Automakers can make their sedans and hatchbacks cool like SUVs and pickup trucks, it all depends on whether automakers want to…. Or not. And to be honest, as a car guy, I’m very sad and disappointed that nowadays most Automakers just want to focus on making their SUVs and Pickup trucks cool while leaving their sedans and hatchbacks lineup bland and boring.
And worst, with all these corrupt, greedy and evil politicians coming up with strict emission rules, laws and regulations, Automakers are forced to down-size their engines to smaller and noisy engines….or go into electrification.
Lepas 2?
What is going on with most Automakers giving cool features and big wheels for their SUVs and pickup trucks while giving less features and small wheels for their sedans and hatchbacks. It’s NOT about going off road, it’s about having a car with a high-seating position and can drive on our Beautiful, Bumpy and Rough roads . Sedans and hatchbacks can be cool like SUVs and pickup trucks, it just depends on whether automakers want to make them cool….. Or…… Automakers just want to make SUVs and Pickup trucks cool…. And let their sedans and hatchbacks stay as boring cars. Even the gearbox, for example, Toyota can give a 6-speed Auto, a turbocharged engine, decent HP , high ground clearance and big wheels for the Fortuner and the Hilux, but they decided to give a 4-speed CVT, low ground clearance, Noisy NA ENGINE , less HP and small wheels for the Vios and the Yaris…Just why? And I know people will say “because if they give their sedans and hatchbacks decent ground clearance, big wheels, cool features and a 6-speed Auto or a 7-DCT Gearbox , that would increase the car’s cost. ”
True I agree, but even with little techs and gizmos, people are still paying a high price to buy sedans and hatchbacks….. And getting very little features , less HP, small wheels, a sluggish gearbox and low ground clearance.
In conclusion, Automakers can make their sedans and hatchbacks cool like SUVs and pickup trucks, it all depends on whether automakers want to…. Or not. And to be honest, as a car guy, I’m very sad and disappointed that nowadays most Automakers just want to focus on making their SUVs and Pickup trucks cool while leaving their sedans and hatchbacks lineup bland and boring.
And worst, with all these corrupt, greedy and evil politicians coming up with strict emission rules, laws and regulations, Automakers are forced to down-size their engines to smaller and noisy engines.
Lepas? Hehehehe :D
nak beli Lepas, tapi loan tak lepas
Truly Lipas macam parasit masuk banyak banyak kasi banjir jalan raya dengan sub standret betul tak say cakap