We’ve got Jaguars and Pumas, now the Chinese are getting in on the cat act

Lepas – inspired by a leopard – is the fourth brand from Chinese giant Chery and is set to arrive with a range of SUVs in the second half of this year

The L6 could be one of the first Lepas models in the UK, based on tech shared with Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo models (Lepas)

Yet another new Chinese brand is set to launch in the UK later this year, with Lepas being the fourth marque arriving from Chery International.

Chery already sells its own brand cars here (the Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9), and Jaecoo sells its Range Rover lookalike Jaecoo 5 and Jaecoo 7 models. Meanwhile, Omoda sells the Omoda 5, Omoda 7 and Omoda 9 models. All three existing brands are expected to launch additional models over the next twelve months.

Lepas is another ‘new energy’ brand that has been designed for the European market and is expected to launch with a range of hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUVs. According to Lepas, these new launches will focus on “modern urban buyers” and be “inspired by the leopard, symbolising the perfect fusion of speed, power and elegance”.

The Lepas 8 is likely to be the brand's range topper and could be about the same size as the Chery Tiggo 9 and Omoda 9 (Lepas)

Lepas is being positioned as a more design-led and imaginative brand within the group’s portfolio. The name combines the words “leopard”, “leap” and “passion”, apparently reflecting an emphasis on performance, progress and emotional appeal. The company says the brand has been developed to turn everyday driving into a more engaging experience, with a focus on smart technology and thoughtful design.

The Lepas 4, Lepas 6 and Lepas 8 are all potential arrivals in UK showrooms, with the first model to be revealed in the coming months. That car is expected to arrive in the third quarter of the year and it could be sold through Chery’s expanding UK dealer network.

It’s expected that the Lepas models will share much of the technology already found in the other three Chery Group models, although it’s not yet known whether there will be fully-electric Lepas models.

The move underlines the pace at which Chery has established itself in the UK. The group says it has achieved a combined market share of 5.3 per cent in just 18 months, describing this as the fastest rise from zero to five per cent market share the UK has seen.

Details of the UK rollout were first shared privately with retailers at the group’s retailer conference in January. The UK launch will be phased, with the company planning to confirm senior leadership appointments, retail network strategy and brand positioning in the coming months.

The expansion comes as Chinese manufacturers continue to increase their presence in the UK and wider European markets, particularly in the electric and plug-in hybrid sectors.

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Chery Holding Group, which sits behind Chery International and its sub-brands, entered the Fortune Global 500 for the first time in 2024, ranking 385th with reported revenues of $39.1 billion. The company says its scale gives Lepas access to established research and development resources, global manufacturing standards and an international supply chain.