The L8 SUV will be the first car sold in the UK by Lepas, the Chinese brand has today confirmed.
The Omoda and Jaecoo sibling (whose name is a portmanteau of ‘leopard’, ‘leap’ and ‘passion’) is owned by Chinese giant Chery and has been created with a focus on the European market.
The L8 is its flagship – a five-seat SUV that’s positioned as a premium alternative to the likes of the similar sized Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 but expected to be priced to undercut them.
While little from a technical point of view has been confirmed about the UK-bound L8, it will sit on the same modular T1X platform as its Omoda and Jaecoo sibling models.
In Indonesia, the L8 is sold exclusively with the same plug-in hybrid powertrain as the UK-market Jaecoo 7, so it’s fair to expect the same to be offered here.
That combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and 18.3kWh battery for 56 miles of electric-only range and 204bhp.
An electric version of the L8 is expected to follow, given that its platform-mates are also offered in EV form.
Inside, the cabin is a minimalistic affair centred around a portrait-oriented 13.2in infotainment touchscreen. Below that, physical buttons for control climate functions flank an audio volume dial. A 10.2in digital instrument cluster and a wireless phone charger also feature.
Safety functions come in the form of “next-generation driving assistance”, said Lepas, without detailing further.
By
