The Chinese marque Chery’s new sub-brand Lepas seems to have geared up for their debut in Malaysia. The automaker has officially created a social media presence by establishing their official Malaysian accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
Lepas made its global debut at the Shanghai Auto Show this year with its SUV model, the L8, which also made an appearance at the recent Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS). Combing through their Instagram page, most of the content is also centred on the SUV.
This strongly suggests that the automaker will make its Malaysian debut with the L8, mirroring its approach in Indonesia. Notably, the first batch of L8 units was exported from Wuhu Port to overseas markets on 6 June.
Just to recap, the Lepas L8 has some similarities with the Chery Tiggo 8 Plus in terms of design. It comes with sharp and angular daytime running lights. As for the headlights, they seem to be integrated vertically within blacked-out sections. Additionally, the SUV comes with a large grille. At the rear, it features full-width taillights.
The Lepas L8 is a D-segment SUV built on the versatile T1X platform, which also underpins models like the Chery Tiggo 7, Omoda C7, and Jaecoo J7. Reflecting its shared architecture, the L8 is expected to offer a wide range of powertrain options, including petrol-only, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric variants.
While official specifications have yet to be released, more details are anticipated during the model’s official launch in December this year, as confirmed by Zhang Guibing, President of Chery International. He also announced that four additional models will be introduced under the Lepas brand in the coming years, including the L6 and L4—both of which are believed to be SUVs.
