Chinese car brand sets sail on 'maiden voyage' as it targets UK sales success

The latest Chinese car brand to enter the UK market has come one step closer to becoming reality with the launch of its "maiden journey" to the UK.

Lepas has confirmed that the first of its L8 SUVs is set to land in the UK ahead of test drivers in late August and customer deliveries from September.

The vehicles, which are UK specification, are expected to dock at the Port of Tyne on the AICC Kunpeng carrier.

Lepas is the latest Chinese car brand to enter the UK market and aims to follow in the footsteps of sister brands Chery, Jaecoo and Omoda.

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The Lepas L8 comes equipped with a Super Hybrid ecosystem, featuring a highly efficient 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine mated to a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission.

Its 18.4kWh battery provides up to 56 miles of pure electric range, while the complete powertrain can deliver a combined range of up to 745 miles.

Motorists will be greeted with an impressive combined fuel consumption of up to 403.5 mpg, while the L8 emits just 21g of CO2 per kilometre.

Drivers investing in the Lepas L8 can fast charge the vehicle from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes.

Lepas added that a fully electric version of the L8 would launch next year, alongside other vehicles, as it expands its model lineup.

The AICC Kunpeng vehicle carrier most recently arrived in Singapore, having left Taicang Port in Jiangsu earlier this month.

Vehicles onboard will make their way to Lepas dealerships across the UK, allowing drivers to test drive the new 76-plate models in late August.

Some of the largest and most popular dealership groups, including Marshall Motor Group and Arnold Clark, are in the process of opening Lepas dealerships.

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Ray Wang, managing director of Lepas UK, said: "The whole Lepas UK team was emotional seeing images of the first Lepas L8 models boarding the transporter ship and setting sail for the UK.

"This moment comes after months of hard work by the whole team, making sure that everything is in place for the launch of our brand and for our customers to have the best possible experience of Lepas."

The Lepas made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier in July, with thousands of enthusiasts flocking to its stand.

It was the first UK public appearance of Lepas as a brand and its incoming L8 Super Hybrid SUV.

An estimated 123,000 attendees visited the Lepas stand, as dozens of drivers ordered the L8 and paid the deposit, even without ever driving the car.

Mr Wang said the positive reception to Lepas at Goodwood was evidence of "just how popular this model is going to be".

"We already have a very healthy order bank and hundreds of potential customers waiting to take test drives, so we cannot wait for the boat to dock in the UK," he stated.

Prices for the L8 Essence plug-in hybrid will start from £34,900 on-the-road, while the L8 Elevate will start at £37,900.

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