7:35 am, July 29, 2026
New Chinese car brand Lepas is targeting a 90-strong dealer network as soon as next year, as it builds ambitious plans to take on well-established premium brands.
Speaking to Car Dealer, Lepas UK managing director Ray Wang revealed the Chery-owned brand has been busy building a network ready for Lepas’s official launch next month, and he has tasked his team with quickly scaling it up over the next 12 months.
The brand already has 50 dealerships on its books, including a number of Car Dealer Top 100 groups such as Arnold Clark, Marshall, Greenhous, Stoneacre and JCT600.
‘We have approved more than 50 so far – we wait to see which one opens first!’ Wang said.
Unlike Omoda and Jaecoo, Wang said the majority of Lepas outlets will operate from standalone showrooms to create a more ‘premium customer experience’.
‘The majority of Lepas cars will be sold via dedicated showrooms,’ he said. ‘We’d like to bring a little bit more luxury vibe in terms of that experience. That’s why we’re developing the network cautiously.’
He added that while the majority will be dedicated showrooms, some dealers will operate a dual-franchise set-up, which will see the Lepas name sitting alongside brands other than Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo.
Lepas sits above its sister brands, offering more ‘elegant’ models, and a more upmarket customer experience at the point of sale, explained Wang.
The brand comes to the UK to ‘extend’ Chery’s reach and offer more ‘choice’ to the customer, and to fill a gap between value-led’ newcomer brands and aspirational ‘heritage elegance’ marques.
The first car to arrive is the L8 – a Volkswagen Tiguan-sized plug-in hybrid SUV, which starts from £34,900.
A smaller L6 will debut by the end of the year, followed by the Ford Puma-sized L4 in 2027. Plug-in hybrid and pure-EV derivatives will be offered.
While the expansion mirrors the rapid growth enjoyed by Omoda and Jaecoo, Wang stressed Lepas will grow in a more measured way.
‘We would like to offer something different and a more personal experience,’ he said.
‘We’re trying to develop this network carefully.’
And while Wang isn’t aiming for another Jaecoo 7 sales hit on his hands with Lepas, he said that if that happens ‘he’d be more than happy’.