When Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo visited Chery earlier this year, he was shown the full line-up of cars from its multiple brands.
Like most large Chinese car companies, Chery’s brands attack nearly all sectors, from practical family SUVs to slippery electric premium saloons.
But the car the Italian executive walked up to first was the chunky little iCar V23 off-roader. “He just loved the concept,” according to someone who watched his reaction.
Global CEOs going on fact-finding trips to China is a common phenomenon these days. Witness Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna’s recent visit to Leapmotor. De Meo’s visit may or may not indicate a broader tie-up between Renault and Chery, but it does show how iCar is prompting visceral reactions with a smart take on an age-old concept heading right back to the original Land Rover and Willys Jeep.
If Brits know Chery at all, it’s mainly from the new Omoda and Jaecoo brands, which are steadily heading up the sales charts with keenly priced petrol, plug-in hybrid and electric SUVs.
It also has a tie-up with JLR in China, giving it insight into the world’s foremost expert in off-roaders.
Chery’s export ambitions don’t stop at Jaecoo and Omoda. Also heading to the UK as part of a global push are the new Lepas value brand, models in Chery’s Tiggo family SUV range and iCar – which has had to be renamed iCaur to avoid trademark battles with Apple. It makes more sense on the badge, where the ‘a’ links cursively with the ‘r’ to form the ‘u’.
Sales of both fully electric and range-extender EVs from the brand are expected to start here next year as part of iCaur’s ambition to open 2000 showrooms in 100 countries within three years.
Add your comment