Lepas to make UK public debut at 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed

Chery International’s new energy vehicle brand Lepas will make its UK public debut at this summer’s upcoming 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Lepas will showcase its flagship L8 premium SUV model in the First Glance Paddock between Thursday July 9 and Sunday July 12, ahead of its official launch later in the month.

The L8 will also be seen in motion when it takes on the Goodwood Hillclimb with racing driver Sasha Brunton behind the wheel. Brunton will don a specially commissioned leopard print race suit and helmet in honour of the Lepas name, which is a blend of ‘leopard’ and ‘passion’.

Two trim levels — Essence and Elevate — will be available from launch, with prices starting from £34,900 for Essence and £37,900 for Elevate. Both are powered by the ‘Lepas Super Hybrid ecosystem, which combines a 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine with a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT), electronic gear selector and an 18.4 kWh battery. A DC fast charge from 30% to 80% takes 20 minutes, while a total range of 745 miles and a pure electric range of 56 miles are achievable.

A fully electric L8 is set to follow in 2027.

Lepas says a total of 50 showrooms will open across the UK ahead of the launch of the L8, with plans for around 100 dealers to be up and running by the end of 2027.

Ray Wang, Managing Director of Lepas in the UK, said: “We couldn’t have picked a better or more exciting event at which to finally introduce the UK public to the LEPAS brand and to showcase our first model, the L8 premium SUV.

“The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an event of global significance in the automotive calendar and one of the highlights of the summer in Britain. We can’t wait to be there and to properly begin our journey in this country.”

READ MORE: Chinese brand Lepas announces L8 as first UK model

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Lepas