LEPAS has revealed the AURA, its first concept car, at a brand event in Wuhu, China. The new-energy vehicle brand from Chery Auto says the design study sets the look of its future models, from the front end to the lighting and paint.
Where was the AURA revealed?
LEPAS showed the car on 22 October at its Global Elegance Night in Luolan Town, Wuhu. The evening formed part of the brand’s first Global Elegant Lifestyle Week, which ran from 18 to 24 October during the Chery International User Summit. Chery’s home city hosted several debuts that week, including the OMODA X crossover from a sister brand.
The LEPAS AURA concept introduces what the brand calls the second evolution of its Leopard Aesthetics design language. LEPAS takes its name from “leopard”, “leap” and “passion”, so the big cat shapes almost every design decision.
What does the AURA look like?
The concept sits on a long wheelbase with short overhangs and a wide stance. Photos from the reveal show a low, long-roofed shooting brake, which is a change for a brand that has so far built SUVs. Its pronounced shoulder lines and flowing surfaces borrow from the way a leopard moves.
The glossy, porcelain-inspired surfacing first seen on the LEPAS L8 SUV carries over. Meanwhile, air channels follow the contours of the body and guide air over the car.
Ivan Dulanovic, chief designer of LEPAS, said: “In our philosophy, form and function are never two separate things. The AURA’s stance follows the running leopard; it is lean, forward and efficient.”
He added that the air channels help create downforce across the wide body. “The air itself helped shape this car, so to speak,” he said.
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
What changes at the front?
Designers have merged the rounded grille and the side intakes into a single black surface, so the face looks cleaner and simpler. LEPAS says this new face will shape its future models. Above it, Leopard-Eye headlamps give the car a recognisable lighting signature from a distance.
LEPAS says both elements aim to give its future cars a stronger family identity. However, the AURA also lets owners change that identity. A digital canvas at the front can display graphics, lighting and animations. At the back, an elliptical display allows personalised taillight signatures.
“The customer could, in a way, become the designer of their own car. Technologies often dictate how the front end looks, but here we invite you to personalise it,” Dulanovic said.
Which colours did LEPAS show?
The concept comes in three new colours, each named after a landscape at a different time of day. Dawn Pearl takes its soft pink tone from a sunrise in Tahiti. Bacalar Blue reflects the turquoise water of Bacalar Lagoon in Mexico, while Provence Twilight picks up the blue-violet of lavender fields at dusk.
For the reveal, LEPAS shared the stage with Greek fashion designer Vassilis Zoulias and jewellery designer Pericles Kondylatos. Zhai Xiaobing, chief executive of LEPAS, said: “For LEPAS, elegance is a way of life, and a promise we keep through our products.”
Will the AURA go into production?
LEPAS hasn’t announced any production plans. It also hasn’t released powertrain, battery, performance or dimension details for the car. Instead, the brand says the AURA’s front fascia, lighting, porcelain finish and colours will inspire its future designs. Its new face and Leopard-Eye lighting are the elements LEPAS has tied most clearly to future models.
Which LEPAS models come next?
The L8 is the brand’s first model and its flagship. In the UK, the L8 plug-in hybrid costs from £34,900 in Essence trim and £37,900 in Elevate trim. Its LEPAS Super Hybrid system pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and an 18.4kWh battery. LEPAS quotes up to 56 miles (90km) of electric-only driving and a combined range of up to 745 miles (1,199km) under WLTP testing.
The fully electric L6 EV follows. It uses a 65kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and a 160kW (217PS) motor with 275Nm of torque. LEPAS claims 0 to 62mph in 7.9 seconds and a WLTP range of up to 279 miles (449km). The smaller L4 is also due, and LEPAS says both the L6 and L4 will launch in the UK in the coming months.
