Range-extender 4×4 offers 449bhp and a combined range of more than 621 miles
Chinese car-making giant Chery’s iCaur brand has unveiled the V27, a new rival for the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser that could be bound for UK showrooms.
A hardy 4×4 that draws on cues from its established competitors, it is the largest car in the nascent iCaur line-up, being slightly shorter and narrower than a Defender 110.
It employs a range-extender powertrain comprising a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and either one or two electric motors. The ICE never drives the wheels itself, but instead generates electricity for the motors. The dual-motor model puts out 449bhp.
The V27 can drive for 124 miles before the battery needs to be recharged, though this is according to China’s CLTC test cycle, which yields figures less representative of real-world driving than the WLTP test used in Europe.
With its petrol tank brimmed and 33kWh battery fully charged, the V27 is said to be capable of driving more than 621 miles (1000km) before it needs to be topped up.
The V27’s interior will be shown when the model is revealed in full on 21 November.
Prices in China start at the equivalent of £27,000, but it would likely be significantly more expensive if it arrived in UK showrooms.
To that end, Autocar previously reported that the iCaur brand – known as iCar in China but renamed for export markets to avoid a trademark dispute with Apple – is expected to arrive here next year.
Its sibling brands, Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo, have already launched in the UK and have quickly found traction. The Jaecoo 7 outsold the Nissan Qashqai in the UK last month, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Autocar reported that the smaller iCaur V25 is slated for a UK launch next year, while the V27’s underpinnings are being evaluated for use in the Ineos Fusilier, to speed up that car’s development.
