Marshall Motor Group has been appointed as the UK retail and aftersales partner for new Chinese brand LEPAS, with plans to open five dealerships ahead of the marque’s UK launch next month.
The dealer group will represent Lepas through five strategically located showrooms across the UK, with the first model, the L8 plug-in hybrid SUV, arriving in August.
The appointment marks another step in the expansion of Chinese brands into the UK dealer network, with Lepas joining a growing number of new entrants seeking established dealer partners.
The brand is establishing an initial network of around 50 dealerships, including several AM100 dealer groups. The Chinese brand plans to grow to around 70 locations by the end of the year.
Trevor Fussey, managing director of Marshall Motor Group, said the appointment would add LEPAS to the dealer group’s franchise portfolio ahead of the launch of its UK model range. He said Marshall was looking forward to supporting the brand’s growth through sales and aftersales services.
Lepas regional sales manager Alex Rose said Marshall’s commitment to opening five dealerships before the brand has launched demonstrated confidence in its UK ambitions.
Rose said: “Lepas may be a new brand but we have very big plans for the UK and expect to grow rapidly.
“We are therefore absolutely thrilled to have Marshall – one of the UK’s leading dealer groups – commit to opening five sites in key areas before we’ve even sold a single car.”
“Personally, I can’t wait to get started and to working with Marshall to deliver a brilliant all-round experience for our customers.”
Marshall has not yet confirmed the locations of the five dealerships.
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L8 PHEV launches in August
The Lepas L8 will be offered initially as a plug-in hybrid, with a fully electric version scheduled to follow in 2027.
The range will comprise two trim levels. Prices start from £34,900 on-the-road for the Essence model and £37,900 for the Elevate.
The L8 uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with an 18.4kWh battery and dedicated hybrid transmission. LEPAS claims up to 56 miles of electric-only range, a combined driving range of up to 745 miles and CO₂ emissions of 21g/km.
The battery can be DC rapid charged from 30% to 80% in around 20 minutes.
Further models, including the L6 mid-size SUV and L4 compact SUV, are due to join the range shortly after the L8.