New large SUV will be sold abroad under the new iCaur name with new logo being unveiled last week.
Chery’s electric vehicle sub-brand, iCar, has released official spyshots of its upcoming mid-to-large-sized SUV, the iCAR V27, confirming a global debut in Dubai on August 1.
The model adopts a rugged, boxy off-road design, and is expected to feature the increasingly popular extended-range (EREV) powertrain, though an EV version may also be on the cards.
Judging by the model’s size, pricing is expected to start in the RMB 220,000 (£23,050 / $30,600) range, pitching it against the likes of the Fangchengbao Bao 5, with an imminent market launch expected.
Both rear- and four-wheel-drive configurations are expected to be offered, with dual motor versions likely to adopt at least the same 335kW (449 hp) power output as the updated iCar V23 S.
The spy images reveal a boxy silhouette that makes heavy use of classic off-roader elements, such as a steeply raked windscreen, clear two-box design, raised ride height, and chunky traditional door handles.
Rectangular headlight units house a circular daytime running light with the top portion sliced off, evoking the ‘angry eyes’ look of the current Land Rover Defender, while the rest of the fascia is more horizontal and traditional in style.
Thick octagonal cladding around the wheel arches and the base of the doors suggest a car designed to perform across a broad range of off-road environments, a prediction supported by images appearing to show the V27 tackling a river and a flood gulley.
Additional utilitarian features, like those on the Bao 5, include a side-hinged rear bootlid with a full-size spare tyre mounted on it, and split tail lights with a double square design.
In theory, the V27 looks set to be a three-row SUV with six seats, with previous spyshots showing a window, albeit a slim one, behind the rear doors, a feature that wouldn’t usually be necessary in a two-row SUV.
The squared-off roofline means space, both for passengers and luggage, should be plentiful, while also retaining a styling connection to the brand’s other cars, the 03 and V23.
Images show two alloy wheel designs, one the five-spoke petal design from other iCar models, the other the six-spoke, dish-type design also available on other iCars.
Official interior details are expected to be disclosed at the Dubai unveiling, but these images do reveal a large central screen and multiple grab handles in the front and rear of the cockpit for holding in across rough terrain.
The V27 is yet another entrant into the rapidly expanding real off-roader segment, which is up around 30 percent year-on-year, that now boasts cars like the Fangchengbao Bao 5, Bao 8, and Tai 7, as well as the ROX 01, and much of the Tank and Haval line-ups.
Genuine off-road adventures are an increasingly popular hobby among outgoing Chinese consumers, with both new Chinese models and used foreign models like the Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Land Cruisers proving very popular.
Often, dedicated courses and routes through rural mountainous areas are being constructed or dug out to support the popular trend, with clips of the events becoming prominent on Chinese social media channels.
