At Chery’s sprawling HQ in the city of Wuhu, two hours west of Shanghai, dozens of prototypes circle the streets linking the company’s various R&D facilities.
In one prototype jam, we spot a camouflaged Lepas with Audi’s four rings crudely drawn on tape covering the badge.
The marking was clearly a joke, but it was also a sign of Chery’s sky-high confidence that it can conjure up a new export brand, launch it globally, including in the UK, within a year and quickly establish it as a serious contender.