Things used to be simpler in the auto industry. Most automakers had just a few brands, while the older companies like General Motors and Ford had many, but these came about through acquisition of other companies.
In China today, there are over 200 different brands but the number of automakers is far less. Some brands are those of smaller companies which have been acquired by bigger ones but many have been created by one company to cater to different segments of the market. It’s probably workable in China which is the world’s largest new vehicle market with 31.44 million vehicles sold in 2024.
Even outside China, some automakers are applying the same strategy and have even created more brands just for export markets (probably to also make it less problematic using domestic Chinese names).
One of these is the Chery Group which started business in 1997. Over the years, the automaker has created more than 10 different brands for the domestic market as well as for exclusive use outside China. The brands are Chery, Exeed, iCar (iCAUR outside China), Jaecoo, Jetour, Rely, Lepas, Kaiyi, Luxeed, Karry, Soueast, Omoda and Riich (discontinued).
For the Malaysian market, the Chery brand appeared 20 years ago and then faded away. Then it returned 3 years ago with the wave of Chinese brands sweeping into the region as the Chinese auto industry stepped up exports.
From one brand to three
Within less than a year of starting Chery Malaysia as its own subsidiary to handle distribution and marketing, the JAECOO brand was also introduced to offer premium SUVs. This would become unified with the OMODA brand to become OMODA | JAECOO in May 2025, following the strategy globally. Then came a lifestyle/adventure brand called ICAUR, the odd name a variation of iCAR in China probably to avoid trademark issues in some countries.
![JETOUR Dashing [2025]](https://www.motaauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/JETOUR-Dashing-2025-3-1.jpg)
Lepas to come in 2026
But Chery Malaysia is not finished with introducing new brands as we will see yet another one in 2026. This is Lepas, which the company says will ‘introduce a new standard of elegance to Malaysian consumers’. It will be making its debut as an independent global brand under the Chery umbrella.
Lepas’ target market
With consumer preferences shifting from functionalism to high-quality and self-satisfying experiences, Lepas is Chery International’s key strategic initiative to capture more market share. It aims to appeal to affluent, charismatic, and high-net-worth urban elites, shaping a product image that is young, stylish, and tech-driven.
“Nature has been a constant source of inspiration for our designers. We adopted the ‘Natural Energy’ design concept and successfully applied it to product,” said Lepas Chief Designer Ivan Dulanovic. “At the early stages of design, the image of a running leopard inspired the vehicle’s shape. The leopard embodies not only power but also agility and flexibility.”
With a clear strategic blueprint to launch 8 new models within 3 years , Lepas aims to position itself as a sophisticated and dedicated player in the premium New Energy Vehicle market. The products for the Malaysian market have not been revealed but all are likely to have electrified powertrains.
Meeting diverse needs
“We are transitioning into a comprehensive mobility solutions provider. The user-co-created future of Chery, OMODA | JAECOO, iCAUR and Lepas give us an unparalleled toolkit to meet the diverse needs of Malaysian consumers,” said Men Lin Bo, Executive Vice-President of Chery Corporate Malaysia.
He added that critical component of the co-creative process will ensure that the vehicles and brand experiences brought to Malaysia are finely attuned to local tastes and expectations.
