The first details of a new Chery high-performance SUV from the company’s Luxeed division have surfaced in China, including a design that looks a lot like Ferrari’s Purosangue – but the involvement of a former Prancing Horse designer means it’s no copycat.

Luxeed is a co-development between Chinese manufacturer Chery and Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), which provides the technology platform and self-driving tech for a number of new brands emerging in China.

Rose-gold sports car (Porsche) in a three-quarter front view parked on a light stone plaza.
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The Luxeed RX range is set to join similarly styled low-roof, fastback electric SUVs with classically proportioned long-bonnet, cab-rearward designs, like the Xiaomi YU7 and  Voyah Passion S. But the inspiration for the RX’s looks appears to stem from former Ferrari designer Werner Gruber, who worked on cars like the LaFerrari and FXX-K during his time at Maranello.

Even the dimensions aren’t too far off the Purosangue. The Luxeed measures 5020mm long, 2007mm wide and up to 1600mm tall on a 3000mm wheelbase. Compared to Ferrari’s SUV, the RX is 47mm longer, 21mm narrower and 11mm taller, with the wheelbase falling short by 18mm.

The RX’s Gruber-led design cloaks either an 81.1kWh or 100kWh battery, according to information from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It will come in 277kW single-motor form and a 437kW version with 160kW front and 277kW rear motors.

In keeping with its performance positioning, the Luxeed RX is expected to come with six-piston front brakes, staggered-width tyres and dual-chamber air suspension with a double-wishbone front and five-link rear design.

Green sporty SUV car in motion on a city street, reflections on the hood, with blurred trees and road markings suggesting speed.
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Estimates for the longest-range model indicate a driving range of 852km based on often-optimistic CLTC test conditions, which is expected to be closer to 720km in WLTP testing.

As with other HIMA-developed cars, the RX is expected to offer a suite of advanced semi-autonomous driving capabilities, but the full list of features and specifications for the production version has yet to be revealed.

As for Australia, none of China’s HIMA-affiliated cars from companies like Chery and JAC have arrived down under. With Chery Australia already fielding its Chery, Jaecoo, Lepas, and Omoda brands locally, and iCaur and Jetour expected soon, Luxeed’s range of vehicles could be pushed to the back of the queue.