There is a new amphibious luxury SUV in China that veers from 'tank'

Chery's Jetour brand in China (the same group that sells Omoda and Jaecoo in Europe) presented a new series of luxury off-road vehicles called Zongheng this week.

We don't know if we'll ever see it, but it's interesting to talk about because of its close relationship with the brands that are also sold in Italy, and also because the most attentive readers will remember that Jetour, for example, produces the Traveller on which the ICH-X K3, which was on show at the last Turin Motor Show, is based.

On the eve of the debut of the Zongheng series, the Chinese company released a very peculiar video in which a camouflaged SUV can be seen entering the water almost completely covered by it and performing 'tank-like' turns.

What we can expect

Jetour has told the press that the vehicles in the Zongheng range will feature cutting-edge technology. The video below, posted on the brand's official page on Chinese social network Weibo, shows a classically proportioned large SUV with a flat roofline, large exterior mirrors and traditional door handles.

What is most striking, apart from its fording ability, is the 'tank-like' turn, i.e. the SUV is able to rotate around its own axis without turning its wheels. Typically, only models equipped with four electric motors are able to do this, such as the YangWang U8, Zeekr 001 FR and Mercedes-Benz G-Class 580 with EQ technology.

High ambitions and new models

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The launch of the new luxury series represents a turning point in Jetour's growth strategy. Last year it sold 568,387 units, or 80.3% more than in 2023.

Now its goal is to reach 800,000 units per year, and to do so, Chery's deputy general manager Li Xueyong said last November that Jetour will build 'countless' off-road models, including four light-road models, three hardcore off-road models, and one or two luxury hardcore off-road models.

Read also:

A new off-roader is coming and it is called ICH-X K3

Who is Omoda, what cars does it make and how much do they cost?

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