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Luxeed RX arrives amid a design controversy
Luxeed, Chery's upscale EV offshoot working closely with Huawei under the HIMA alliance, has unveiled its new RX crossover — and the launch has stirred more headlines for its design backstory than for its specs. The SUV's look has drawn immediate comparisons to Ferrari's Purosangue, and a senior Luxeed executive's claim that a 'former Ferrari chief designer' worked on the model prompted a sharp public response from Ferrari's China office.
What sparked the row
According to Luxeed CEO Zhao Changjiang, one of the company's recent hires who contributed to the RX was described as a former lead designer at Ferrari. The assertion triggered an unusually public rebuttal from Ferrari's PR in China, which demanded the name of the designer and tersely denied losing any such talent. Whether this is a PR misstep, a misunderstanding or a deliberate marketing move, the debate has put the Luxeed RX under a brighter spotlight.
Design and styling: bold, familiar, or derivative?
Styling is the centrepiece of the conversation. The Luxeed RX adopts an aggressive front end with slim headlights, a pronounced black grille and a splitter that give it an athletic stance. Black body panels, muscular rear haunches and a lip spoiler reinforce a sporty silhouette, while the brand's signature complex light bar runs across the tail.
Auto enthusiasts have pointed out visual echoes of the Ferrari Purosangue blended with design cues resembling recent Xiaomi EV concepts, creating a look that some call stylish and others call derivative. Luxeed markets the vehicle as an FUV — a fashionable utility vehicle — aiming to combine sports-car flair with crossover practicality.
Customization and visual options
Buyers will be offered a wide palette of personalization:
- Brake caliper colors: yellow, red, silver
- Wheel options including high-sheen purple-spoke designs
- Contrasting black body panels for a more aggressive look
Key specifications and performance
Dimensionally the RX is large: 5,020 mm long, 2,007 mm wide, 1,585 mm tall, with a 3,000 mm wheelbase. Powertrain choices target both efficiency and performance:
- Base model: single rear-mounted electric motor producing 372 hp, rear-wheel drive
- Flagship: dual-motor setup with a combined output of 586 hp, top speed around 250 km/h
Battery details are partly disclosed: the base variant uses an NMC cell pack from CATL, while the top trim relies on NMC batteries supplied by CALB. Exact battery capacities and estimated range figures have not yet been released.
Market positioning and outlook
The Luxeed RX arrives into a fiercely competitive Chinese EV market where design, range, and smart software are decisive factors. Integration with Huawei's intelligent systems under HIMA could give Luxeed an edge in connectivity and driver assistance, but the design controversy raises questions about brand identity and trust.
If Luxeed can back up bold styling with solid range, software and build quality, the RX could carve out a niche among premium Chinese EV crossovers. Otherwise, the story risks being remembered more for the designer dispute than for the driving experience.
- Quote highlight: 'Stylish, muscular and controversial — the Luxeed RX will test how much story matters beside substance.'
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