Chinese brand partners with German tuning firm to produce hot electric SUV

The Leapmotor C10 can be described as affordable and spacious. But sporty? Not so much…

To give it a shot of adrenaline, the Chinese brand is collaborating with German tuning and customisation firm Irmscher to develop a “special series” based on the mid-size electric SUV.

Just 250 examples of the Leapmotor i C10 will be produced, based on the new dual-motor all-wheel drive version of the C10 that’s being revealed at the Zurich motor show in October.

Leapmotor says this joint project is part of a “long-term collaboration” it’s launching with Irmscher, which was founded in 1968 and is best known for developing sporty versions of Opel and Isuzu models.

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A couple of teaser images have been released by Leapmotor, which established a joint venture with Opel and Jeep parent Stellantis in 2023 called Leapmotor International to export vehicles like the C10 to markets like Europe and Australia.

These images show a set of sportier wheels, as well as a sportier front bumper treatment with a prominent red accent.

Down back, there’s what appears to be an illuminated letter ‘i’ underneath the full-width light bar.

No mention has been made of any performance enhancements.

The AWD C10 it’s based on is already getting a massive boost in performance over the regular single-motor C10 already available here.

It packs a pair of electric motors, for a total output of 436kW and a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of just four seconds.

That’s down from 7.5 seconds for the rear-wheel drive C10, while the 69.9kWh battery has been replaced with an 81.9kWh battery.

Power is up significantly, with the C10 currently producing 160kW or 170kW. Earlier this year, Chinese government certification filings showed the RWD C10 will move to a 220kW electric motor for model year 2026, but this is still only around half what the AWD model pumps out.

Above: Leapmotor C10 REEV Ultra Hybrid

The C10 is also moving to an 800V electrical system.

Leapmotor Australia has yet to confirm the AWD C10 for our market, though the sporty-looking i C10 developed with Irmscher is likely to be a Germany-only variant.

“By collaborating with Irmscher, a traditional German company, we are continuing on our current path: We are bringing together the best of both worlds – the speed and technology of a Chinese high-tech startup and German design and customization expertise,” said Leapmotor Germany CEO Martin Resch.

“This project is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness of the Leapmotor brand and to give it an emotional boost.”

Irmscher has done everything from cosmetic upgrades to the Isuzu Bighorn (aka Holden Jackaroo) through to stuffing a V8 into the small Opel GT (aka Saturn Sky) roadster.

Above: Irmscher Isuzu Bighorn, Irmscher Opel GT i40

Launched in Australia last year, the C10 is the brand’s debut product in our market.

The C10 is currently priced from $45,888 before on-roads in electric guise, with the REEV Ultra Hybrid – an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) – priced from $45,990 drive-away.

A smaller electric SUV, the B10, is set to follow it on sale.

Leapmotor has previously said everything it produces is on the table for the Australian market. That could include an MG 4-rivalling small electric hatch, the B05, set to be revealed at next month’s Munich motor show.

MORE: Explore the Leapmotor C10 showroom