We’re used to i this and i that, so it’s only logical that eventually we got an iCar. Well, that was the plan, until Apple put its Project Titan away for the time being while it had other more important things to be getting on with. Apple never actually confirmed its automotive project, but there were enough clues – including people working on the project who’ve since moved on.
However, while we’re not going to get an iCar, we are going to get iCAUR – and it comes from an increasingly familiar source. Yes, Chinese automotive giant Chery International has confirmed that its iCAUR brand will launch in the UK in early 2027, with the rugged five-seat V27 SUV leading the way.
Legend has it that Chery would very much have liked to have called its brand iCar around the world as it does in China, but in certain regions that name is already taken. So the iCAUR V27 is coming to the UK – with a bit of a UK flavour, too.
The first iCAUR is the brand’s flagship, combining boxy styling with an electrified powertrain and off-road capability. It’ll also get some attention from engineers at Chery’s new R&D Centre of Excellence at UTAC Millbrook in Bedfordshire, which is being used to refine and develop the car specifically for UK roads. The local work forms part of a launch that will also bring a dedicated iCAUR team and a separate route to market from Chery’s other UK brands: Omoda and Jaecoo, Chery and Lepas.
Although the badge will be new to British buyers, iCAUR has already been doing the rounds elsewhere. Launched internationally in 2025, the SUV brand is now sold in more than 40 markets, and its arrival here follows Chery International’s first move into Britain with Omoda in 2024.
There’s a different identity from its siblings to go with the new name, though. iCAUR describes its approach as ‘Born to Play’, with the emphasis on individuality and a sense of adventure. That thinking is intended to shape both how its cars look and what they can do, with retro-inspired design paired with technology aimed at everyday use.
For the V27, that starts with the square-shouldered bodywork. The designers say the inspiration comes from nature: pronounced wheel arches are intended to echo the shoulders of mountains (I’m not sure I can quite see that), while the strong line running along the sides takes its cue from a ridgeline (ditto). Cleaner, flatter panels balance those more sculpted sections, creating the car’s squared-off outline and broad stance.
Inside, iCAUR is positioning the V27 as a premium SUV, promising generous space and quality materials. There are five seats, while sizeable glass panels are intended to make it feel more open. The digital screens won’t have the interior all to themselves, either: chunky physical buttons will put key functions within easy reach, with the displays and other technology working alongside them. The emphasis, the company says, is on making the car straightforward to use in everyday life.
The cabin has already earned some recognition ahead of the UK launch, winning the Best Interior Design Award in the Premium Car Category at the 2026 Torino Automotive Design Awards. It’s an early award for a brand that only made its international debut last year.
I managed to crawl over the iCAUR V27’s interior when I saw it in China earlier in the year, and I reckon it will appeal to UK buyers even more than some of Chery’s current offerings – subject to price, obviously. Yes, there’s the obligatory large central touchscreen and a digital driver display ahead of the interior, but there are buttons and knobs close by, too.
While the exterior is decidedly retro, the cabin is far more modern – both in its design and its feel. It’s a Western-looking design and quality of the car I sat in was impressive. There’s plenty of space inside, too, with a decent boot and impressive rear passenger space. The Land Rover Defender had better watch out.
Off-road capability is part of the V27’s brief, but iCAUR says the car is intended to handle weekday commutes as well as weekends exploring muddy lanes. Its electrified powertrain – likely to be the usual Chery plug-in hybrid system offering a long combined petrol and electric range – will come from Chery International, with the aim of combining efficiency and the ability to venture off the tarmac. More details of the UK car will follow in the coming months, but if my experience of the car in China is anything to go by, personalisation and plenty of accessories – especially aimed at dog owners – will be on offer.
iCAUR will operate as a standalone brand in Britain, supported by Chery’s growing UK organisation. The company sees the V27 as the start of a long-term presence here, with its own team and retailers giving the brand room to establish a distinct identity and customer experience. Chery International UK will oversee iCAUR alongside the group’s other brands here.
The timing brings a couple of milestones for the wider business, too. Chery Automobile was founded in 1997 and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027, while Chery International UK marks three years since entering Britain with Omoda.
Before British buyers meet the V27, iCAUR will unveil another new model, the V25, at its International User Summit next week. The V27 is the model confirmed to launch the brand here, with full UK specifications and prices due closer to its early-2027 arrival.
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