Leapmotor used the opening day of the 2026 Beijing auto show to launch the Lafa5 Ultra, a higher-spec version of its electric coupe aimed at younger buyers who want stronger design, driving performance and technology without moving into premium pricing.
A sportier Lafa5 enters at a lower-than-expected price
The model is offered in two versions, 500 Ultra and 600 Ultra, with limited-time launch pricing from about $17,000. Orders placed before midnight on May 31, 2026 can receive launch benefits including cash discounts, lifetime vehicle warranty, charging pile and installation service, replacement incentives and finance subsidies. The total benefit package is worth up to about $3,000.
The Lafa5 has sold more than 20,000 units in the three months since launch and has led China's roughly $13,000-$18,000 pure-electric coupe segment. The first batch will enter 26 European countries in June, giving the model a global role inside Leapmotor's ABCD product matrix.
Design: factory-tuned rather than aftermarket
The Lafa5 Ultra is positioned as a factory-modified sports coupe, avoiding the cost and regulatory uncertainty of aftermarket changes. Ride height has been lowered to 1,510mm, while the 1,880mm body width gives it a low, wide stance.
Standard equipment includes a front splitter, side skirts, rear wing and diffuser. Leapmotor says the aero package can generate nearly 18kg of downforce at 160km/h, improving visual aggression and high-speed stability.
The car also receives 19-inch gunmetal sports wheels, matte metallic dark-grey brake calipers, darkened badges and three exclusive paint colours: Thunder Yellow, Star Green and Liquid Silver. Frameless doors, flush side windows and three-section family lighting complete the coupe identity.
Driving: a stronger motor and European-influenced tuning
The rear motor's maximum output rises to 180kW, giving the car a 0-100km/h time in the five-second range. A dedicated sport mode reshapes accelerator mapping for more linear response.
The chassis is the main upgrade. Chinese and European teams jointly tuned the suspension. The body sits 10mm lower, anti-roll bars are strengthened, and low-speed damper resistance is raised by 15%. The result is intended to give quicker front-end response, less roll and more direct road feel.
Drivers can fully disable ESP in safe settings, returning more control over vehicle dynamics. A dedicated EPS steering calibration is designed to provide steadier high-speed feel and more precise cornering response.
The Lafa5 Ultra uses 19-inch Hankook iON evo high-performance staggered tyres, helping raise lateral grip to 0.97g. The 100-0km/h braking distance is 36.01 metres. Rear-wheel drive, 50:50 weight distribution, a 34,500Nm/deg torsional-rigidity body and LMC integrated sport control support the car's performance positioning.
Cabin: sport seats without giving up comfort
Inside, the Lafa5 Ultra uses Wind Grey suede-like material across 4.48 square metres and dedicated sports seats with taller bolsters. Ultra embroidery and body-colour seat belts add a more performance-oriented visual identity.
The front seats include eight-point massage with three-layer air bladders and a low-noise pump. Six massage modes are offered, alongside ventilation and heating. Leapmotor is trying to avoid the stripped-out cabin feel that sometimes comes with budget sports models.
The car also claims an 86% space-utilisation rate, a configurable passenger-side expansion dock, a 1.02-square-metre panoramic roof with powered sunshade, more than 80% soft-touch cabin coverage and EU OEKO-TEX-certified materials.
Intelligence: lidar and dual Qualcomm chips
The Lafa5 Ultra launches with urban navigation assistance, designed to work nationwide without relying on high-definition maps. It can handle ramp entry and exit, lane changes and overtaking on supported routes.
The hardware package includes 27 perception sensors, including lidar, and a Qualcomm 8650 driver-assistance chip with 200 TOPS of computing power. Other functions include wheel-assisted 360-degree viewing, car-park memory parking, parking assistance, phone-controlled parking and straight-line summon.
The cabin uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip to power a 14.6-inch 2.5K central display. The system supports a growing app ecosystem and features such as task assistance. Dual AI large models, DeepSeek and Tongyi Qianwen, support complex voice commands, dialect recognition and voiceprint sensing. Entertainment functions include karaoke and interactive cabin features.
A value statement for Leapmotor
The Lafa5 Ultra is more than a trim expansion. It shows Leapmotor's continued push to turn technology that once belonged to more expensive cars into accessible user benefits.
The model's task is to make sport-coupe styling, stronger driving dynamics, lidar-assisted intelligence and a richer cabin available at a mass-market price. If the formula works in China and then Europe, it could strengthen Leapmotor's image as a company that uses cost control and in-house technology to broaden access to higher-level EV features.
