Leapmotor boss wants B05 Ultra hot hatch here
Local chief Andrew Hoang says the warmed-over electric hatch could become a halo model for the brandThe News
Leapmotor Australia boss Andrew Hoang has put his personal vote behind the B05 Ultra, the punchier, more aggressive version of the brand’s Alfa Romeo-tuned electric hatch, describing it as a halo car that would help the Chinese brand stand out.
The Key Details
- B05 Ultra is local boss’s personal pick for Australia
- Seen as a halo model, not a volume seller
- Decision won’t hinge on regular B05 sales
- Chinese-market Ultra packs 180kW and a claimed 5.9sec 0-100km/h time
The Finer Details
Asked which model he’d love to see next – personal opinion, not company line – Hoang didn’t need long to think about it. Sadly for large SUV fans, it wasn’t the D19.
“Personally, for me, I would love to see the B05 Ultra. That to me, it’s just cool,” Hoang said. “I saw it in the flesh in China. You know, it turns heads. It’s something different.”
Fair call. Sold as the Lafa 5 Ultra in China, the hotted-up hatch adds a body kit, a bigger roof spoiler, unique 19-inch alloys and grey brake calipers to the regular B05’s already sharp shape.
The rear-mounted motor jumps from 160kW/240Nm to 180kW/255Nm, cutting the claimed 0-100km/h time from 6.7sec to 5.9sec. It’s not MG4 XPOWER-rapid, but it’s a decent step up – and the standard B05 chassis is crying out for more grunt.
Inside, the Ultra gets sports seats with ventilation and massage, a big dose of faux suede and LiDAR-based driver-assistance hardware. In China it starts at 123,800 yuan (about $US18,135).
Crucially, Hoang said the case for the Ultra wouldn’t simply ride on how well the regular B05 goes in showrooms.
“I’m pretty confident B05 will sell really well anyway, but the decision to bring B05 Ultra over, I don’t think will be dictated by B05 as such because I do see it as a halo vehicle as well for the brand as opposed to just purely on sales,” he said.
“Because that segment is smaller than the SUV segments. But it does provide customers with more choice and I think provides Leapmotor with a way of standing out, that we’ve got that in our range.”
That last bit matters. Leapmotor remains a minnow in Australia, battling low brand awareness in a market crammed with Chinese newcomers. A cheeky, affordable rear-drive hot hatch would get tongues wagging in a way another mid-size SUV wouldn’t.
The Road Ahead
For now, the B05 Ultra is not confirmed for Australia – it’s a wish, not a work order.
The regular B05 is already in showrooms and has impressed us on international roads. If Leapmotor can bolt on the Ultra’s extra punch without blowing out the price, it could give a few established warm hatches a genuine fright.
How much does the 2026 Leapmotor B05 cost?
Style – $35,888
Design LR – $39,888
B05 Ultra – TBC (not confirmed for Australia)
*Prices exclude on-road costs.
Related: 2026 Leapmotor B05 detailed for Australia
Related: Performance variants under study says Leapmotor
Related: MG4 XPOWER 'undriveable' says rival Chinese brand
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