Leapmotor D19 and C16 on Australia wish list

Leapmotor Australia has confirmed it has formally requested a number of extra models from its Chinese parent, with the C11, C16 and flagship D19 SUVs among those being discussed, but the local boss is keeping his cards close to his chest on what’s coming and when.

Leapmotor’s local line-up is still relatively lean, with the C10 mid-size SUV, B10 small SUV and new B05 hatch in showrooms, and the B03X light SUV due in November.

Back home, it’s a very different story. Leapmotor was China’s 14th best-selling car brand in 2025, and its range stretches from tiny city cars right through to the large D19.

Asked whether the D19 was next in line, Leapmotor Australia boss Andrew Hoang rattled off a shopping list rather than a single name.

“I mean, there’s B03, which is a small hatch. There’s C16, there’s D19, there’s B05 Ultra. I mean, all those things are products I think could have a place here in Australia,” he said. “They all have something that we’re looking for, I think.”

“So, yeah, it’s just us being able to work out when and how it’s the best time to bring them over.”

And has the Aussie team actually asked for them? Yes, and so have other markets.

“Absolutely. We’ve put our hand up for a number of those vehicles,” Hoang said. “Us and other markets, right? And that’s the first step.”

As for whether the ball is now in HQ’s court, Hoang said it’s more of a group effort.

“I think we’re just collectively working through it to see what’s the best plan if we were to bring those vehicles over.”

It’s a measured approach, and that’s deliberate. Unlike some rivals that have flooded showrooms with new nameplates, Leapmotor says it orders what it reckons it can sell, rather than having stock pushed onto it from China.

The C16 is a six-seat family SUV in China, while the D19 is the brand’s new large flagship. Either would give Leapmotor something to fight with in the family-hauler space, where a third row is often a deal-breaker – and where the brand currently has nothing to offer.

Don’t expect an announcement tomorrow. Hoang wouldn’t be drawn on which models will get the nod, and there’s no timeline attached to any of them.

But the list is long and the appetite is clearly there. With the B03X landing next month, the next big question is whether Leapmotor goes bigger with a seven-seater or sportier with the B05 Ultra – or, if the boss gets his way, both.

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