- The C10 AWD Sports+ delivers 590 hp from a twin-motor setup.
- Australian pricing starts at a competitive AU$53,888 plus costs.
- A 81.9 kWh battery offers up to 272 miles of WLTP-rated range.
The standard Leapmotor C10 is an electric SUV that could be best described as adequate. It’s not exciting or engaging to drive, but aside from a few tech gremlins, it drives quite nicely and is well priced. Now, a new version of the C10 has been launched, and it might be enough to get people excited.
Known as the Leapmotor C10 AWD Sports+ Special Edition and just introduced in Australia, the power on offer and the SUV’s price tag are simply absurd. Whereas the standard C10 has a single electric motor with 215 hp (160 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque, the AWD version has a pair of upgraded motors delivering 590 hp (440 kW) and 561 lb-ft (760 Nm).
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To put those figures into perspective, the original Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 had 602 hp and 413 lb-ft (560 Nm), while the rear-wheel drive only LP 580-2 was rated at 572 hp and 398 lb-ft (540 Nm). Leapmotor says its new flagship needs just 4 seconds to hit 100 km/h (62 mph), which is impressive, but perhaps a little slower than we’d expect given the horsepower and torque figures.
A Price To Stun
Arguably just as impressive as the C10’s performance is the fact that it’ll start at just AU$53,888 ($37,600) plus on-road costs, or just AU$10,000 ($7,000) more than the standard model. This allows it to easily undercut the BYD Sealion 7 Performance that starts at AU$63,990 ($44,700), and even undercuts less powerful, rear-wheel drive versions of the Tesla Model Y (AU$58,900 / $41,100) and Zeekr 7X (AU$57,600 / $40,200).
Complementing the more powerful motors is a larger 81.9 kWh LFP battery that provides the oddly-named C10 AWD Sports+ Special Edition with up to 272 miles (437 km) of WLTP range. It supports DC charging speeds of up to 180 kW, meaning the battery can charge from 30-80 percent in 22 minutes, which is below par in this segment despite the C10 having an 800-volt architecture.
Leapmotor has failed to mention if any upgrades have been made to the C10’s suspension or braking systems to cope with almost triple the power of the standard model.
