Chinese luxury brand Exeed announces a five‑year Road to Le Mans program, aiming to compete at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. Learn more today!
Chinese premium brand Exeed, a division of Chery, has just unveiled a bold five‑year strategy to take on the world’s most demanding endurance race – the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The plan, dubbed Road to Le Mans, marks the first time a Chinese automaker will field its own factory‑backed team at the historic French circuit.
Strategic Partnership with the ACO
On December 15, Exeed announced a strategic cooperation agreement with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the organization that creates and runs the Le Mans event. The partnership gives Exeed direct access to ACO’s technical expertise, allowing the brand to develop race‑ready technology under the close guidance of the sport’s governing body.
Road to Le Mans: A Three‑Phase Plan
Phase 1 – Exeed Unified Race
Exeed will launch a domestic endurance‑racing series called the Exeed Unified Race. This platform serves as a laboratory for the brand to refine power‑train performance, collect real‑world data, and scout talented drivers who could later represent the factory team on the world stage.
Phase 2 – Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS)
After establishing a solid foundation at home, Exeed plans to compete in the Asian Le Mans Series, which features three classes:
- LMP2 – Le Mans Prototype 2
- LMP3 – Le Mans Prototype 3
- LMGT3 – Le Mans GT3 (requires manufacturers to produce at least 2,500 road cars per year)
The LMGT3 class will be crucial for Exeed, as it aligns with the brand’s upcoming production models and meets the ACO’s homologation rules.
Phase 3 – Full‑Scale Le Mans Entry
In the final stage, Exeed will field its own team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Chery and ACO have also agreed to build a Le Mans‑spec circuit at Chery’s headquarters in Vuhô, Vietnam, which will host high‑profile racing events and serve as a testbed for future race cars.
Competing with the Best
Exeed’s entry will place it alongside established manufacturers such as Porsche, Toyota, Aston Martin, Cadillac, and BMW. This lineup underscores how seriously the brand is taking its transition from road‑car luxury to top‑tier motorsport.
Powertrain Ambitions
While Exeed currently offers a 2.0‑litre turbocharged inline‑four that produces 257 hp, the company is simultaneously developing a high‑performance hybrid system dubbed C‑DM. The hybrid combines the gasoline engine with electric boost to deliver a total output of roughly 610 hp – a figure competitive with the most powerful entries in the GT and prototype categories.
China’s Growing Motorsport Footprint
Exeed is not alone in China’s push into international racing. The Lynk & Co‑backed Cyan Racing team, part of Geely Group, has dominated the FIA TCR World Tour, amassing nine world titles since 2019. By 2026, Cyan Racing will switch to the brand‑new Geely Preface TCR chassis, further illustrating Chinese manufacturers’ commitment to racing excellence.
With the Road to Le Mans initiative, Exeed aims to turn its ambitious vision into a reality, showcasing Chinese engineering on one of motorsport’s most revered stages.
Stay tuned for updates as Exeed rolls out its race‑ready cars, recruits drivers, and prepares for the ultimate test at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe.