Latest news with #Maverick
Business Insider
21 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Wall Street is bullish on Meta's Q2 performance ahead of its earnings report: 'One of the best AI opportunity stocks'
It's Meta's time to shine. The Facebook parent is on deck to report earnings for the second quarter after the closing bell on Wednesday, and Wall Street analysts are feeling bullish on the tech giant's coming results. Analysts are expecting the company to report $44.7 billion in revenue for the last three-month period, compared to $42.3 billion in revenue for the first quarter. Earnings per share are expected to come in at $5.86, according to Bloomberg data. Wall Street has increasingly come to see Meta as a key AI play, with the company on track to roll out two major data centers and profit from AI-driven advertising on its platforms. Earlier in the year, the company also said it would spend up to $65 billion in capex as AI becomes a central growth strategy to the company. Here's what analysts are saying about the stock ahead of its next earnings report. Bank of America: "Top Online ad stock" Analysts at Bank of America said they expect Meta to beat consensus estimates for second-quarter earnings, pointing to positive checks they conducted on Meta's advertising business. Revenue could come in around $45.5 billion, they estimated, at the higher end of Meta's guidance for the quarter. In a note earlier this month, analysts called Meta a "Top Online ad stock" in 2025. That's because the company looks best-positioned to reap the benefits from AI-driven advertising, they wrote, which they believe could support a higher valuation for the stock. But Meta's AI spending could be an issue. "Expense risk on reports that Meta has ramped up AI hiring, and capex spend is the biggest concern into the print," analysts wrote last week, adding that they expected the company's total headcount to rise 2% for the quarter. Analysts reiterated their "Buy" rating on the stock. Earlier this month, they lifted their price target to $775 from $765, which implies 8% upside from the stock's current levels. Oppenheimer: Ads are a bullish factor Oppenheimer lifted its revenue outlook for Meta through the rest of 2025. Revenue could climb 4% in the second quarter, 9% in the third quarter, and 3% in the fourth quarter, analysts wrote in a note last month, citing the reduced risk of a tariff-induced recession as well as an improved outlook for the online ad market. Still, Oppenheimer said it saw a handful of key risks looming over the stock. Here are some of the potential headwinds they see: Meta could struggle to innovate its AI features. "Scout" and Maverick," the company's latest AI models for Llama 4, "have dramatically trailed peers," Oppenheimer said. Investors could sell Meta stock to divert proceeds to new tech IPOs. Meta's ads could become less effective if privacy restrictions make it difficult for the company to track user data The company faces competition from the likes of Google, Microsoft, Pinterest, Twitter, and TikTok. Oppenheimer reiterated its "Outperform" rating on the stock and lifted its price target to $775 a share, implying 8% upside from current levels. Needham: 'We expect META to over-deliver' Needham had a mixed view of Meta headed into its second-quarter earnings. On the one hand, the firm's analysts upgraded their rating for the stock from "Underperform" to "Hold," citing two positive catalysts: Rising revenue. "Based on our channel checks, we expect META to over-deliver on our prior rev and margin estimates for 2Q25 and FY 25," the analysts said, estimating that Meta would post 14% revenue growth and 6% earnings per share growth for the year. High productivity. Meta's business could be more productive than other mega-cap tech firms, with the company scoring the highest on free cash flow relative to labor costs in 2024. Still, analysts see a handful of risks ahead that held them back from rating the stock as a "buy." Risks include pressure on Meta's margins and free-cash flow, potentially higher-than-expected total labor costs due to stock-based compensation, and Meta's use of several strategies in its business, which "wastes capital and adds risks," analysts said. Citizens: Capex could climb past $90 billion next year Meta could lift its capital expenditures even higher as it ploughs more money into its AI and superintelligence projects, analysts at Citizens wrote in a note. "With Meta making material investments in its superintelligence team, including researchers and compute, we believe the company is going through a significant investment cycle and we expect 2026 CapEx to surprise the Street as Meta builds multiple 1GQ or greater data centers," they said, estimating capex could come in around $91 billion next year. Stocks typically don't benefit when a company is going through an investment cycle, analysts said. But the situation could be different for Meta, as AI can enhance the ad experience for users. "To that end, we believe more compute and access to better models can help sustain revenue growth and we moderately increase our growth estimates for Meta," analysts said. The firm reiterated its "Market Outperform" rating and $750 price target on the stock, implying 5% upside from current levels. CFRA Research: Hiring, ad spending, AI in focus Angelo Zino, an analyst at CFRA Research, wrote this month that investors will likely be most interested in three things heading into Meta's earnings call: The implications of the company's recent " AI hiring spree." The health of Meta's ad spending across its social media platforms. The company's monetization of AI and other growth initiatives. Still, Zino said he expects Meta to meet its expected revenue targets for the second and third quarters, largely due to increased stability in the digital ad market. Meta's ad impressions could see an increase of around 5%-6%, while the average price per ad could rise 9%-10% in both the second and third quarters, Zino said. CFRA reiterated its "Buy" rating on the stock and lifted its price target to $800 from $750, implying 12% upside from current levels.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Kyrie Irving admitted he watched his former teammate Luka Doncic torch the court with a 24-point blitz in just 180 seconds
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Image via: Getty Images When Luka Doncic catches fire, the results are nothing short of breathtaking. Kyrie Irving , his former Dallas Mavericks teammate, has seen it firsthand, and not just during NBA games. During a recent Twitch stream, Irving recalled witnessing Doncic unload a jaw-dropping 24 points in only three minutes during a Mavericks practice, reminding fans just how dangerous Luka can be with the ball in his hands. Luka Doncic's scoring frenzy leaves Kyrie Irving speechless Luka Doncic's on-court brilliance has never been in question. The Slovenian star has had multiple scoring explosions over his six-and-a-half-year stretch with the Dallas Mavericks. But what happens during those closed-door practice runs? According to Kyrie Irving, some of Luka's most outrageous moments never even made it to the hardwood under the spotlight. Speaking on TheTylilShow via Twitch, Irving dropped a gem that set Mavericks fans buzzing, "I witnessed him give somebody 24 points in three minutes." He added that Luka was capable of putting up monstrous numbers on any given day. He gave Irving 60, 18, 18 in practice. This wasn't just a one-time occurrence. According to Kyrie, Doncic's practice intensity often mirrored his game-time explosiveness. He was dominating. Fans, naturally, tried to guess who was on the receiving end of that 24-point outburst, with some playfully pointing fingers at former Maverick Grant Williams, who left behind a polarizing legacy in Dallas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo But only the team truly knows. What's clear, though, is how special that Irving-Doncic pairing was, even for a fleeting moment. Their chemistry, both on and off the court, was undeniable. They often referred to each other as 'hermano,' Spanish for brother. The catchy nickname was a reflection of a genuine connection that never got the full runway it deserved, especially after the surprise midseason trade that sent Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. Kyrie Irving cherishes lessons from former teammates Even though the partnership ended too soon, Irving continues to speak with great respect about Doncic, and many others he's played with over the years. 'Each one of them brings something unique to the table, but they all pushed me to be better, you know," Kyrie shared. Also Read: 'Always and Forever' — NBA legend Dennis Rodman pours heartfelt tribute to WWE icon Hulk Hogan Reflecting on the greats who've shaped him, Irving said, "Bron, KD, J-Kidd, Vince Carter, Tim Duncan, Reggie Miller, Hakeem Olajuwon— just guys that I could think of off the top of my head... I don't take it for granted. Ever." FAQs Did Luka Doncic really score 24 points in three minutes? Yes, Kyrie Irving confirmed this happened during a Dallas Mavericks practice session. Who did Luka Doncic score the 24 points against? The specific player wasn't named, but fans humorously speculate it could've been Grant Williams. Are Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic still close? Yes, they shared a strong bond and often referred to each other as 'hermano.' For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Chery has multiple ute options on the cards for Australia
Chery Australia is gearing up to launch its first ute next year, but the Chinese brand says more models could follow with various body styles, powertrains, and use cases – if customers want them. Speaking with CarExpert, Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris said that while one ute is currently confirmed for Australia, the brand has many others that could also be brought here. 'What's confirmed at the moment is having a proper, ladder-frame chassis, off-road platform-style pickup, which will be second half of next year,' he said. 'Globally, there are lots of different options for pickups. It's not just a one-tonne ladder-frame chassis.' CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Jetour F700 Chery chief engineer David Xianqiang Lu added the brand was exploring different types of utes, while also taking notes from the performance of similar models from other manufacturers. 'We do have pickup from body-on-frame design and then also unibody design, and we're exploring global markets for that,' he said. 'USA market used to be very good for body-on-frame, but recently Ford has the Maverick, which is a unibody vehicle that sold very well. So maybe we will see. We also have body-on-frame vehicles that we will introduce to this market as well.' As it stands, Chery has no current utes sold under its own name, though it did reveal the Himla at this year's Shanghai auto show. Its other utes come from its offshoot brands, including the Jetour F700 and Rely R08, though the latter is essentially a rebadged Himla. ABOVE: Chery Himla Mr Harris said a key focus for Chery Australia with its first ute would be getting the fundamentals sorted, which includes meeting segment-standard payload ratings, towing capacities, and off-road dimensions. 'It's very early days at the moment, I think the obvious things are payload, towing ability, off-roadability, and all those sorts of things are basically a given,' he said. 'We're still very much in the research phase to ensure that we get all of the spec and features, but certainly those core elements, like 3.5-tonne towing as an example, is a no-brainer.' For context, Australia's current best-selling ute is the Ford Ranger, which, in Sport bi-turbo-diesel guise, offers a 934kg payload, 3500kg braked towing capacity, a ground clearance of 234mm, and a wading depth of 800mm. ABOVE: Rely R08 In any case, it's understood Chery is exploring at least diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains for future utes. This puts it in contention with a range of vehicles from the perennially top-selling Ranger and Toyota HiLux to the new BYD Shark 6 PHEV. 'We're always looking at what competitors are doing in the market, but to be honest with you, we're much more driven by customers and what customers want and need, rather than what our competitors are doing,' Mr Harris told CarExpert. 'Because often the competitors don't always get it right, so I think our general philosophy is how we talk to customers and listen to customers about what they want and need, and then if we can deliver a product for that, it's usually a recipe for success.' ABOVE: Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 Further, Mr Lu boldly added that it wasn't a case of Chery competing with its compatriots, but rather the other way around. 'We do have global product portfolio, and we review that every season, and make decisions if we change it a little bit or not,' he told CarExpert. 'Definitely MG and BYD are in our global competitor list, but I believe Chery is probably a bigger competitor for them, because Chery is still the number one exporter in China's market for many, many years, even this year.' Chery claims it has been China's top vehicle exporter for 22 consecutive years, with 15 million global sales to date. In Australia, it trailed BYD on sales by nearly 10,000 units in the first half of 2025.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Chery has multiple ute options on the cards for Australia
Chery Australia is gearing up to launch its first ute next year, but the Chinese brand says more models could follow with various body styles, powertrains, and use cases – if customers want them. Speaking with CarExpert, Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris said that while one ute is currently confirmed for Australia, the brand has many others that could also be brought here. 'What's confirmed at the moment is having a proper, ladder-frame chassis, off-road platform-style pickup, which will be second half of next year,' he said. 'Globally, there are lots of different options for pickups. It's not just a one-tonne ladder-frame chassis.' CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Jetour F700 Chery chief engineer David Xianqiang Lu added the brand was exploring different types of utes, while also taking notes from the performance of similar models from other manufacturers. 'We do have pickup from body-on-frame design and then also unibody design, and we're exploring global markets for that,' he said. 'USA market used to be very good for body-on-frame, but recently Ford has the Maverick, which is a unibody vehicle that sold very well. So maybe we will see. We also have body-on-frame vehicles that we will introduce to this market as well.' As it stands, Chery has no current utes sold under its own name, though it did reveal the Himla at this year's Shanghai auto show. Its other utes come from its offshoot brands, including the Jetour F700 and Rely R08, though the latter is essentially a rebadged Himla. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Chery Himla Mr Harris said a key focus for Chery Australia with its first ute would be getting the fundamentals sorted, which includes meeting segment-standard payload ratings, towing capacities, and off-road dimensions. 'It's very early days at the moment, I think the obvious things are payload, towing ability, off-roadability, and all those sorts of things are basically a given,' he said. 'We're still very much in the research phase to ensure that we get all of the spec and features, but certainly those core elements, like 3.5-tonne towing as an example, is a no-brainer.' For context, Australia's current best-selling ute is the Ford Ranger, which, in Sport bi-turbo-diesel guise, offers a 934kg payload, 3500kg braked towing capacity, a ground clearance of 234mm, and a wading depth of 800mm. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Rely R08 In any case, it's understood Chery is exploring at least diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains for future utes. This puts it in contention with a range of vehicles from the perennially top-selling Ranger and Toyota HiLux to the new BYD Shark 6 PHEV. 'We're always looking at what competitors are doing in the market, but to be honest with you, we're much more driven by customers and what customers want and need, rather than what our competitors are doing,' Mr Harris told CarExpert. 'Because often the competitors don't always get it right, so I think our general philosophy is how we talk to customers and listen to customers about what they want and need, and then if we can deliver a product for that, it's usually a recipe for success.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 Further, Mr Lu boldly added that it wasn't a case of Chery competing with its compatriots, but rather the other way around. 'We do have global product portfolio, and we review that every season, and make decisions if we change it a little bit or not,' he told CarExpert. 'Definitely MG and BYD are in our global competitor list, but I believe Chery is probably a bigger competitor for them, because Chery is still the number one exporter in China's market for many, many years, even this year.' Chery claims it has been China's top vehicle exporter for 22 consecutive years, with 15 million global sales to date. In Australia, it trailed BYD on sales by nearly 10,000 units in the first half of 2025. MORE: Is this Chery's first ute for Australia? MORE: Chery Himla pickup revealed as China's latest HiLux, Ranger rival, more utes to come MORE: Everything Chery
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Chery has multiple ute options on the cards for Australia
Chery Australia is gearing up to launch its first ute next year, but the Chinese brand says more models could follow with various body styles, powertrains, and use cases – if customers want them. Speaking with CarExpert, Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris said that while one ute is currently confirmed for Australia, the brand has many others that could also be brought here. "What's confirmed at the moment is having a proper, ladder-frame chassis, off-road platform-style pickup, which will be second half of next year," he said. "Globally, there are lots of different options for pickups. It's not just a one-tonne ladder-frame chassis." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Jetour F700 Chery chief engineer David Xianqiang Lu added the brand was exploring different types of utes, while also taking notes from the performance of similar models from other manufacturers. "We do have pickup from body-on-frame design and then also unibody design, and we're exploring global markets for that," he said. "USA market used to be very good for body-on-frame, but recently Ford has the Maverick, which is a unibody vehicle that sold very well. So maybe we will see. We also have body-on-frame vehicles that we will introduce to this market as well." As it stands, Chery has no current utes sold under its own name, though it did reveal the Himla at this year's Shanghai auto show. Its other utes come from its offshoot brands, including the Jetour F700 and Rely R08, though the latter is essentially a rebadged Himla. ABOVE: Chery Himla Mr Harris said a key focus for Chery Australia with its first ute would be getting the fundamentals sorted, which includes meeting segment-standard payload ratings, towing capacities, and off-road dimensions. "It's very early days at the moment, I think the obvious things are payload, towing ability, off-roadability, and all those sorts of things are basically a given," he said. "We're still very much in the research phase to ensure that we get all of the spec and features, but certainly those core elements, like 3.5-tonne towing as an example, is a no-brainer." For context, Australia's current best-selling ute is the Ford Ranger, which, in Sport bi-turbo-diesel guise, offers a 934kg payload, 3500kg braked towing capacity, a ground clearance of 234mm, and a wading depth of 800mm. ABOVE: Rely R08 In any case, it's understood Chery is exploring at least diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains for future utes. This puts it in contention with a range of vehicles from the perennially top-selling Ranger and Toyota HiLux to the new BYD Shark 6 PHEV. "We're always looking at what competitors are doing in the market, but to be honest with you, we're much more driven by customers and what customers want and need, rather than what our competitors are doing," Mr Harris told CarExpert. "Because often the competitors don't always get it right, so I think our general philosophy is how we talk to customers and listen to customers about what they want and need, and then if we can deliver a product for that, it's usually a recipe for success." ABOVE: Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 Further, Mr Lu boldly added that it wasn't a case of Chery competing with its compatriots, but rather the other way around. "We do have global product portfolio, and we review that every season, and make decisions if we change it a little bit or not," he told CarExpert. "Definitely MG and BYD are in our global competitor list, but I believe Chery is probably a bigger competitor for them, because Chery is still the number one exporter in China's market for many, many years, even this year." Chery claims it has been China's top vehicle exporter for 22 consecutive years, with 15 million global sales to date. In Australia, it trailed BYD on sales by nearly 10,000 units in the first half of 2025. MORE: Is this Chery's first ute for Australia? MORE: Chery Himla pickup revealed as China's latest HiLux, Ranger rival, more utes to come MORE: Everything Chery Content originally sourced from: Chery Australia is gearing up to launch its first ute next year, but the Chinese brand says more models could follow with various body styles, powertrains, and use cases – if customers want them. Speaking with CarExpert, Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris said that while one ute is currently confirmed for Australia, the brand has many others that could also be brought here. "What's confirmed at the moment is having a proper, ladder-frame chassis, off-road platform-style pickup, which will be second half of next year," he said. "Globally, there are lots of different options for pickups. It's not just a one-tonne ladder-frame chassis." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Jetour F700 Chery chief engineer David Xianqiang Lu added the brand was exploring different types of utes, while also taking notes from the performance of similar models from other manufacturers. "We do have pickup from body-on-frame design and then also unibody design, and we're exploring global markets for that," he said. "USA market used to be very good for body-on-frame, but recently Ford has the Maverick, which is a unibody vehicle that sold very well. So maybe we will see. We also have body-on-frame vehicles that we will introduce to this market as well." As it stands, Chery has no current utes sold under its own name, though it did reveal the Himla at this year's Shanghai auto show. Its other utes come from its offshoot brands, including the Jetour F700 and Rely R08, though the latter is essentially a rebadged Himla. ABOVE: Chery Himla Mr Harris said a key focus for Chery Australia with its first ute would be getting the fundamentals sorted, which includes meeting segment-standard payload ratings, towing capacities, and off-road dimensions. "It's very early days at the moment, I think the obvious things are payload, towing ability, off-roadability, and all those sorts of things are basically a given," he said. "We're still very much in the research phase to ensure that we get all of the spec and features, but certainly those core elements, like 3.5-tonne towing as an example, is a no-brainer." For context, Australia's current best-selling ute is the Ford Ranger, which, in Sport bi-turbo-diesel guise, offers a 934kg payload, 3500kg braked towing capacity, a ground clearance of 234mm, and a wading depth of 800mm. ABOVE: Rely R08 In any case, it's understood Chery is exploring at least diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains for future utes. This puts it in contention with a range of vehicles from the perennially top-selling Ranger and Toyota HiLux to the new BYD Shark 6 PHEV. "We're always looking at what competitors are doing in the market, but to be honest with you, we're much more driven by customers and what customers want and need, rather than what our competitors are doing," Mr Harris told CarExpert. "Because often the competitors don't always get it right, so I think our general philosophy is how we talk to customers and listen to customers about what they want and need, and then if we can deliver a product for that, it's usually a recipe for success." ABOVE: Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 Further, Mr Lu boldly added that it wasn't a case of Chery competing with its compatriots, but rather the other way around. "We do have global product portfolio, and we review that every season, and make decisions if we change it a little bit or not," he told CarExpert. "Definitely MG and BYD are in our global competitor list, but I believe Chery is probably a bigger competitor for them, because Chery is still the number one exporter in China's market for many, many years, even this year." Chery claims it has been China's top vehicle exporter for 22 consecutive years, with 15 million global sales to date. In Australia, it trailed BYD on sales by nearly 10,000 units in the first half of 2025. MORE: Is this Chery's first ute for Australia? MORE: Chery Himla pickup revealed as China's latest HiLux, Ranger rival, more utes to come MORE: Everything Chery Content originally sourced from: Chery Australia is gearing up to launch its first ute next year, but the Chinese brand says more models could follow with various body styles, powertrains, and use cases – if customers want them. Speaking with CarExpert, Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris said that while one ute is currently confirmed for Australia, the brand has many others that could also be brought here. "What's confirmed at the moment is having a proper, ladder-frame chassis, off-road platform-style pickup, which will be second half of next year," he said. "Globally, there are lots of different options for pickups. It's not just a one-tonne ladder-frame chassis." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Jetour F700 Chery chief engineer David Xianqiang Lu added the brand was exploring different types of utes, while also taking notes from the performance of similar models from other manufacturers. "We do have pickup from body-on-frame design and then also unibody design, and we're exploring global markets for that," he said. "USA market used to be very good for body-on-frame, but recently Ford has the Maverick, which is a unibody vehicle that sold very well. So maybe we will see. We also have body-on-frame vehicles that we will introduce to this market as well." As it stands, Chery has no current utes sold under its own name, though it did reveal the Himla at this year's Shanghai auto show. Its other utes come from its offshoot brands, including the Jetour F700 and Rely R08, though the latter is essentially a rebadged Himla. ABOVE: Chery Himla Mr Harris said a key focus for Chery Australia with its first ute would be getting the fundamentals sorted, which includes meeting segment-standard payload ratings, towing capacities, and off-road dimensions. "It's very early days at the moment, I think the obvious things are payload, towing ability, off-roadability, and all those sorts of things are basically a given," he said. "We're still very much in the research phase to ensure that we get all of the spec and features, but certainly those core elements, like 3.5-tonne towing as an example, is a no-brainer." For context, Australia's current best-selling ute is the Ford Ranger, which, in Sport bi-turbo-diesel guise, offers a 934kg payload, 3500kg braked towing capacity, a ground clearance of 234mm, and a wading depth of 800mm. ABOVE: Rely R08 In any case, it's understood Chery is exploring at least diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains for future utes. This puts it in contention with a range of vehicles from the perennially top-selling Ranger and Toyota HiLux to the new BYD Shark 6 PHEV. "We're always looking at what competitors are doing in the market, but to be honest with you, we're much more driven by customers and what customers want and need, rather than what our competitors are doing," Mr Harris told CarExpert. "Because often the competitors don't always get it right, so I think our general philosophy is how we talk to customers and listen to customers about what they want and need, and then if we can deliver a product for that, it's usually a recipe for success." ABOVE: Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 Further, Mr Lu boldly added that it wasn't a case of Chery competing with its compatriots, but rather the other way around. "We do have global product portfolio, and we review that every season, and make decisions if we change it a little bit or not," he told CarExpert. "Definitely MG and BYD are in our global competitor list, but I believe Chery is probably a bigger competitor for them, because Chery is still the number one exporter in China's market for many, many years, even this year." Chery claims it has been China's top vehicle exporter for 22 consecutive years, with 15 million global sales to date. In Australia, it trailed BYD on sales by nearly 10,000 units in the first half of 2025. MORE: Is this Chery's first ute for Australia? MORE: Chery Himla pickup revealed as China's latest HiLux, Ranger rival, more utes to come MORE: Everything Chery Content originally sourced from: Chery Australia is gearing up to launch its first ute next year, but the Chinese brand says more models could follow with various body styles, powertrains, and use cases – if customers want them. Speaking with CarExpert, Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris said that while one ute is currently confirmed for Australia, the brand has many others that could also be brought here. "What's confirmed at the moment is having a proper, ladder-frame chassis, off-road platform-style pickup, which will be second half of next year," he said. "Globally, there are lots of different options for pickups. It's not just a one-tonne ladder-frame chassis." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Jetour F700 Chery chief engineer David Xianqiang Lu added the brand was exploring different types of utes, while also taking notes from the performance of similar models from other manufacturers. "We do have pickup from body-on-frame design and then also unibody design, and we're exploring global markets for that," he said. "USA market used to be very good for body-on-frame, but recently Ford has the Maverick, which is a unibody vehicle that sold very well. So maybe we will see. We also have body-on-frame vehicles that we will introduce to this market as well." As it stands, Chery has no current utes sold under its own name, though it did reveal the Himla at this year's Shanghai auto show. Its other utes come from its offshoot brands, including the Jetour F700 and Rely R08, though the latter is essentially a rebadged Himla. ABOVE: Chery Himla Mr Harris said a key focus for Chery Australia with its first ute would be getting the fundamentals sorted, which includes meeting segment-standard payload ratings, towing capacities, and off-road dimensions. "It's very early days at the moment, I think the obvious things are payload, towing ability, off-roadability, and all those sorts of things are basically a given," he said. "We're still very much in the research phase to ensure that we get all of the spec and features, but certainly those core elements, like 3.5-tonne towing as an example, is a no-brainer." For context, Australia's current best-selling ute is the Ford Ranger, which, in Sport bi-turbo-diesel guise, offers a 934kg payload, 3500kg braked towing capacity, a ground clearance of 234mm, and a wading depth of 800mm. ABOVE: Rely R08 In any case, it's understood Chery is exploring at least diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains for future utes. This puts it in contention with a range of vehicles from the perennially top-selling Ranger and Toyota HiLux to the new BYD Shark 6 PHEV. "We're always looking at what competitors are doing in the market, but to be honest with you, we're much more driven by customers and what customers want and need, rather than what our competitors are doing," Mr Harris told CarExpert. "Because often the competitors don't always get it right, so I think our general philosophy is how we talk to customers and listen to customers about what they want and need, and then if we can deliver a product for that, it's usually a recipe for success." ABOVE: Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 Further, Mr Lu boldly added that it wasn't a case of Chery competing with its compatriots, but rather the other way around. "We do have global product portfolio, and we review that every season, and make decisions if we change it a little bit or not," he told CarExpert. "Definitely MG and BYD are in our global competitor list, but I believe Chery is probably a bigger competitor for them, because Chery is still the number one exporter in China's market for many, many years, even this year." Chery claims it has been China's top vehicle exporter for 22 consecutive years, with 15 million global sales to date. In Australia, it trailed BYD on sales by nearly 10,000 units in the first half of 2025. MORE: Is this Chery's first ute for Australia? MORE: Chery Himla pickup revealed as China's latest HiLux, Ranger rival, more utes to come MORE: Everything Chery Content originally sourced from:
