Plenty of Chinese-market metal passes through the internet these days with no chance of crossing its home border, but the Voyah Passion S may turn out to be the exception. The Passion S could reach European buyers, and how it gets there says as much about Stellantis as the car itself. Voyah is the premium EV arm of Dongfeng, and the Passion S wears more than a hint of Xiaomi YU7 in its sheetmetal.

Voyah is still a stranger to most buyers outside China, but Stellantis has confirmed it is in talks with Dongfeng to form a new joint venture that would let it build and sell Voyah-branded models in Europe, in the same way it currently handles Leapmotor internationally. A crossover like the Passion S, which carries more European SUV cues than Chinese ones, would be a sensible way to plant the brand on local soil.

Read: After Making Leapmotor EVs In Spain, Stellantis Wants To Build Dongfengs In France Too

Previewed in a rich shade of red, the Passion S features split headlights connected by an LED light bar, black air intakes, and a black splitter. It also includes black wheel arches, a panoramic glass roof, and a prominent LiDAR. The curvaceous rear quarter panels are similar to those of the Xiaomi YU7, while a fixed carbon fiber spoiler gives it a sporty note.

Chinese media reports put the Passion S at 5,050 mm (198.8 inches) long, 1,998 mm (78.6 inches) wide, and 1,656 mm (65.1 inches) tall, riding on a generous 3,000 mm (118.1-inch) wheelbase. The car sits on 21-inch wheels behind a meaty set of brake calipers. Interior photos have yet to surface.

What About Power?

The battery spec has not been confirmed, but we do know that the Passion S will be offered in rear- and all-wheel-drive form. The base model is expected to deliver 408 hp, while the dual-motor version will offer an impressive 646 hp. While that won’t be enough to rival the Xiaomi YU7 GT with its 990 hp, it’s still more power than most customers will ever need. An 800-volt electrical architecture will allow for fast DC charging.

There’s no word on when sales of the Passion S will start in China, nor how much it will cost. If the deal between Stellantis and Dongfeng is finalized, Voyah models could be built in Europe, potentially at the Rennes plant in France, and the Passion S might be a model Stellantis decides to sell locally.

If you can’t beat them, join them. Stellantis keeps getting deeper into China’s automotive world, first with Leapmotor, and now with Dongfeng. Not content with building bargain-priced Leapmotors in Spain, Stellantis announced plans today for a new joint venture with long-time Chinese partner Dongfeng that could see premium Voyah-brand cars built in France for European buyers.

The proposed deal would create a Stellantis-led company split 51-49 between the two manufacturers. Its responsibilities would stretch beyond simply importing cars. The new business would oversee manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, sales and distribution activities tied to Dongfeng’s new-energy vehicles across selected European markets.

Related: Jeep’s Next EV Could Be Made In China Instead Of Ohio After Stellantis Deal

Though Stellantis hasn’t confirmed where production would take place, Autonews says Dongfeng would set up shop at the Rennes plant in Brittany, in western France. Once capable of pumping out more than 400,000 vehicles annually, the site’s output has slowed dramatically over recent years. Today it mainly builds the Citroen C5 Aircross, leaving plenty of unused capacity waiting for fresh products.

That’s where Voyah enters the picture. Dongfeng’s upscale EV brand sold relatively small numbers in Europe last quarter, but local production could completely change its prospects. Building vehicles inside Europe would help sidestep tariffs aimed at Chinese-made EVs while also satisfying increasingly important Made-in-Europe expectations.

Courage Enters Brave New World

One model being suggested as a likely production candidate is the Voyah Courage SUV (seen below). The dual-motor, 429 hp (435 PS / 320 kW) EV has a 4.9-second 0-62 mph (100 kmh) time, a claimed 292-mile (470 km) WLTP range and Chinese-made versions are already on sale in Europe.

The move also adds another twist to Stellantis’ growing dependence on Chinese EV know-how. Just last week, the company confirmed future Jeep and Peugeot electrified models will be built in Wuhan beginning in 2027 for China and export markets. That means future Jeeps sold abroad could owe plenty to China’s rapidly evolving EV ecosystem.

From M-Hero To Jeep

Jeep’s image has always played heavily on its rugged Americana and military-flavored heritage. But under Stellantis, the brand’s electric future – at least outside of the US – is tapping into Chinese technology, manufacturing and supply chains. Last year we reported on rumors that the Dongfeng M-Hero M817 SUV (seen below) could be transformed into a Jeep.

Peugeot last month showed the Concept 6 and Concept 8 sedan and SUV that previewed a sharp-looking pair of future models that will also be built in China by Dongfeng, both for domestic consumption and export to global markets.

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa framed the latest deal as a natural evolution of the companies’ decades-long partnership. “With this new chapter in our collaboration, we will give our customers an even greater choice of competitive products and pricing,” he said, adding the alliance combines Stellantis’ global footprint with Dongfeng’s advanced EV expertise.