Geely is the most multi-ethnic Chinese group
All the brands of the Asian giant, starting with Volvo, Polestar, Lynk&Co, Lotus and also why not Smart to name the best known ones to which are added Farizon, Geometry, LECV, Proton, Zeekr and Zhidou which belong to forty factories with 120 thousand employees took the trouble to relaunch a brand, Smart, with a difficult position on the market and which, instead, at the Beijing motor show presented the #5, the third model in the range with off-road shapes, also hard and pure with lots of of accessories dedicated to life away from the asphalt. Not to mention the Zeekr Mix, the electric van ready to compete with the VW ID-Buzz with five seats, an 86 kWh battery developed with CATL, 800 V hardware plus 360 kW charging: leading numbers .
Great Wall launches the challenge on the premium front
Eight years after the launch of its latest sedan, one of the great manufacturers of the Dragon, Great Wall returns to launch a flagship to compete with those of the German premium brands. Signed ZX, the group’s luxury brand is 5.5 meters long and fits a nice 23 inch heart. Rich in chrome stylistic elements on the window frames and in the cameras that replace the rear-view mirrors, it targets the long wheelbase versions of the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes Maybach and Bentley. Added to which is the flagship model of the long-standing joint venture between BYD and Mercedes, the Denza Z9 GT exhibited at the Beijing motor show. It has a 952 hp drive unit with four motors for all four wheels and is preparing to compete on equal terms with His Majesty Porsche Taycan Turbo S.
Europeans to the rescue in China
Mercedes and BMW with Mini have raised their voices in Beijing with innovations ready to mess up the plans of the Dragon’s premium manufacturers. With the electric G-Class 580, Mercedes extends the life of the historic three-point star SUV: 587 hp, 2 more than the AMG version, will make the difference in the most extreme off-road. The new Aceman from Mini, however, in addition to replacing the Clebman, is the first electric-only model from the British brand. It will initially be produced in China but assembly will also start in Oxford in the UK in 2026. Space at will, it is over 4 meters long and has more than 400 km of autonomy and a minimalist interior design. Finally, BMW presents the restyling of the 4 Series Gran Coupé and the i4 electric variant in China. The global launch of BMW is expected as early as July. The Volkswagen group with the Audi and Lambo brands. Forty years, 39 factories and 50 million customers, the Volkswagen group, which also includes Audi and Lambo, has presented itself in China with a concept, the ID.Code, which seems destined only for China, but which if it were to materialize in Europe would give to beat the IDs on the market today. More than 5 meters long, it has authentic grand tourer shapes and a level 4 autonomous driving system with technological solutions never seen before such as the system that recognizes pedestrians and greets them. Audi, on the other hand, debuts the long wheelbase variant of the Q6 e-tron destined for China and produced in the Chinese factory in Changchun. In Beijing, Lamborghini unveiled the plug-in hybrid version of the Urus SUV with a total power of 800 hp and an electric range of over 50 km.
Japanese companies that produce in China
Honda, Mazda and Nissan determined to compete with the Dragon brands. The range of electric models unveiled in China and intended for the local market is called Yè. In addition to the Yè P7 and the Yè S7 which will be on sale on the local market at the end of 2024, the Yè GT Concept is added which anticipates a new model of the six expected in the short-medium term. Mazda celebrates its presence at the show with two previews, the EZ-6 and the Arata concept developed in joint venture with local brand Changan characterized by an innovative design that could also influence future models for other markets, not just China. Finally, Nissan is exhibiting four electrified concepts in Beijing: the Epoch, the Epic, the Era and the Evo: two electric and two plug-ins created with local partner Dongfeng. Brands ready to consolidate their presence in China. Two BEVs for Toyota presented as concepts in Shanghai one year are now in their final stage ready for production with a view to sales within a year. These are the bZ3C and bZ3X which are characterized by a sporty style and a raised structure between SUV and van, the first recalls the design of the Prius, the other has a spacious interior. The Italdesign style center, on the other hand, is exhibiting the Quintessere at the Beijing show, the concept developed for the Chinese market based on an unprecedented mix between an SUV, a pick-up and a Granturismo. The two concepts from Buick that anticipate two series cars: the Electra L, a luxury electric sedan and the Electra LT an off-road SUV, both with luxurious interiors and over 700 km of autonomy.
Xpeng for AI and new Marelli functions
Instead of exhibiting new models at the Beijing show, the House of the Dragon is focusing on the possible evolution of technology with the launch of a new brand called Mona whose commercial launch is scheduled for June. Acronym for Made of New AI for all models that will adopt Artificial Intelligence. For the moment, Xpeng has not provided any other product details, they are postponing everything until the eve of launch. Marelli, on the other hand, Beijing presented new functions for on-board management and more generally for connectivity. This is the ProConnect platform which manages the instrument panel, infotainment devices and 5G connectivity in an integrated manner. In addition to 360-degree lighting and communication technologies including a Lidar sensor in the headlight.