Beijing Auto Show 2026 report: All the star cars
These are the key cars from the Chinese capital’s biennial show
The glitz and glamour of the 2026 Beijing Auto Show threw up an incredible plethora of new car models that prove just how serious the Chinese car industry is about challenging the global order.
Otherwise known as Auto China, the 2026 edition of the biennial show was significantly bigger than previous years, with the opening of a colossal new exhibition space attached to the former site. No less than ten show halls were full to the brim with new models from local manufacturers and famous brands from right around the world.
Many were, of course, focused towards the Chinese market, but there were plenty of new car launches destined for these shores, too. BMW and Smart revealed crucial new models, and numerous new joint-ventures were announced including one between China’s Chery and Land Rover.
We went, we walked (and walked), we interviewed the top executives and we wondered just how much of an impact some of these new brands and cars could have if and when they find their way to the UK. We left in no doubt that the biggest period of car industry change in a century is only just getting started.
News headlines from Beijing 2026
- BYD Atto 3 unveiled a mere month after the latest one went on sale
- Denza Z 1,000bhp+ supercar is coming to the UK!
- Dramatic Hyundai Ioniq V revealed with eye-catching arrow-shaped looks
- New Lepas L4 EV aims high, with BMW iX1 in its sights
- New Omoda 4 on its way to take on the Nissan Juke
- New Peugeot Concept 6 and Concept 8 hint at stylish future 508 and flagship SUV
- New Smart #2 city car heavily hinted at by this outlandish concept
- New Leapmotor B05 Ultra is out to bring Chinese cheapness to the hot hatch market
- New Geely EX5 Ultra offers new battery and an extra 13 miles more range to enjoy
- New Omoda 2 set to steal the Ford Puma’s thunder with £20k price tag
Beijing Motor Show 2026 key cars
Join us as we run through some of the key new cars from Beijing....
AUDI E7X
Not to be confused with Audi, ‘AUDI’ is the German brand’s Chinese offering and over there the company is expanding in the premium EV segment with the E5 Sportback (which we’ve already driven) and the new E7X – the production version of which was on show in Beijing.
Sitting on the same ‘Advanced Digitised Platform’ as the E5 Sportback, the E7X will be powered by a larger 109kWh battery, giving it more than 466 miles of range, according to China’s CLTC testing scheme. There’s a dual-motor set-up with a total of 670bhp resulting in a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds. It also looks just like its concept, which helped generate some serious crowds.
BMW 7 Series
We’ve already seen BMW’s array of models for Beijing, but main its public debut was the facelifted 7 Series, which has received a rather extensive update. Not only does BMW’s flagship limousine get a Neue Klasse-inspired exterior look, the interior has been revamped too with the same Panoramic Vision system already used on the new iX3. The all-electric version, the i7, also goes further on a charge than ever before too, with a 452-mile range.
BMW also brought some other Chinese-focused models to the show with long-wheelbase versions of the iX3 and i3. True to their names, both get a three-metre long wheelbase, but also some interesting additions such as recessed mechanical door handles in response to China’s ban on flush-fitting electric door handles and, in the i3 LWB, heated rear seats.
BYD Atto 3
It wouldn’t be a Beijing show without the country’s (and indeed the world’s) most popular EV manufacturer. Over in China, BYD sells a five-metre long, seven-seat electric SUV called the Tang and soon it’ll add the Great Tang, which as you might expect, is an even larger version. The Great Tang is set to come with BYD’s ‘second-generation’ blade battery, with a capacity of 130kWh allowing for a CLTC-rated range of 590 miles – not bad for something weighing three tonnes.
Continuing BYD’s strategy for oceanic car names, the Sealion 8 was in attendance. This is a seven-seat, plug-in hybrid SUV designed to sit above the Sealion 5, which we’ve just received in the UK. Then there’s the Seal 8, BYD’s flagship saloon is yet another model capable of one megawatt (1,000kW) charging speed along with a neat 1,000km (621 miles) of range.
Denza Z
What better way of staking your claim to the premium market by unleashing a 1,000bhp sports car that’ll do zero to 62mph in less than two seconds? That’s exactly what BYD’s new subbrand Denza has done with the Denza Z – a model that is also set to make its European debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
The all-electric Denza Z might be a four-seat convertible, but it shares its e3 platform with a new shooting brake called the Denza Z9GT, which we’ve recently tested along with all of its monstrous 1,140bhp and 1,210Nm of torque.
Fangchengbao
Another BYD sub-brand looking to position itself in the upper echelons of the automotive world is Fangchengbao and at the Beijing Auto Show it had plenty on show.
Referred to as a ‘road-legal sports concept’, the Formula X undoubtedly got the most attention thanks to its drop-top grand tourer shape, neon green paint and butterfly-style doors. The concept is 80 per cent identical to the final car coming next year, which will be “the ultimate totem of the Formula series” according to Fangchengbao.
Another Fangchengbao on show was the Formula S. Likely taking its powertrain from the electric Denza Z9 GT, the Formula S should come with well over 1,000bhp but also three distinct bodystyles - a three-box "Formula S" saloon will be joined by a shooting brake "Formula S GT", and then a larger three-box saloon called "Formula SL".
Hyundai Ioniq V
We’ve just seen the wraps come off the smallest Ioniq model with the Hyundai Ioniq 3, and over in China, Hyundai has different plans for Ioniq as it’s branching off its electric nameplate into an all-new sub-brand.
Two new concepts, the Ioniq Earth and Ioniq Venus, recently gave us a glimpse of what to expect and the latter has already been revealed as the new Ioniq V. To back up the styling (which almost mirrors the sharp-looking concept) the Hyundai Ioniq V also comes with a huge 27-inch screen on the dash that stretches all the way to the passenger side. The electric underpinnings don’t appear as impressive with around 300 miles on charge when you shift from the more lenient Chinese CLTC testing cycle.
Freelander 8
Ahead of the Beijing show we saw the long-awaited return of the Freelander name, although not in the way some may have expected. Instead of being used on a new Land Rover model, Freelander is actually be a standalone marque from a Chery-JLR joint venture, distinct from the maker’s ‘House of Brands’, which currently includes Range Rover, Defender and Discovery.
The new Freelander 8 will offer three-row seating, a tech-forward interior and a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but this is just the first of many Freelander models that’ll arrive in the next three years.
Lepas L4
This is a name we had better get used to in the UK, because Lepas is another one of the Chery Group’s sub-brands, sitting alongside Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo.
Like cars from those other brands, Lepas will offer a plug-in hybrid SUV, which has been shown off in China as the Lepas L4. It’ll sit alongside the larger L6 and L8 offerings as a sister model to the Jaecoo 5 when it arrives in the UK, and if that car’s popularity is anything to go by, we’ll be seeing plenty of L4s on the road here in no time.
MG
While the car you see here doesn’t actually use any MG badges, this new saloon and estate are products of its parent company SAIC. This pair of high-end models feature a design that looks very similar to that of a Porsche Taycan, to the extent of offering two body-styles and colour matched wheels.
Like many high-end Chinese-market models, it’s all part of a joint venture, this one between SAIC and Chinese telecoms giant Huawei. While it didn’t quite bring the crowds at the show, it definitely proved the Chinese still aren’t afraid of taking pointers from the more established European brands.
Nissan
The new Nissan NX8 was be in Beijing and was a big draw for fans of comfort and relaxation, as we experienced ourselves recently during a short test drive in Japan. A big electric SUV, the NX8 gets sophisticated electronic dampers and a NASA-style ‘zero gravity’ driver’s seat for a cosseting, laid-back driving experience.
There’s also 335bhp going to the rear wheels for a 0-62mph time of around 6.5 seconds – not that we’d imagine many NX8 drivers will be tempted into trying.
Smart #2
Smart gave us our first proper look at the successor to the pocket-sized Smart ForTwo city car recently with the new Concept #2. Unlike the Smart #6 unveiled a few months ago for the Chinese market, the little Concept #2 previews a car that will go on sale globally and one we can expect in the UK by next year.
The styling and dinky proportions are reminiscent of the old Smart ForTwo and just like that car towards the end of its life, the Concept #2 will be all electric – although the production car will arrive on all-new and aptly named Electric Compact Architecture.
Zeekr 8X
Even for China, the new Zeekr 8X promises some pretty outlandish statistics. A plug-in hybrid, it comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 270bhp which doesn’t sound particularly special. But on top of that there’s a 900V architecture with a tri-motor set-up, producing a combined 1,362bhp for 0-62mph time of under three seconds, while maintaining an electric range of more than 200 miles thanks to a massive 70kWh battery pack.
We’ve already experienced this powertrain in the more luxury-oriented 9X and found it to be pretty impressive. We’re certainly looking forward to trying out more Zeekrs when the brand finally arrives in the UK later this year.
The best China-only cars at Beijing 2026
The Beijing show was packed with cars that will be completely unheard of by western motorists and are likely to stay that way. Here are our favourites…
XPeng P7
We already know Xpeng and its G6 model in the UK, and have been impressed by its new fast-charging capability, if not its Tesla-like styling. But no one will mistake its new P7 for anything other than totally original; it’s actually quite a statement.
This Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2 and BMW i3 rival is a next generation model from the Xpeng stable that doesn’t just aim to offer sports car looks, but high levels of efficiency and engaging driving dynamics, too.
Precise figures are still being finalised, but the P7 will have around 349 miles of range from a relatively compact 79.4kWh battery pack. However, while range is down on its rivals, charging is rated at an incredible 451kW, so it’ll be able to top up its battery from 10 to 80 per cent in just 12 minutes.
Stelato S9T
This striking luxury model called the Stelato S9 is the size of a BMW 7 Series, but comes with a long and low estate-like bodyshape, and some incredible tech. Built in a joint venture between Chinese telecoms giant Huawei and Beijing-based BAIC, the S9T is available as both a BEV and range-extender hybrid, the former capable of over 500 miles from its 100kWh battery pack on the Chinese test cycle.
Inside, the Stelato’s interior is extremely high-tech, and even offers a retractable cinema screen for the second row seats. There’s also three more screens up front, and a range of luxury additions like massaging ‘zero-gravity’ seats and rear lights that are designed to look like a ‘galaxy of stars’.
Li Auto i6
Spend any time in a prosperous Chinese city and you’ll see an almost endless stream of luxury SUVs with the Li Auto badge affixed to the rear. This luxury brand has been a big success in its local market for good reason, with superb build quality and high performance powertrains.
Until now, it’s been the L9 and its sibling SUVs that have been taking the lion’s share of sales for this brand, but its next generation cars look altogether more futuristic, among them the funky i6.
At just under 5m long, the five-seat i6 is more Euro-friendly in size than its bigger siblings, but offers the same combination of incredible in-cabin tech paired with impressive quality. BEV and range-extenders are both available, the former capable of nearly 450 miles on the CLTC range test.
Avatr 06T
One of the most distinctive and original brands at any Chinese show is always Avatr, and things are no different in 2026. New for this year is a shooting brake version of its smallest model, the 06.
Pairing a sleek shape, high-tech interior and efficient BEV and range-extender powertrains, this could be a compelling rival to cars like the Audi A6 Avant. Seen as a forward-thinking brand in terms of autonomous driving technology, it’s already rated as able to achieve Level 2++ autonomy. That is as close as we’ve yet come to full eyes-off autonomous driving – and it’ll do it in town or the highway.
Nio ET9
Nio has already made waves with its clever battery swapping technology, but its latest flagship has its eyes on a rather more ambitious prize. Priced and specified to compete with full-sized luxury saloons from BMW and Mercedes Benz, the Nio ET9 is a technical tour-de-force that proves Chinese brands can do more than just big screens.
The ET9 features a new active ride system similar to that seen on high-end Porsches, and helps add a level of driving sophistication that’s still uncommon in cars from Chinese brands. The difference here is that it’s not targeted at making the ET9 better to drive, but at producing the most comfortable car on the road.
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