Aiways could launch its new U5 electric SUV in the UK in right-hand-drive form in 2021, after the start-up company revealed strong interest in its first car.

Aiways is one of several Chinese brands to have gone public on plans for a European launch. It plans for a Europe-wide roll-out of the U5 from early 2020, after the model goes into production in China later this year in left-hand-drive form.

The U5 is a Volkswagen Tiguan-sized SUV that drives its front wheels through an electric motor that's fed by a 65kWh battery pack. Its range is 313 miles on the NEDC cycle, with WLTP testing yet to be completed.

Alexander Klose, Aiways' overseas director, says the company plans to build just 2000 units this year to ensure the quality is sufficient for European customers. It then plans to ramp up to 50,000 units from 2020.

The U5 will be leased only in Europe, exclusively online. Klose says a monthly lease cost of less than €400 (£346) is being targeted, making the U5 the equivalent of a €35,000 (£30,244) vehicle, but, crucially, that it offers all the benefits and equipment of a premium model with an electric drivetrain for the cost of a typical family SUV.

“If you look at the size and the price, it’s a spot in the market that’s empty,” Klose told Autocar at the Shanghai motor show. “When you see the final version and the feature list, you will understand that this vehicle is not entry-level. Yet when you compare to the electric models from Audi and Mercedes, we’re half-price.”

In time, Aiways hopes to offer a smaller battery pack to bring the cost down further, because it says most people simply don’t need the kind of ranges being offered for everyday use. Customers will be able to swap to a smaller battery pack and have their monthly lease cost reduced.

At the Shanghai show, Aiways has also revealed a new concept car, the U7, that previews a larger SUV.

The U5 and U7 use the same architecture, which can house different motors and sizes of battery pack and accomodate four-wheel drive.

Also part of the Aiways group is the reborn Gumpert brand, which revealed an fuel cell electric supercar called the Nathalie last year. Klose told Autocar there will be technology transfer between Aiways and Gumpert but that the two companies have autonomy from one another.

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Lotus has unveiled a GT4-spec race variant of its Evora GT430 hardcore sports car at the Shanghai motor show.

Developed and built at Lotus’ headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, the track-prepped Evora GT4 concept is finished in a distinctive two-flag livery that celebrates its British heritage and Chinese launch location. 

The 1200kg model’s 3.5-litre petrol V6 has been tuned to produce 444bhp and 376lb ft at 4000rpm, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 370bhp per tonne and a claimed top speed of 170mph. 

Sitting on race-spec centre-lock wheels shod with slick tyres, the Evora GT4 sports an adjustable rear wing, a roof-mounted carbonfibre air intake and aerodynamics-enhancing louvres on the front wings. 

The carbonfibre front bumper has been adapted to feature removable canards and brake cooling vents, while a four-vein diffuser and large ducts at the rear enhance downforce and aerodynamic efficiency. 

Further weight-saving measures include plexiglass for the side windows, a carbonfibre bootlid and 12-spoke aluminium wheels.

In line with motorsport regulations, driver safety features include an eight-point roll cage, a six-point race harnesses, an emergency engine kill switch and a fire extinguisher. 

Speaking at the concept's unveiling in Shanghai, Lotus CEO Phil Popham said: “All of our cars retain motorsport within their DNA, and almost every road car in the company’s history has raced successfully at some point.

“It’s the philosophy that Colin Chapman founded Lotus on and that we proudly continue to this day.”

Also announced at Shanghai was the launch of Lotus’s new Chinese driving academy, where newly appointed factory race drivers Cui Yue and Gaoxiang Fan will host track training days and hot lap sessions.

The Evora GT4's unveiling comes on the same day as confirmation that Lotus will reveal the Type 130 electric hypercar, its first all-new model since 2008, in London later this year.

The 1000bhp-plus rival to the Pininfarina Battista is set to have a range of more than 250 miles. Fewer than 50 examples will be produced.

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Shanghai motor show news

Toyota has revealed an electric variant of its C-HR compact SUV exclusively for the Chinese market.

Unveiled at the Shanghai motor show alongside the identical Izoa, which will be produced by Chinese company FAW, the C-HR EV will go on sale in 2020. 

The new model, first announced at the Beijing motor show last year, is the first electric Toyota to become available in China, and the first to use the firm’s new TNGA platform as featured on the new Corolla.

Performance and powertrain details are unconfirmed, but subtle styling revisions such as the absence of a front grille differentiate the new EV from its conventionally fuelled sibling. 

The unveiling is the first step in Toyota’s plan to introduce 10 electrified models in China over the next five years, in line with Chinese government requirements for manufacturers to electrify a percentage of their line-ups. 

The C-HR is sold in the UK with conventional petrol and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains.

Last month Toyota unveiled Chinese-market plug-in hybrid variants of the Corolla and FAW-built Levin, which joined the electric C-HR on Toyota’s Shanghai stand, alongside the Rhombus - a futuristic EV urban EV designed by Chinese firm TMEC. 

Moritaka Yoshida, Toyota executive vice-president, spoke of the firm’s intentions to use the Chinese market as a testbed for new hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. “Since 2017, Toyota has been conducting demonstration tests with the Mirai in China," he said. "We are considering the local introduction of other fuel cell vehicles such as the FC Coaster.” 

The car maker plans to sell 5.5 million electrified vehicles worldwide by 2030. 

Read more

Toyota Mirai review​

Toyota C-HR review

Shanghai motor show news

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has launched its second production model at the Shanghai motor show.

The P7 four-door saloon will rival the Tesla Model 3 with contemporary coupé-like styling and a drivetrain that's claimed to provide it with a range of more than 311 miles in China’s NEDC-based tests.

Key styling elements include a long wheelbase, a short front overhang, frameless doors, concealed door handles and a panoramic windscreen.

The fledgling company, formally known as Xiaopeng Automobile, also says the P7, formerly known under the codename E28, will offer “superior driver-vehicle interaction and cutting-edge autonomous driving features to complement its performance and range”.

Speaking at the 2019 Nvidia GPU Technology Conference in the US last month, Xpeng's head of autonomous driving, Xinzhou Wu, said: “Our in-house operating system and proprietary autonomous driving software built on Nvidia's powerful Xavier chip make E28 the most advanced production model in terms of user interface design and intelligent features in the Chinese auto market today."

Technical specifications of the P7’s driveline remain scarce, but it's expected to draw heavily on that of the G3, an Audi Q3-sized SUV. That car is currently on sale with front-wheel drive but is planned to receive a four-wheel drive option later this year.

In its most potent form, the G3 develops 195bhp and 221lb ft of torque, providing it with a claimed 0-62mph time of 7.9sec. Its 47kWh lithium ion battery is expected to be carried over to the E28.

Unlike the G3, which is produced under contract by Haima, a subsidiary of First Automobile Works, at its plant in Zhengzhou in China’s Hanan province, the P7 is planned to be manufactured in Xpeng’s own production site in Zhaoqing in the province of Guangdong.

Founded in 2014, Xpeng has raised over 10 billion Chinese Yuan (£1.12 billion) in funding to date. It is backed by a group of renowned Chinese companies, including Alibaba, Foxconn, IDG Capital and Hillhouse Capital, among others.

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Shanghai is quickly becoming one of the world’s premier motor shows, with home-grown manufacturers looking to expand outside their native territory and European brands searching for a lucrative piece of the world’s largest car market.

Manufacturers are happy to cater to the Chinese appetite for extended-wheelbase saloons, big-grilled SUVs and electric cars, with BMW introducing the 3 Series LWB and Aston Martin unveiling the Rapide E.

At this year’s show, the likes of Geely, BYD, Wey and Nio have introduced cars that will eventually make their way to Europe (including the UK), while Geely-owned Lotus finally confirmed its electric hypercar, the Type 130.

Other European brands used the show to reveal concepts, with Audi showing the AI:ME, Renault presenting the City K-ZE electric compact crossover and Volkswagen extending its upcoming ID electric model range with the Roomzz large SUV.

From an entire conference centre filled with new cars and industry executives to question, our reporters have spilled their notebooks to bring news straight from Shanghai.

Lexus LM: yes, it’s a Lexus MPV

Here’s a curiosity of the Chinese market: a Lexus MPV. Showing that brands can mean different things in different markets, the LM is one model you can bet won’t ever make it to Europe. A vast thing with strange proportions and a grille to make the BMW X7 look reserved, it's one we’ll happily go without.

Infiniti’s focus shift

After announcing that it's pulling out of Europe, Infiniti is pinning its hopes on the Chinese market. Sales and marketing chief Christian Meunier has confirmed that its first electrified model will be built in China for China. The upmarket Japanese brand is also launching its QX50 SUV in China for the first time.

Wey to Europe

Great Wall's new premium SUV brand, Wey, has confirmed its intention to launch in Europe to take on the likes of Audi and BMW. It has also revealed a high-tech concept car called the X, which includes a host of technology, such as laser headlights, that Wey plans to launch on its future models.

Volkswagen sizes up Great Wall

Great Wall is one of China’s largest car groups, with the best-selling Haval and Wey SUV brands. There’s talk here Volkswagen, the long-term market leader, is increasingly concerned and wary of its growth and success.

Perhaps it would be paying even closer attention if Ferdinand Piëch had invested; the ex-Volkswagen chairman met Great Wall founder Wei Jianjun at the Frankfurt motor show two years ago to discuss investment and involvement, but it never came to anything, insiders claim.

Weltmeister: German name, Chinese firm

There’s a Chinese EV start-up named Weltmeister, which means world champion in German. Why such a name for a Chinese car company with no export ambitions?

“The German car makers are the world champions at internal combustion engine cars,” said CEO Freeman Shen. “But the world champion EVs come from China. We’re setting the challenge to the Germans.”

However, perhaps the move has backfired, because Shen told us that the firm is struggling to register the Weltmeister name as a trademark, so it might end up calling itself WM Motor instead.

Slick saloon shows Geely's future direction

Geely is perhaps the stand-out performer among all Chinese brands for design, which is no surprise, given it has the talents of industry veteran Peter Horbury atop its team. Its Shanghai show star in 2019 is the Preface concept, a sleek saloon that’s said to preview Geely’s future styling direction. It also shows Geely’s desire to push its models upmarket with ever sportier styling – particularly its saloons.

China's own brands have pride of place

European motor shows are often dominated by the big German car makers, but Shanghai is different. Yes, the Volkswagen Group has a huge presence here, but Chinese brands have taken the lion's shars of floor space. Nio, a relative newcomer, reflects the vastness of the Shanghai show with its huge – and hugely popular – stand.

Middle ground the aim for new EV maker

Weltmeiester (or WM Motor) has revealed its second model, the EX6. Like so many at the show, it’s an electric SUV. Weltmeister hopes to be different by offering several different battery pack sizes in the same body, saying only Tesla does this in China. It’s also proud to be be a mid-market brand; CEO Freeman Shen says most EVs are either small and cheap or large and expensive and thinks his firm can step in the middle.

X Power makes a comeback

We’ve long craved a return for MG in making performance cars as part of its rebirth under Chinese ownership. When it arrived today, it wasn’t quite as expected, MG bringing back its short-lived X Power performance branding on a concept version of the 6. Perhaps that’s not the best MG era to draw inspiration from...

Geely's new marque is EV only

One of the biggest crowds today was around Geely’s new Geometry electric car brand. The first model, a saloon, is smart and inoffensive enough. Yet it's by some margin the most credible looking and priced of China’s entry-level electric cars, a class that’s full of somewhat dowdy and poor quality efforts to this point. This could be the latest big success for the car industry’s biggest growing force.

Toyota goes electric - but only in China for now

We think of Toyota as staunchly hybrid, yet in China it has now gone fully electric, and with a model that’s familiar here as the C-HR. China’s regulations make EVs a necessity but perhaps it could prompt a change of strategy elsewhere, too?

One way to eliminate range anxiety

Electric car maker Nio displayed its battery swap technology at the show. Already up and running on the highway between Beijing and Shanghai, it can swap the batteries out of a Nio ES8 in less than five minutes. The stations can deal with a total of 70 swaps in any 24 hour period. What range anxiety?

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Nissan has revealed a limited edition variant of the 370Z coupé to celebrate 50 years of its Z performance range.

The 370Z 50th Anniversary Edition has been unveiled in New York, with a paint scheme inspired by the SCCA-winning BRE 240Z raced by John Morton in the early 1970s.

The special edition is based on the 370Z Sport, one of four trim levels available on the Porsche 718 Cayman rival for 2020. 

Buyers can choose from two retro-inspired liveries (white/red or silver/black), which feature a contrasting bonnet, wing mirrors, bootlid and roofline, alongside two signature racing stripes on each door. 

Other bespoke design features include unique 19in lightweight aluminium wheels with red accents, rear spoiler delete and 50th anniversary badging on the front and rear bumpers.

Inside, the 50th Anniversary Edition receives an Alcantara-clad steering wheel with motorsport-inspired centre stripe, 50th Anniversary-embossed kick plates and backrests, and suede door panel inserts. 

A Bose sound system is equipped as standard to 370Zs specced with the celebratory trim, as are dark chrome interior trim accents, four-way power seats and high-intensity xenon headlights. 

A close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox is also standard fitment, but buyers can opt for a seven-speed automatic which boasts a target shift time of under 0.5 seconds. 

Power output is unchanged from the standard 370Z, which features the same 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine producing 323bhp and 270lb ft. 

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Nissan 370Z review

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New York motor show news

Chinese electric start-up Byton will begin initial production of its M-Byte SUV this summer, ahead of volume manufacturing by the end of 2019 - but will do without company co-founder Carsten Breitfeld.

The former BMW i-division boss is set to step down as Byton CEO for a new, undisclosed role within the start-up industry.

“Carsten helped build a strong Byton brand and bring in the right people to take our start-up to the next level,” Byton co-founder and CEO Dr. Daniel Kirchert. “Now we are focusing on our main goal to achieve the on-time-start-of-production of the first Byton series production model in 2019 with our strong team and partners.

“Thanks to our founding team and all employees we’re well on track and looking forward to delivering the M-Byte this year to customers in China, followed by the US and Europe in 2020.”

The production version of the M-Byte will be built at the company’s Nanjing facility, which is on schedule to open within the next three months. The car will then debut in the Chinese market towards the end of the year, ahead of the introduction of the K-Byte saloon in 2022.

Byton will appoint a new CTO shortly, as it prepares to close its final round of investment funding. It recently secured £385 million to help it take on established players such as Tesla.

Byton's chief vehicle engineer is Irishman David Twohig, who formerly worked for the Renault-Nissan Alliance and won the Mundy Award for Engineering at the 2018 Autocar Awards for his work on the Alpine A110. We caught up with Twohig at the Pebble Beach Concours event to find out more about Byton’s ambitious plans.

Where is Byton in terms of products?

“Getting close. Launch is committed for China in 2019, we’ll do North America a few months later and we’ll be in Europe at the back end of 2020. The plant at Nanjing is going ahead at a speed I’ve never seen in 26 years in the car industry. We’ll be building the first off-tool prototypes early next year.”

Will all Byton vehicles sit on the same platform?

“Yes. It’s not a sandwich construction like the Chevrolet Bolt, for example. We are very much leaning on established technologies — that’s why they hired guys like me, an old soldier from existing OEMs. We’re relying on technology you can scale with minimum investment, and the plant in Nanjing is set up to do that, to do different wheelbases with all vehicles built on a single line.”

Why stick with ‘three-box’ design when you don’t have engines up front?

“I’d say we’ve made a bit of a rupture with the K-Byte. It looks like a three-box but it’s really not, we’ve got a completely open space in front of the driver and passenger, which is why we’ve been able to create the idea of seats that swivel 12 degrees when the car is running autonomously. It’s clever packaging.”

You are committed to having partial autonomy from launch, but how quickly will you be able to deliver true ‘eyes off’ autonomy?

“We are autonomous driving optimists or I wouldn’t be standing in front of this vehicle. Yes, there have been some over-optimistic claims, but we do believe it’s going to happen very quickly. The key with Level 4 is whether we are talking all the time and everywhere, in which case it is still a very big ask. But if we’re talking about Level 4 most of the time and most of the world, certainly where you don’t have extreme weather conditions. We think it will be very soon, within the life of this vehicle.”

The big question: how will Byton succeed and actually make money where other EV makers have failed?

“First, we have economy of scale. This is a low-margin industry so you need the volume. The Nanjing plant isn’t a little shop, it’s 300,000 vehicles [per year], hence the platform strategy and cost engineering so we can offer them at £35,000. Second is the fact the cars are built in China, which really keeps your cost base down. Thirdly, the kind of technology we have plus the connectivity of the car is going to generate revenue streams that we don’t even know about today. Up until 2006 we thought that telephones were for making calls; now they generate a bunch of revenue we didn’t even think of back then.” 

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No matter how positive a motor show has been in China, there’s nearly always been something to provoke a ‘but’ when you draw conclusions on the state of the world’s largest car market and how it presents itself to the rest of the world.

That 'but' is usually a cringeworthy copycat vehicle, or something that seems built in such a way that you know it would fall apart the minute they wheel it off the stand.

But - and here’s that 'but' used for another reason - not the 2019 Shanghai motor show. Here was a show where the local car makers really could proudly display their products side-by-side with the western brands, demonstratiing, in many cases, the kind of designs and creative concepts that got people talking more than the established players managed.

The likes of BYD’s supercar concept, Nio’s new electric saloon, Xpeng’s new saloon of its own - all of these were the real show stars.

It should be no surprise, really. Ten years ago we were sniggering at the laughable quality of the average Chinese car. A couple of years later, the copycats started. Soon after then, everything started to look like a 1980s Honda Civic. Yet, by the last Shanghai show in 2017, the designs had distinction of their own and it was the dynamics and build quality that needed to catch up. The former of those points is still true, but what progress in such a short period of time.

You couldn’t go looking for copycat cars as they simply weren’t there; Land Rover’s trademark infringement victory against Landwind was perhaps the final, definite line in the sand on that unwelcome distraction.

Even the show girls that usually adorn nearly every stand were absent. This was a progressive show with real global relevance.

On that last point, this was the show where Chinese car makers went further than simply saying they’d like to export models into Europe one day – they actually started to put dates on their intentions. Wey, China’s first premium brand, will launch at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Electric car maker Aiways will launch in Europe next year, and others will not be too far behind.

Those brands will be the first, but they will not be the last, and Shanghai 2019 will be remembered as the show where China came of age as a global car maker. There are huge challenges to overcome, on branding and on those driving dynamics in particular, but, given the rate of progress of Chinese car makers, and the success the likes of Kia, Hyundai and Dacia have enjoyed in recent years when starting off from similar positions, who would bet against success?

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A Toyota development mule resembling the Yaris has been spotted testing at the Nürburgring, sporting the bodywork from the current car and a camouflage livery.

The company has made no announcement regarding an u new hot hatch, but, sporting the same camouflage design as prototypes of the recently revealed Supra sports car, the car looks to be carrying out high-speed performance and handling tests.

The main clue as to the model’s sporting ambitions are found at the rear, where two wide-bore exhaust pipes can be seen exiting a diffuser-style bumper.

Elsewhere, wide alloy wheels wrapped in low-profile tyres round off a low, squat stance in the same vein as the range-topping GRMN variant of the current Yaris. 

The new Yaris, due to be launched in late 2020, will move to Toyota’s latest TNGA vehicle architecture, as used by the new Corolla and Camry. 

Toyota has launched a number of performance badges, including GRMN and GR Sport, based on its Gazoo Racing motorsport arm, and company boss Akio Toyoda has spoken of a desire to produce more performance vehicles. 

The performance division turned its hand to the Yaris last year, with the launch of the warm GR Sport variant, which produces 99bhp from its four-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain. 

That model is available only in five-door form, which suggests this latest sighting could be based on the Yaris GR Sport.  

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Toyota Yaris GRMN review

Toyota Yaris Hybrid GR Sport 2019 review

Toyota launches China-only electric C-HR​

At the Shanghai motor show, some of the biggest manufacturers you’ve never heard of displayed their newest models alongside familiar Western brands keen to crack the world’s most lucrative automotive market.

Long gone are the days when Shanghai was an exhibition of the most blatant copycat cars, and the impressive quality of new Chinese creations is beginning to pose a very real threat to more established manufacturers. The 2019 edition was especially significant, with an increasing number of Chinese models being prepared for European launches and global manufacturers such as Volkswagen adding to their range of models adapted specifically for sale in China. 

Shanghai 2019: Full show report

China’s car sales fell for the tenth consecutive month in March, pitching the country’s growing ranks of car makers face-first into an unprecedented headwind whipped up, in part, by on-going trade frictions with the US and a continued slowing of the global economy, stymying their dramatic growth of the past two decades and threatening new model plans along the way.

But if there were concerns for the long-term health of the Chinese car industry in what has been described as its biggest crisis yet, it certainly wasn’t showing as the 2019 Shanghai motor show opened its doors.

With business confidence in the world’s largest car market showing heartening signs of a rebound, owing to a timely reduction in sales tax ordered by the Chinese central government effective from the beginning of April, the mood within the vast halls of the international convention centre, where the country’s biggest motor show takes place every two years, was cautiously upbeat.

While China’s car sales have fallen for the good part of the past year, they continue to far outstrip those of any other country. The overall figure for March, at 2.52 million, showed the smallest decrease year-on-year in over seven months, at 5.2 per cent.

With many car makers reducing prices to boost sales in light of the tax break, expectations are total car sales for 2019 will be roughly in line with those of 2018 at around 22.5 million.

Predictably given the importance now placed on Shanghai motor show as an automotive showcase with international reach, every key Chinese car maker, including the five state-owned heavyweights SAIC, FAW, BAIC, Dongfeng and Changan, all presented new or improved production models this year. They were kept honest by an ever more competitive list of private own rivals headed by the likes of Geely, GAC, Great Wall Motors and BYD as well as key introductions by joint venture operations such as those operated by Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota and Honda.

It was the concept cars from established western car makers, including the clever new Audi AI:ME, versatile Volkswagen Roomzz and rugged looking Mercedes-Benz Concept GLB, that grabbed the headlines in the days leading up to Shanghai motor show. However, it was China’s growing number of increasingly well funded electric vehicle start-ups that stole the limelight once the veils went up.

With China’s electric car sales showing no sign of a slow down despite a recent reduction in government subsidies, the competition for the attention of buyers is now intense.

Zero local emission compatibility and other key technology solutions play a big part in the attraction of new cars for Chinese buyers and it was being laid on thick by the likes of Nio, XPeng, Weltmeister, Singulato, Byton, Aiways, Bordrin Motor and Leap Motors, along with many other newly-created electric vehicle start-ups, several of which are based in and around the sprawling metropolis of Shanghai itself.

With promises of ranges of up to 373 miles and charging times of less than 15 minutes, China’s latest electric cars have, it seems, now breached the point where they can compete head to head with those from Tesla and perhaps, more importantly, more traditional combustion engine rivals.

From advanced 5G connectivity solutions to smart holographic augmented reality head-up displays, the latest in autonomous driving functions and new hydrogen-fuelled power units, this year’s Shanghai motor show proved without any doubt that China has once and for all arrived as an automotive force - and not only for domestic consumption but with truly global credentials.

As one seasoned automotive industry official opined as BYD’s design boss, Wolfgang Egger, presented the stylish electric-powered e-SEED GT: “Shanghai, it’s the new Detroit”.

One solid theme evident in Shanghai this year was a surprise swing away from SUVs towards contemporary new sedans, the most notable of which, the Nio ET, Enovate ME-S, Xpeng P7 and Qoros Mile II, all boasted newly developed platforms with pure electric drive systems in a direct

Aware at the threat China’s electric vehicle start-ups pose to their business, many of the country’s established car makers have also begun to create their own electric vehicle sub-brands to attract new customers, as evidenced by the prominence given to BAIC’s Arcfox, GAC’s Aion and Geely’s Geometry brands - all of which had something genuinely new on display.

In March, sales of so-called new energy vehicles in China, which include both plug-in hybrids and pure electric cars, jumped an astonishing 85.4% over the same period last year to over 126,000.

But just as electric vehicles are seemingly coming into their own, China is looking further ahead in a bid to outdo its western rivals. Nowhere was this more evident than on the Grove Hydrogen stand, which showcased the Granite - a highly desirable looking Porsche Panamera-sized sedan designed by Pininfarina and powered by a newly developed hydrogen fuel cell power unit.

The focus wasn’t purely on technology, though. The launch of Volkswagen’s new Jetta brand, which is aimed at younger first-time car buyers, was a reminder for all at Shanghai that for cars to remain popular in China against competition from new forms of mobility sharing they need to be financially attainable for the majority of the population.

Times might be tough right now, but China’s car industry still has its foot firmly on the throttle.

Shanghai 2019: What was on display

Aston Martin Rapide E

Aston Martin is aiming the new Rapide E electric performance saloon squarely at the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan.

A torque output of 738lb ft will help the Rapide E to sprint from 50mph-70mph in under 1.6 seconds, and the model can cruise at its 155mph top speed for 10 straight minutes. 

Aston Martin Rapide E: new details of electric super-saloon

Audi AI:ME concept 

Audi has unveiled its new AI:ME concept as "an automated driving compact car for the megacities of tomorrow". Like the radical Aicon and Elaine duo revealed in 2017, the concept looks ahead “10 or 15 years”, according to company design boss Marc Lichte. 

The electric concept explores “what an interior with or without a steering wheel can look like” and will be followed by another futuristic concept at Frankfurt in September. 

Futuristic Audi AI:ME concept hints at Volkswagen ID rival

Audi Q2 L e-tron

Audi’s China-only long-wheelbase Q2 L is the latest model to receive the e-tron treatment. Badged the Q2 L e-tron, the electric compact SUV will be built in Foshan, alongside Chinese variants of the A3 Sportback and A3 Saloon, by Volkswagen Group partner First Automotive Works (FAW).

The model is the first of ten planned for launch by Audi and FAW in China by 2022 and the first electric Audi tailored specifically for the Chinese market.

2019 Audi E-tron Sportback previewed at Geneva

BMW 3 Series LWB

Audi isn't the only German brand showing an extended version of one of its newest models in China. 

The new BMW 3 Series has been adapted for the Chinese market, and is on display in long-wheelbase 3 Series L form. Almost as long as the 5 Series available in Europe, the new model has been developed alongside the standard 3 Series, and will be built by BMW's Chinese partner company Brilliance Automotive. 

BYD hybrid supercar

A preview image released by Chinese company BYD shows off a sleek, low sports car with a prominent greenhouse-style cabin and performance-inspired design elements. 

Little is known about the model's powertrain, but Chinese media reports that a four-wheel drive variant would likely use a 2.0-litre petrol engine coupled to an electric motor for a combined output of 469bhp. 

Geely GE11

Volvo and Lotus owner Geely will show its GE11 electric saloon in Shanghai ahead of the model’s European launch later this year. 

To be sold under the newly formed Geely New Energy marque, the fastback-styled EV has been designed with aerodynamic efficiency in mind. The Chinese company states that the model’s environmentally conscious ethos doesn’t end with its zero-emissions powertrain; its interior is constructed largely of EU-certified eco-friendly materials. 

Geely Jia Ji

Also on display in Shanghai will be Geely’s first MPV, the Jia Ji. 

Recently unveiled in Zhuhai, the seven-seater is offered with a range of hybrid and diesel powertrains, Level 2 autonomy, dynamic styling and a starting price of just RMB 99,800 (£11,200).

Geely Xingyue

Geely’s third Shanghai debut-maker will be the Xingyue SUV-coupé. 

Originally known as the FY11, the BMW X6 rival sits atop the same Compact Modular Architecture that also underpins the Volvo XC40 and Lynk&Co 01. It will offer a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – producing 235bhp and 258lb ft – and a range of plug-in and mild hybrid powertrains. 

Infiniti QS Inspiration

Despite Infiniti's recent announcement that it is pulling out of Western Europe, it is pressing on with plans for an electrified model line-up.

The QS Inspiration concept, on display for the first time in Shanghai, previews an upcoming sports saloon "inspired by the art and modern architecture of Japan". Like the QX Inspiration revealed earlier this year, it will sit atop the firm's bespoke EV platform, and boast a stylish, minimalist interior, which will be clearly divided into separate passenger and driver zones.

Jetta 

Jetta is the new China-only budget brand being launched by Volkswagen in Shanghai, with the VS5, VS7 and VA3 the first models being made available. 

Taking the form of a conventional five-door SUV, the VS5 bears a heavy resemblance to the recently unveiled Skoda Kamiq, while the VA3 is a small saloon based on the Volkswagen Jetta that's currently sold in China.  

Heading up the range, the VS7 is a 4600mm-long seven seater that draws heavily on the new Seat Tarraco. The brand aims to target younger buyers with a strong dealer network and online showrooms. 

Jetta: New China-only Volkswagen models shown at Shanghai​

Karma Pininfarina GT

Karma, born out of the 2014 collapse of Fisker Automotive, has unveiled a rebodied variant of its new Revero GT styled by Italian design house Pininfarina.  

Sitting atop the same platform as the new Revero, with which it also shares a 1.5-litre BMW i8-derived petrol-electric powertrain, the concept shows off an angular, streamlined front end and a prominent lower grille like that of the original Fisker Karma. 

Karma teases Pininfarina-designed electric luxury car

Karma Revero

Joining the new Pininfarina-designed concept on Karma’s Shanghai stand is the updated-for-2020 version of the brand’s Revero luxury saloon.

The four-door range-extender electric car takes its three-cylinder petrol engine from the BMW i8. The model receives subtle styling revisions but retains an overarching resemblance to the Fisker Karma, from which it was developed. Karma has plans to launch the new Revero in Europe as a competitor to the Polestar 1 performance hybrid.

New Karma Revero plug-in hybrid saloon tests in Europe

Karma Vision

Rounding off Karma’s ‘Shanghai Big Three’ is the Vision concept. 

Karma said this open-top two-seater will play a role in the brand’s transformation from a traditional car manufacturer into “an open-platform luxury high-tech automotive incubator”, like the Italdesign DaVinci electric supercar revealed earlier this year at the Geneva motor show. 

Landwind E315

Codenamed E315, the latest effort from Jiangling Motors brand Landwind is a stylish compact SUV that will go up against the likes of the Volvo XC60, Lynk&Co 01 and Haval H6. 

Details remain scarce, but the E315 is expected to have five seats and make use of the same 1.5-litre Ford-derived unit that powered Landwind's Range Rover Evoque copycat, the X7, which has just been forcibly discontinued.

Lynk&Co 05

Taking the form of an SUV-coupé, the Geely-owned Lynk&Co brand's fifth model is a BMW X6 rival based on its 01. 

It will sit atop the Volvo-developed CMA platform and will likely use the Swedish company's range of 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrol engines. A European launch is likely but unconfirmed. 

Lynk&Co tests fifth model in run-up to European launch

Mercedes-Benz GLB 

Mercedes' new small SUV, previewed in concept form, will sit between the current GLC and GLA models, and will take on rivals like the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Volvo XC40.

Styling across the GLB range will be influenced by the more utilitarian G-Class, while a range-topping GLB 35 variant will pack the same 302bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine as AMG's A35 hot hatchback.

Mercedes-Benz targets Audi Q3 with rugged GLB concept

Mini Clubman facelift

The Mini Clubman has been on sale in its current form since 2015, and is showing off a mid-life refresh in Shanghai.

The Volkswagen Golf rival gains very subtle styling updates in line with those bestowed upon its hatchback sibling last year, trim revisions and minor upgrades to the interior options list. 

Mistubishi e-Yi concept

Mitsubishi is following the Geneva unveiling of its Engleberg Tourer concept with the more urban-focussed e-Yi at Shanghai. 

Like the Engleberg, the e-Yi evolves the styling of Mitsubishi's current Outlander PHEV, packs a 2.4-litre petrol engine mated to a pair of electric motors, and makes use of the brand's latest torque vectoring technology to improve the handling of the four-wheel drive SUV. 

Nio ET7

Chinese electric vehicle start-up Nio has revealed the latest model in its rapidly expanding product line: a concept version of an upcoming Tesla Model S rival called the ET7. 

With a sleek four-door coupe design, the "ET preview" concept's styling provides clear influence for the production model. No information about the car has been released as yet, but we know it will be all-electric and feature much of the technology found in the brand's other models.  

The model is on display alongside the company's EP9 electric supercar, EVE autonomous concept and ES6 and ES8 SUVs. 

Porsche Cayenne Coupé

Making its international motor show debut in Shanghai is Porsche's latest SUV - the Cayenne Coupé. 

Going up against the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, the rakish high-rider features an active rear spoiler, interior technology from the larger Cayenne and a top speed of up to 178mph. 

Porsche Cayenne Coupe: new BMW X6 rival revealed

Renault K-ZE

Based on the Kwid SUV Renault already sells in India, the electric City K-ZE is a production-ready evolution of a concept first shown in Paris last year.

The value EV is headed to China first, given the country's exploding demand for electric cars, before a potential European launch. 

Renault City K-ZE: production version of budget EV revealed

Volkswagen ID Roomzz

The largest member of Volkswagen’s ID range of electric vehicles so far (above the hatchback, Buzz, Crozz and Vizzion), the Roomzz concept is a luxurious seven-seater SUV, sitting atop the largest version of the company’s MEB platform.

A pair of electric motors give the Touareg-sized model 302bhp and part-time four-wheel drive. Range is a claimed 370 miles, which is a significant improvement over its primary rival, the Tesla Model X.

Volkswagen Roomzz concept previews 2021 Model X rival

Xpeng P7

A four-door saloon set to rival Tesla's Model 3, Xpeng's new coupé-styled EV has a claimed range of more than 311 miles according to China's NEDC-based tests. 

There are currently no details on what drivetrain the P7 uses, but it is likely to share an electric motor and battery with the company's G3, an Audi Q5-sized SUV that develops 195bhp for a 0-62mph time of 7.9sec.

China's Xpeng previews new Tesla Model 3 rival

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Lynk&Co 01 PHEV review

Karma partners with Pininfarina for product development

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US-based electric car maker Karma has revealed a new version of its Europe-bound Revero GT hybrid saloon, along with a coupé version developed in conjunction with Italian design house Pininfarina, at the Shanghai motor show.

The Chinese-backed Karma has also displayed a bold SC1 Vision Concept at the show, as part of its three-car ‘new dawn’ product showcase to launch the brand into the China market and highlight its bold expansion plans.

The original Revero GT, launched in 2016 and so far only sold in the US, was a heavily reworked version of the Fisker Karma.

While the current version of the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid rival uses a 260bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder General Motors-developed engine, with twin electric motors, the new model is equipped with a BMW-developed unit, alongside a claimed ‘world-class electric drive system’.

Karma claims the new system produces a total output of around 528bhp, with a 0-62mph time of 4.5sec. The unit will feature a 28kWh battery, which should allow for around 80 miles of electric-only range.

The new Revero GT is due to go into production later this year, with an expected price of around £100,000. 

The new Karma GT designed by Pininfarina two-door coupé sits on the same platform as the new Revero, and will use the same powertrain, but features an extensively reworked body and interior developed in conjunction with Italian design house Pininfarina.

Karma noted that the new model marks the first time that Pininfarina has allowed its GT (Gran Turismo) designation to be used on a collaborative project.

Pininfarina has also styled the 1900bhp Battista electric hypercar for the Automobili Pininarina manufacturer, which is also owned by Mahindra but run as a separate concern.

While the Revero GT and GT designed by Pininfarina are both near-production models, the SC1 Vision Concept unveiled at Shanghai is designed to showcase the firm’s future ambitions for a full electric model.

The firm says the model is a full battery-electric vehicle that highlights Karma’s future design direction and a number of customisation options. It also features 5G connectivity and other ‘cutting-edge’ technology, including a new communication system that responds to touch, voice and eye commands.

Read more

1900bhp Pininfarina Battista EV to make UK appearance​

Fisker Karma 2011-2012 review​

Shanghai motor show news

A Toyota development mule resembling the Yaris has been spotted testing at the Nürburgring, sporting the bodywork from the current car and a camouflage livery.

The company has made no announcement regarding a new hot hatch, but, under the same disguise as prototypes of the recently revealed Supra sports car, the mule looks to be carrying out high-speed performance and handling tests.

The main clue as to the model’s sporting ambitions are found at the rear, where two wide-bore exhaust pipes can be seen exiting a diffuser-style bumper.

Elsewhere, wide alloy wheels wrapped in low-profile tyres round off a low, squat stance in the same vein as the range-topping GRMN variant of the current Yaris. 

The next-gen Yaris will move to Toyota’s latest TNGA vehicle architecture, as used by the new Corolla and Camry. That car is tipped for a reveal late next year, suggesting these images show final testing of components for the new model. 

Toyota has launched a number of performance badges, including GRMN and GR Sport, based on its Gazoo Racing motorsport arm, and company boss Akio Toyoda has spoken of a desire to produce more performance vehicles. 

The performance division turned its hand to the Yaris last year, with the launch of the warm GR Sport variant, which produces 99bhp from its four-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain. 

That model is available only in five-door form, which suggests this latest sighting could be based on the Yaris GR Sport.  

Read more

Toyota Yaris GRMN review

Toyota Yaris Hybrid GR Sport 2019 review

Toyota launches China-only electric C-HR​

Mercedes-AMG has unveiled its facelifted GLC 63 and GLC 63 Coupé at the 2019 New York motor show and proclaimed the former to be the fastest SUV to have ever lapped the 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordscheife.

The performance SUVs have received a series of subtle changes, most of which are focused on the exterior styling and upgrades to its interior.

New features include redesigned LED headlights and tail-lights and new trapezoidal twin tailpipes. Customers can now also specify new 21in alloy wheels and Graphite Grey Magno matt paint.  

The most significant upgrades are found inside, however. Included is a revised instrument binnacle and Mercedes' new MBUX operating system with touchscreen, touchpad, voice and (optional) gesture control. There’s also a new AMG steering wheel that features touchpads within its horizontal spokes and offers additional upholstery options.

Power for the SUVs continues to be provided by AMG’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre petrol V8. Its output remains unchanged, so the standard cars make 469bhp and 442lb ft and the S versions 503bhp and 516lb ft.

As standard, drive is channelled through AMG’s nine-speed Speedshift MCT dual-clutch automatic gearbox and fully variable 4Matic+ four-wheel drive system. As an upgrade, all models now come as standard with an additional 'slippery' driving mode for damp or wet conditions as well as an electronically controlled locking differential.

AMG quotes a 0-62mph time of 3.8sec for both the GLC 63 S 4Matic+ and GLC 63 S Coupé 4Matic+. Their top speed is nominally limited to 155mph, but it can be increased to 174mph with the optional Driver’s Package.

The two also feature AMG-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers and so-called Ride Control+ air springs at the rear.

AMG claims the facelifted GLC 63 S 4Matic+ has become the fastest SUV to have lapped the Nürburgring, with a time of 7min 49.4sec.

“The lap record on the Nordschleife has proven the GLC 63 is right at the top of its segment in terms of dynamics," said AMG chairman Tobias Moers. "With our V8, we hold a decisive unique selling point in the competitive environment. We were able to hone the dynamic even more and also further increase the suitability for every day."

Read more

Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 review​

Fastest ever Nürburgring lap times - the definitive rundown​

New York motor show news