Exhibitors at Auto China 2026 included more than 2,000 companies from 21 countries and regions, with 1,451 vehicles on display, including 181 global debuts and 71 concept cars – a new high. The show now spans 380,000 square metres of exhibition space across two venues, making it the largest auto show in the world.

Auto China marked a clear turning point in the industry’s narrative. Software‑defined vehicles were already the headline at last year’s event; this year, the spotlight moved to ‘physical AI’ – artificial intelligence that doesn’t just compute but perceives, predicts and acts in the physical world, from reading gravity to anticipating pedestrian movement to navigating real‑world environments instantly.

Chinese carmakers are now challenging Europe’s long‑held dominance in high‑performance vehicles. At the show, BYD’s Denza brand revealed a supercar with more than 1,000 brake horsepower (bhp), while Zeekr unveiled an SUV with 1,362bhp – numbers that were once exclusive to European manufacturers.

China’s love affair with large, luxuriously appointed people-carriers continues, with manufacturers pushing the MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) segment towards Rolls-Royce levels of aspiration and specification. This development reflects a broader trend in China for big cars: sales of three-row SUVs and large, upmarket MPVs are rising, with Chinese premium buyers prioritising comfort, space and technology as markers of status.

After years of being overshadowed, European manufacturers arrived in Beijing with new confidence – albeit increasingly on China’s technological and cultural terms. The strategy now involves building China-specific platforms, sub-brands and AI partnerships with local technology giants.

With new marques emerging from joint ventures, licensed heritage, retro reinventions and even household‑appliance makers, China’s automotive boom is creating brands far faster than it creates distinct identities. Auto China showed how crowded – and how fluid – the brand landscape has become.