Times have changed, and just as before all the news in the industry was concentrated in the big European events, now the attention seems to shift to China:
the twentieth edition of the Shanghai International Motor Show
(known simply as Auto Shanghai) placed the Asian giant as the ideal setting for
the world's most important terminals to announce their short- and long-term plans.
To begin with, their numbers are overwhelming: from April 18 to 27,
more than 1,000 brands will occupy the 320,000 square meters of the enormous property
, where they are scheduled to hold 150 press conferences and
their presentation in society. of more than 100 new cars.
It is also a consequence of the size of the market: China is the country where the most cars are manufactured and sold.
Its production levels not only manage to satisfy local demand, but these days it already exceeds it and seeks to be a source of global supply.
The German brands went with all their might to Shanghai.
(Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
In this sense, local brands are one of the welcome novelties of this year: far from derivative products or limited features, as used to happen in the past, Auto Shanghai 2023 proved that there are already companies –many of them still unknown in West – ready to
offer vehicles in the same range of design and build quality as the most challenging European competition
.
And in some aspects, such as technological equipment, up to a step above.
All of this generated an attractive framework for the most traditional and prestigious brands, and this is how, for example, the German BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen saved several important announcements especially for this Hall, but sharing a marquee with their Chinese peers. like the giant Geely, BYD or start-ups like Nio.
Here are some of the prominent models that are attractions at the
2023 Shanghai Auto Show:
bmw i7 m
bmw i7.
(Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
It is the most powerful electric model that the Bavarian house has manufactured
.
A variant of the largest sedan in its range that combines extreme luxury with sporting features that make more than one thoroughbred tremble: thanks to its two electric motors it reaches 659 HP of power and reaches up to 1,100 Nm of torque.
It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds, faster than the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and offers a range of 560 kilometers on one charge.
bmw i7.
(Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
BMW XM Red Label
BMW XM Red Label.
EFE/EPA/ALEX PLAVEVSKI
Another novelty from the German brand is this hybrid SUV, which has come to be the most powerful on the market in this category.
It offers 738 CV of total power from a pack that is combined with the V8 of the gasoline part of the powertrain (644 CV that equips the standard XM), and that without restrictions allows the vehicle to reach 290 km/
h accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds.
BYD Yangwang U9
BYD Yangwang U9.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
A brainchild of Wolfgang Egger, former head of design at Alfa Romeo and Audi, it
arrives as the Chinese equivalent of the Audi R8.
Although not much information was revealed, it is known that this electric car will cost around $167,000, and in return it will offer more than outstanding features, starting with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2 seconds.
BYD Yangwang U9.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
Lexus LM
Lexus LM.
(Photo: Lexus)
The second generation of its “Luxury Mover” arrives as a more luxurious alternative to the Toyota Alphard, with passenger comfort as its primary objective, whether in its seven-seat or four-seat version.
Mega screen inside the Lexus LM.
(Photo: Lexus)
Viscoelastic foam in
the seats with seven massage functions
, glass panels between the first and second row to gain privacy and other features along these lines make up the main features of a vehicle that also does not disappoint from the mechanical point of view: from a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine reaches 291 hp.
Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV
Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV.
REUTERS/Aly Song
Maybach's distinctive two-tone paint hints at what this SUV is all about:
an ultra-luxury model that aims to anticipate rivals like Bentley and Rolls-Royce
, and hit first in the electric segment.
Mercedes-Benz Maybach EQS SUV.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
As can be expected, Mercedes does not skimp on equipment or power, and therefore reaches 600 kilometers of autonomy from a two-motor system that reaches 659 CV and 950 Nm.
child ES6
Nio ES6, a debuting brand in Shanghai.
EFE/EPA/ALEX PLAVEVSKI
This electric SUV is the first car that the brand presents in a motor show.
It has an electric motor on each axle and two versions: the Standard, with two 215 CV motors in front and rear to reach a range of 412 km, and the Performance, which changes the front engine for one of 322 CV and can travel 513 km.
Porsche Cayenne
Porsche AG Cayenne.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
The flagship SUV from the Stuttgart house is renewed
and its appearance in dealerships is imminent.
A cabin inspired by the Porsche Taycan, some new aesthetics on the exterior and modifications to the chassis from 200,000 kilometers of tests make up "one of the most extensive product updates in the history of Porsche", according to the brand itself.
Porsche AG Cayenne.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
As if that weren't enough, the Cayenne swapped its V6 engine for a V8, and the Turbo GT now promises to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h even faster than the 911 GT3 (which sits at 3.9 seconds).
Smart #3
Shanghai Auto Show 2023: The new Smart #3.
The brand's largest model to date is here to make some noise in the crowded electric SUV arena.
It remains to know its technical specifications, but
it is anticipated as direct competition to the Volkswagen ID 5
and will hit the market with a single 271 hp and 341 Nm engine, pending the announcement of a high-performance Brabus variant.
Toyota bZ concepts
Toyota bZ Sport Crossover Concept.
(Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
The Japanese brand brought two electric prototypes to Shanghai: a yellow crossover –bZ Sports Crossover– that would be based on the bZ4X and aimed at a young audience, and an SUV with family airs and focused on its bZ Flexspace line.
Toyota bZ FlexSpace Concept.
(Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
VW ID 7
The ID 7, VW's top novelty.
REUTERS/Aly Song
The German giant's answer to the Tesla Model 3
is the sixth product in the ID range and it was already seen a few days ago, but it will make its official presentation in Shanghai.
It arrives to become the only model of the larger segment in the catalog of the brand, which claimed to have thought it "for long distances".
It would be launched at the end of the year in two versions, to later make room for a family-type body.
The ID 7 promises a range of 700 kilometers.
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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