The electric Mercedes G-Class, BYD’s first pick up and Ora’s 395bhp sports saloon are among the headliners
The Beijing motor show returns next week for the first time since 2019, bringing with it an array of unveilings from both domestic and global manufacturers.
Taking place from Wednesday 24 April to Saturday 4 May, one of the world’s most important motor shows will host unveilings of brand-defining concepts, tech-heavy showcases, ultra-luxurious flagship models and crucial new global models.
European manufacturers will have a strong presence as Mercedes launches the new electric G-Class, the long-awaited Mini Aceman makes its public debut and the covers come off the Volkswagen Tiguan-rivalling Smart #5 – to name but a few.
But Chinese firms will obviously be out in force, with a wave of electric and hybrid cars we can expect to see on UK soil in the coming years and months. BYD will launch a new electric pick-up, and GWM will be on the stands with the Ora 07 – a swooping, saloon-shaped stablemate to the 03 hatchback.
We will keep this preview bang up to date with all the latest news as the show approaches, so keep checking back for the lowdown on all the biggest reveals.
Avatr 12
This upmarket five-door liftback is the second production model from the Chinese EV manufacturer that’s partnered with mobile phone company Huawei and battery manufacturer CATL. It will be based on the firm’s EP1 EV platform, like the 11 SUV launched in 2022, with production of right-hand drive models set to begin this year.
The 12 (pronounced ‘one-two’) is expected to make its show debut in Beijing before it goes global in the coming months.
Avatr 12: CATL, Changan and Huawei create new electric saloon
BMW Neue Klasse SUV
The concept that previews the future design of BMW’s electric SUVs – and more specifically the next-generation iX3 – will make its public debut at Beijing.
Bringing back some retro styling cues from BMWs of old, like the kidney grille modelled on the brand’s ultra-cool 1960s saloons, it will be based on BMW’s new EV-specific architecture, featuring new-gen battery tech and an advanced new software stack running on four high-performance computers.
BMW Vision Neue Klasse X sets template for brand’s electric SUVs
BYD Pick-up
Having already become one of the world’s biggest car makers, BYD will enter the light commercial vehicle market with a new mid-sized truck to rival the Toyota Hilux. Heavily camouflaged prototypes have been spotted already in China, sporting a dual-cab design and slab-sided profile.
It’s expected to be offered as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid in various global markets, with a digital instrument cluster and large central infotainment screen hinting at a more premium focus.
GWM Ora 07
Ora’s second UK model wears a swooping, retro-inspired shell that looks to have taken inspiration from both the Porsche Panamera and its smaller stablemate, the 03 (née Funky Cat).
It is expected to be offered with rear- or four-wheel drive, with up to 395bhp and 500lb ft for a 0-62mph time of 4.4sec. Electric range is not yet known, but in China – where it is sold as the Lighting Cat – it uses an 83kWh battery that delivers 373 miles of range.
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance
The plug-in hybrid version of Mercedes-AMG’s new four-seat super-coupé will be Affalterbach’s sixth PHEV, armed with huge power and even more performance.
It gets the same engine as the top-rung, electrified SL roadster, which pairs a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 with a rear-mounted electric motor, giving combined outputs of 804bhp and 1047lb ft and pushing the car to 62mph in 2.9sec. Prices are expected to push past the £200,000 mark.
Mercedes-AMG GT plug-in hybrid to bring 804bhp and 1047lb ft
Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ technology
The Quad-motor EQG concept we saw in concept form at the Munich motor show in 2021 will finally become a production car this year. Wearing a familiar two-box shape but a lengthy new badge, the new electric G-Class has a motor on each wheel, with the ability to do tank turns, much like the Yangwang U8.
It uses a modified version of the steel ladder-frame chassis used by combustion models, alongside which it will be produced by long-time partner Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.
Electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class to be revealed on 24 April
Mini Aceman
It perhaps comes as no surprise that the replacement for the Mini Clubman is an electric SUV.
Leaked images show the Aceman remains remarkably true to the funky concept we first saw in 2022, and it’s also reassuringly small, being only 192mm longer, 23mm wider and 130mm taller than the Cooper hatchback.
Power will come from a single motor at the front axle, with an output of either 181bhp or 215bhp. A John Cooper Works (JCW) range-topper is also expected with a performance-inspired makeover and chassis tweaks.
First look at new Mini Aceman ahead of April debut
Smart #5
Smart’s largest model yet will be a Volkswagen Tiguan-sized crossover with a chunky, square profile and the same SEA underpinnings as its smaller siblings, the #1 and #3.
Details remain under wraps, but we expect it to use the same 66kWh battery as those cars, powering a front-mounted motor with 268bhp and giving a range of around 300 miles. A Brabus version could also be on the cards with an additional 154bhp.
Zeekr Mix
This or a Volkswagen ID Buzz? Revealed in a batch of Chinese regulatory filings, the Mix is one of a quintet of models that three-year-old Zeekr is set to launch in the UK as part of a broader push into right-hand-drive markets by parent firm Geely, which also owns Volvo and Lotus.
Expected to officially debut in Beijing, it will receive a battery developed in partnership between CATL and Geely – likely the 86kWh pack used by the Zeekr 001, which is equipped with 800V hardware for 360kW charging. In engineering terms, it has been developed in tandem with the Smart #5, which will also be revealed at Beijing.
Zeekr Mix: Volkswagen ID Buzz rival set for UK launch in 2026
