Beijing Motor Show 2018 round-up

While European motorists will hold up Paris, Geneva or Frankfurt as the most important shows to visit, it’s impossible to deny the importance of the emerging Chinese car market when it comes to developing new vehicles. Put simply, the Chinese just can’t stop buying cars, and their tastes influence the rest of the world more than you’d think.

China is already the world’s largest single market for passenger cars, beating out even the USA. This means that the Beijing Motor Show, traditionally a dumping ground for the weirdest excesses of far Eastern car culture, is becoming more and more relevant to the rest of the world.

Read on for a round-up of the most interesting cars revealed in Beijing.

Mercedes A-Class saloon

China prefers saloons to just about any kind of car – even SUVs – and so Mercedes decided to unveil the latest version of its A-Class in saloon form to Chinese punters in Beijing.

It benefits from the latest tech, as fitted to the A-Class hatchback, especially the new MBUX infotainment system – a big improvement over the firm’s previous COMAND unit. A range of petrol and diesel engines will be offered, and it will rival the Audi A3 saloon when it arrives in Europe.

MG-X Motion

Introducing the all-electric MG-X Motion concept — what could well be the basis of an all-out assault on the large vehicle market. Any production version would surely become the range-topper for the Chinese-owned British firm, bringing a sharp aesthetic that looks like something punching well above MG’s usual weight.

BMW iX3

The futuristic SUV is fitted with a 268bhp electric motor and has a range of 249 miles, while the battery can be charged in just 30 minutes from a fast-charging station.

Lexus ES

It bears Lexus’ trademark sharp-edged styling and bold spindle grille, while under the skin are – you guessed it – hybrid powertrains. With a claimed fuel economy figure of 60.1mpg and not a dirty diesel in sight, it’s certainly of-the-moment – and could do better for Lexus’ fortunes than the slow-selling GS ever did.

MSO McLaren Cabeen Collection

Skoda Kamiq

Following on from the similar Kodiaq and Karoq models, the Kamiq targets Chinese customers. Skoda increased its sales in China by 2.5 per cent to 325,000 units in 2017, and the company is clearly aiming to keep that growth going.

Electric Toyota C-HR

Don’t expect it to look hugely different from the already futuristic-looking machine, which already seems fit for a sci-fi film. It’ll follow plug-in versions of the Corolla and Levin saloons in China.

Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury Concept

This is the humbly-named Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury Concept. No word on a production version yet, but this concept previews the last word in huge luxury vehicles. There’s even a bespoke tea set included in the back.