Chengdu Motor Show to blend cars, culture, consumption

Around 120 Chinese and overseas car brands will converge on the southwestern city of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, later this month for the Chengdu Motor Show, said Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai, one of the annual event's organizers on Thursday.

The 28th edition of the event, running Aug 29 to Sept 7, will bring together around 120 brands and cover 220,000 square meters of exhibition space, said Liu Guoliang, president of Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai.

Liu said the show has evolved beyond a platform for new product launches, becoming both a symbol of urban culture and a key consumption driver for the region.

Last year, attendees placed over 33,000 orders during the event, with their combined transaction volume standing at 5.8 billion yuan ($80.8 million), said Liu.

Local authorities in Chengdu are backing the event this year with subsidies for trade-ins and on-site purchases to spur sales.

"Chengdu and the wider Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle are among the most dynamic car markets in China," said Liu.

At this year's event, domestic manufacturers will take center stage. BYD is set to dominate Hall 9 with its full lineup including Dynasty, Ocean, Denza and premium Yangwang marques, while Changan will showcase five sub-brands including Avatr and Deepal.

Chery is reviving its Rely marque as a "global intelligent pickup" brand, and Jetour will debut its new luxury hybrid off-road series. Huawei-backed Harmony Intelligent Mobility will gather its five sub-brands in Chengdu for the first time.

Global names are also betting big. Mercedes-Benz will debut the all-new AMG CLE 53+ convertible and pure-electric CLA, BMW will show the M3 E46 GTR replica, and FAW-Audi will present 27 models including its PPE-based Q6L e-tron. Ford will stage the global debut of its first smart electric off-road SUV, the Bronco EV.

Beyond vehicles, the show will highlight AI-powered robots and next-generation batteries from CATL, underscoring how automakers are racing to pair electrification with digital intelligence.

The exhibition, co-hosted by the Chengdu municipal government and CCPIT's automotive branch, is positioning itself not just as a showcase of products but as a citywide festival blending cars, culture and consumption.

"More importantly, it has untapped potential — with urbanization accelerating and demand for second cars rising, this region is set to be a core growth engine for China's auto market over the next five years," said Liu.

Statistics show that auto manufacturing in Sichuan province grew 9.5 percent year-on-year in 2024, with private car ownership surpassing 14.41 million units, an increase of 780,000 units over the previous year.