10 Cars You Might Have Missed from the Beijing Auto Show
The 2024 Beijing auto show feels reminiscent of the glory days of international auto shows, featuring countless reveals from affordable production cars to pie-in-the-sky concepts and high-performance supercars. Between the hundreds of local Chinese brands vying for space in an ever-crowded market and the foreign brands trying to cash in on high demand, there are more new-car unveilings than any sane person can keep track of. But luckily for you, we dedicate the majority of our waking hours to thinking about cars and have rounded up some of the most important cars you might have missed from this week's Beijing extravaganza.
MG EXE181 Concept
This aerodynamic, futuristic missile comes from MG, the famed British sports-car builder now owned by China's SAIC Motor. This incredibly low-slung hypercar concept is an homage to the EX181, a streamlined experiment that set a land speed record by hitting 254 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1959 with F1 racer Phil Hill behind the wheel. The modern reinterpretation has a drag coefficient of just 0.181 and is said to go from zero to 62 mph in 1.9 seconds.
Smart #5 Concept
Smart—which sold its city cars in the U.S. until 2019 and is currently owned half by Mercedes and half by Geely—unveiled the #5 concept, previewing an upcoming production crossover. The #5 will be the biggest Smart yet and will pack both a battery with more than 100.0 kWh and an 800-volt electrical architecture. The concept takes on a burly off-road look—with a light bar, chunky tires, limb risers, and beefy skid plates—that will undoubtedly be toned down for production.
Genesis G80 EV Magma Concept
Genesis launched a performance subbrand called Magma at the New York auto show and followed it up with a sporty concept based on its Electrified G80 sedan. Unlike the orange vehicles shown in New York, the Beijing concept is painted Acme Blue. The electric sports sedan features flashy 21-inch wheels, larger air intakes, a rear diffuser, and a lowered suspension. Inside there is quilted leather, carbon-fiber trim, and swaths of Alcantara.
Nissan Evo and Epoch Concepts
Nissan showed off two sedan concepts at the Beijing show: the plug-in-hybrid Evo and the electric Epoch. Not many details were revealed about the powertrains, but the concepts look surprisingly production ready, with sideview mirrors and eye-catching but not outlandish LED lighting. We hope the upcoming Maxima EV borrows something from these handsome four-doors.
Nissan Epic and Era
Nissan also revealed two SUV concepts: the plug-in-hybrid Era and the electric Epic. The Era is said to have all-wheel drive and active air suspension, while the Epic can be used as a mobile power source for campsites and parties. Both SUVs feature a bold front end design with a series of vertical LED lights.
Toyota bZ3X and Toyota bZ3C
Two new electric Toyota crossovers were revealed for the China market. Very few specifications were published, but the bZ3C sports a sloping roofline for a coupe-like look while the bZ3X has a more traditional boxy body. The front end of both models has a familiar design to other recent Toyotas like the 2025 Camry and Crown Signia, while the cabins feature a massive screen standing atop the simple dashboard.
Fang Cheng Bao Super 9
A new subbrand of BYD, which became the biggest automaker in China last year, Fang Cheng Bao revealed the wild Super 9 speedster in Beijing. The roofless wonder certainly draws inspiration from the likes of the Mercedes SLR McLaren Stirling Moss and Aston Martin V12 Speedster, but it is an impressive-looking machine nonetheless and was penned by the same designer responsible for the Alfa Romeo 8C. The Super 9 is said to be built around a carbon-fiber monocoque and is believed to use an electric powertrain.
Zeekr Mix
Zeekr, owned by Geely, has been cranking out unique-looking vehicles for some time now, like the 009 minivan, and has even been mulling entering the U.S. market. Its latest product is the Mix, a smooth, rounded MPV. While few details were released, it is expected to utilize a single electric motor producing over 400 horsepower. The real highlights will be acres of interior space, a flat floor, and multiple available seating setups.
BYD Ocean M—EV Hot Hatch
This crazy-looking hot-hatch concept previews a production car from BYD set to launch in China later this year. The Ocean M has an aggressive body kit, a towering rear wing, and massive brakes. Roughly the same length as a Volkswagen GTI, the Ocean M rides on a new platform with a rear-mounted electric motor, although no other performance specifics have been revealed as of now.
Denza Z9 GT
Yet another BYD subsidiary, Denza, is also 10 percent owned by Mercedes-Benz, and it revealed the Z9 GT at the Beijing show. This sleek performance wagon is about the size of a Porsche Panamera and will utilize three electric motors pushing out almost 1000 horsepower, ripping to 62 mph from a standstill in less than three seconds. The Z9 GT is supposed to hit Chinese streets by the end of the year.
You Might Also Like
