Coronavirus might have caused the cancellation of Goodwood and Geneva, yet the auto show is not dead, at least not in China. The 2021 Shanghai Auto Show threw up the usual mix of slightly crazy local content, but more than a few cars designed to go global.
Also: Check out all of our Shanghai Auto Show stories at our dedicated hub here
Western brands were also present, including Audi, with the A6 e-tron, but for this list we’re concentrating on the Chinese carmakers. We’ve also included a detailed gallery from the show floor right after the jump.
ORA Lightning Cat Is A Cutesy Porsche 911/Taycan Mashup
Imagine if Porsche built a baby Taycan sedan and really went to town with the 911 styling cues. Even the dashboard and console of this compact EV seems to be inspired by Porsche, bearing a striking resemblance to those in a Carrera GT.
ORA’s parent company, Great Wall, claims the upcoming production version will feature two motors, all-wheel drive and be able to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds.
MG Cyberster Roadstere EV Looks Awesome, But Will They Build It?
Allegedly inspired by MG’s creaky 1960s B roadster, this stunning two-seat EV concept is a world away from the bargain basement family cars MG currently sells. The SAIC company didn’t reveal any horsepower or battery specs but claims a 500-mile range and 0-62 mph in less than 3 seconds.
The driver-focused interior is split by a Y-shaped dashboard and the rear LED light signature appears to be styled after sections of the British flag, a nod to the company’s origins.
ORA Punk Cat Promises Peace And Love But Puts VW On The Warpath
Just in case the VW Group wasn’t sufficiently irritated by the ORA Lightning Cat’s resemblance to a Porsche, the Great Wall brand went balls to the wall with this Beetle rip-off.
A retro-styled four-door EV with an interior modeled on Liberace’s bathroom, the Punk Cat definitely caught VW’s attention, and we hear their lawyers are currently investigating.
The XPeng P5 HAs Already Notched Up 10,000 Orders
XPeng received 10,000 orders for its P5 EV in a little over two days, which doesn’t seem so surprising when you hear that it cost just $15 to reserve a slot and the company is promising lifetime free charging for the first customers.
We don’t know useful stuff like the size of the battery or motor fitted to this Tesla Model 3 rival, but XPeng did reveal it comes with a 0.63 cu-ft (18-liter) refrigerator.
IM Airo Cleans The Air As It Drives
Described by its designer as a “multi-functional room with extra space for dining, working, gaming or even sleeping”, the autonomous Airo features sliding doors and swiveling seats, allowing all four occupants to face each other.
But the wrinkly Airo’s real party trick is an ability to clean the toxic city air around it by passing it through a giant HEPA filter. On sale in 2023, says the designer. No chance, says Carscoops.
The Hongqi L-Concept Limo Has A Chandelier And No Steering Wheel
When even fairly ordinary cars can be optioned with a niceties like massage seats, how’s a true luxury car supposed to stay ahead of the game? If you’re the Hongqi L-concept, you do it by fitting a chandelier in the rear passenger compartment.
Quite apart from looking ridiculous, we can’t help thinking it’s going to sound like a cheap set of wind chimes as soon as you start driving – which you won’t be doing anyway because this autonomous concept has no steering wheel.
MINIEV Cabrio – World’s Best Selling EV Goes Topless
The Wuling Hong Guang MINIEV sells in huge numbers because it’s practical and the entire car costs about half the price of a set of carbon brakes on an Audi. But it’s neither fun or cool, something this convertible concept is here to put right.
The cabrio gets LED lights, bigger wheels and a fabric roof that folds into the space where the back seats would otherwise be, and Chinese media seems to think it will make production.
Great Wall Cannon Baja Snake Is A Shelby Raptor Wannabe
Contrary to reports elsewhere, Shelby had nothing to do with the Cannon/Pao truck’s tough-looking Baja Snake makeover, though Great Wall’s designers have tried their hardest to give that impression.
A two-inch lift kit, Fox Racing shocks, big fender flares and a snorkel make it look like a refugee from the Baja 1000, though the puny 190 hp four-cylinder under the hood means it wouldn’t see a real Shelby Raptor for dust.
Tank 300 Cybertank Looks Like A Lilliputian G-Wagen
Tank’s 300 SUV rocked up at Shanghai having had a serious injection of attitude. The concept’s upgrades were almost entirely aesthetic, but the new arch flares, LED lights and hood scoop suggest it’s ready to take on any terrain – though you’d probably rather not in case you dirty an interior so white it manages to make a nuclear blast look dim.
The Xingyue L Is Ready To Go Global
Geely’s Xingyue L is built on the same platform as cars from Lynk & Co, the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40, though its CMA platform is stretched by almost 6-inches over the XC’s to boost interior space.
Power comes from a 2.0-liter engine with either 215 or 235 hp and autonomous tech allows you to summon the car from a parking spot if you’re within 656 ft (200 m) of it. The Xingyue L goes on sale in China this spring, but Geely has plans to export it in the “near future.”
Silk-FAW Hongqi S9 Hypercar Makes 1400 HP And Tops 248 MPH
Remember when people scoffed at the idea of a Japanese Ferrari beater, and then Honda unveiled the NSX and everyone stopped laughing? This could be China’s equivalent moment.
Legendary ex-Audi and Lamborghini designer Walter De Silva created the shape for Silk-FAW’s first hypercar, which can reach 62mph in 1.9 seconds thanks to a fusion of turbocharged V8 power and three electric motors. Only 99 will be built, each priced at a cool $1.45 million.
Tank 800: 1970s Harlem Pimp Style Comes To Shanghai
Tank by name and tank by nature, this jumbo SUV from Great Wall’s Wey brand looks like a Rolls Royce Cullinan with a cattle grid strapped between its headlights.
Compared with the other cars on show at Shanghai this one seemed almost retro thanks to 3.0-liter V6 hybrid drivetrain and a bizarre purple velvet interior that looked like something from an old George Barris custom.
Roewe Jing Concept Is Inspired By A Whale’s Mouth
“Jing” stands for whale, and the grille of this Roewe concept previewing an upcoming production car looks just like the mouth of a Humpback. Unfortunately, the blocky rear end also looks suspiciously whale-like. Expect petrol, plug-in hybrid and full-EV powertrain options.
Zhiji L7 EV Has 620-Mile Range And Wireless Charging
The result of a joint venture between SAIC, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech, and the Alibaba Group, the L7 promises a sub-4-second 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time a massive 620-mile (998 km) range and can be charged without the driver touching a single cable.
Deliveries start in the first half of 2022 when owners will be able to enjoy a 39-inch media screen and autonomous driving tech that includes 12 cameras, 5 millimeter-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic radars, and lidar.
Zeekr 001 Wants To Scan Your Face
If you’re already worried about China’s data snooping, the news that the 001 uses facial recognition to adjust settings as you approach will sound mildly terrifying.
The Porsche Taycan-sized EV is powered by two electric motors that distribute a combined 536 hp between all four wheels and propel it to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds.
Battery packs come in 86 and 100 kWh sizes, the largest giving a range of 435 miles, and can be charged at a seriously rapid 360 kW.
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