New | These models stole the show at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show
Volkswagen Audi Group shows strength as Mercedes-Benz reveals latest S-Class, while Geely, BYD and Great Wall take the centre stage
The 17th biennial Shanghai Auto Show opened on Wednesday and runs until April 28. In the city’s clover-leafed National Exhibition and Convention Centre, car manufacturers are feeling pretty lucky with 113 world premieres on display. Visitors are not quite so fortunate, thanks to the event’s confusing layout and poor signage.
Volkswagen Audi Group has the strongest showing among the international original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and also reflects the show’s overriding themes: electric vehicles and sport utility vehicles (SUV). Skoda and Volkswagen are showcasing new electric SUV concepts. Vision E is the first fully electric and autonomously driving concept car from the Czech brand, while VW adds an SUV to its ID family of electric concepts. The Audi E-Tron Sportback, on the other hand, is more of a crossover. Closer to production-ready sales are promised for 2019 with a claimed range of about 500km.
The rest of the action from multinational OEMs is largely tied around new China-only models, or new variants of existing models or facelifts. Mercedes-Benz’s Concept A Sedan could preview a China-only saloon version of the A-Class to go head-to-head with the BMW 1-Series saloon – which is also only on sale in China.
