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Introduction

Chinese brands already hold an 8% share of the French market and are poised to capture 20% of the entire European market this year. So, which brands hold the most potential?

On October 12, 2026, the media day of the 91st Paris Auto Show (Mondial de l'Auto) will kick off. Automobile Magazine has taken stock of the participating automotive brands and new car models, with Chinese automakers emerging as the undisputed highlight.

According to information compiled by Automobile Magazine from the official Paris Auto Show website, among the 65 exhibition stands for complete vehicles and supplier giants, Chinese automotive brands and those under Chinese control occupy 20 stands. Furthermore, over ten new models are set to make their debut or be highlighted.

This auto show will serve as the official entry point into the European market for several automakers or brands, including Li Auto, Dongfeng Fengxing, and GAC Aion.

Despite the absence of SAIC's MG, which has long topped the list of Chinese brand sales in Europe, all other Chinese brands selling (or intending to sell) in Europe will participate. Seres' AITO will even bring its entire lineup, from the M5 to the M9, to the show. All brands under the Geely Group will be distributed across five halls at the auto show.

How deeply have Chinese automotive brands penetrated the French market?

Compared to the British market, where Chinese brands captured a 16.1% share in the first half of this year, the French auto market still lags behind but remains significant.

According to statistics from Motor1.com France and Autoplus, Chinese automotive brands held a 3.4% market share in France in 2025, with approximately 22,227 vehicles sold. In the first half of 2026, this figure rose to 4.8%, with 41,051 vehicles sold. In September just passed, this proportion further doubled to 8%.

In terms of sales in France, SAIC's MG leads, followed closely by BYD.

According to official MG France data, 35,108 new vehicles were sold in the French market in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 36.2%, ranking 14th in the overall French market. The MG ZS Hybrid was the best-selling model. In the first half of 2026, MG France sold 16,417 vehicles, accounting for a 1.9% market share in France.

BYD sold 14,311 vehicles in France last year and 13,935 vehicles in the first half of this year, a sharp year-on-year increase of 136%, with the SEAL U DM-i being one of the main models.

Before the holiday, Automobile Magazine wrote an article titled "Will Chinese Automakers Capture 20% of the European Market This Year?" It is evident that European industry events like the Paris Auto Show serve as crucial platforms for promoting the continued deepening of Chinese brands in the European market. Consequently, more and more mainstream Chinese automakers are placing greater emphasis on European auto shows.

Below are the Chinese brands that have announced their participation in the Paris Auto Show from October 12 to 18.

01 212

In Hall 7.1, the 212 brand from Beijing Automobile Works (BAW) will showcase the 212 T01 flagship off-road SUV, available in both gasoline and diesel versions.

02 AITO

In Hall 5.3, Seres Group's AITO brand, known domestically as Huawei's Harmony Intelligent Connected Vehicle (AITO), will display the AITO 5, AITO 6, AITO 7, AITO 8, and AITO 9, corresponding to the domestic AITO M5, M6, M7, M8, and M9, a full lineup of SUV products.

The AITO brand made its debut at the 2025 Munich Auto Show and the 2024 previous Paris Auto Show.

03 BYD Group

Divided into BYD (Hall 6) and Denza Fangchengbao (Hall 5.3).

The official Paris Auto Show website does not provide information on the exhibited models.

According to media reports, the BYD brand will premiere a new model tailored for Europe, possibly a long-wheelbase version of the Dolphin Surf (corresponding to the domestic Seagull). Additionally, it will debut the Shark plug-in hybrid pickup truck, featuring four-wheel drive, 436 horsepower, a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 5.7 seconds, a 32.2-degree battery with a maximum electric range of 90 kilometers, a towing capacity of 2.5 tons, and a payload of 790 kilograms.

Furthermore, BYD will also bring the Dolphin G DM-i plug-in hybrid compact car to the Paris Auto Show (with specifications similar to the domestic Dolphin, but BYD claims it as its first model specifically designed and developed for Europe, with a fuel consumption of 1.4 liters per 100 kilometers), the Atto 2 DM-i plug-in hybrid small SUV (corresponding to the domestic Yuan UP), and an updated version of the Atto 3 compact SUV (corresponding to the domestic Yuan PLUS).

The Denza brand's exhibition models include the Z9GT shooting brake and the D9 DM-i MPV, which will compete with the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-tron GT, with a pre-sale price of €115,000 (approximately RMB 865,000); the plug-in hybrid version starts at €100,000 (approximately RMB 752,000).

Since the Denza brand has merged with the Fangchengbao brand to form Tengbao Technology, the Fangchengbao brand's Bao 5 will also be exhibited under the Denza brand at this Paris Auto Show.

There are also reports that Denza will bring the Denza Z electric supercar, which can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just over 2 seconds and also made an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer.

04 Changan Automobile

In Hall 7.1, multiple brands under Changan Automobile will participate in this Paris Auto Show.

The premium brand Avatr will first be launched in Spain. The Avatr 12 made its debut at the 2025 Munich Auto Show.

The Changan Qiyuan Q05 electric compact crossover will make its European debut. Deepal will showcase the S07 plug-in hybrid SUV, which also made its debut at the Turin Auto Show in September.

05 Chery Group

Divided into Chery (Hall 4) and Omoda/Jaecoo (Hall 4).

The Chery brand is expected to bring its 100% electrified Tiggo series, equipped with its self-developed CSH hybrid technology; the Chery Q small SUV, which made its European debut at the Turin Auto Show; and the Tiggo X, a flagship SUV with a square and robust design, which will first be launched in the UK.

Omoda/Jaecoo will also exhibit electrified products. The new model for Europe is the Omoda 4, a sporty compact SUV that made its first appearance at the Beijing Auto Show this year and subsequently had its European debut at an esports event in Barcelona.

Chery states that the Omoda 4 is positioned as a global model, developed with European tastes in mind. It is approximately 4.4 meters long, roughly the same size as the Omoda 5; the latter is a coupe-style compact crossover, positioned below larger models in the Omoda series, such as the 4.7-meter Omoda 7 and the 4.8-meter Omoda 9.

06 Dongfeng Fengxing

In Hall 7.1, Dongfeng Fengxing's lineup for this Paris Auto Show includes the electric and plug-in hybrid versions of the TK5 SUV, the larger TK7 plug-in hybrid crossover, and the V9 (corresponding to the domestic Xinghai V9)——a large van suitable as a camper.

Fengxing also participated in the 2024 Paris Auto Show and has started selling in Germany and Italy, with plans to expand to France, Norway, and Denmark in the coming months.

07 Foton Motor

In Hall 7.1, Foton Motor will exhibit two electric models, marking the brand's first participation in the Paris Auto Show. Founded in 1996, Foton is a brand under the BAIC Group and a global manufacturer specializing in commercial vehicles. Its global cumulative sales have exceeded 13 million vehicles, with a product line covering vans, light and medium-duty trucks, and powertrains including internal combustion engines and electrified systems.

08 GAC Group

In Hall 5.1, GAC will officially announce its in-depth localization strategy for Europe this year, with expected new models including the Aion UT Cross and the GAC GS7 mid-size SUV.

Currently, GAC plans to have Magna Steyr assemble two models at its Austrian plant, including the Aion V mid-size SUV and the Aion UT compact hatchback.

Aion was launched at the 2025 Munich Auto Show, with sales in Europe beginning in smaller markets like Finland and the UK. Expansion into France is a top priority, with the brand stating its goal of "comprehensive coverage" of Europe by 2028.

09 Geely Group

Divided into Geely (Hall 7.1), Lynk & Co (Hall 5.1), Lotus (Hall 6), Smart (Hall 5.3), Volvo (Hall 5.2), and Zeekr (Hall 5.2).

The Geely brand will bring the Monjaro EM-i mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV to this Paris Auto Show, corresponding to the domestic Xingyue L, which will be launched in the UK early next year and subsequently in other parts of Europe as part of its global rollout.

One year after entering the European market, as of September, Geely's brand sales have surpassed those of its sister brands Lynk & Co and Zeekr. In addition to the overseas version of the Xingyue L, there are also the EX5 (the export version of the Galaxy E5, or the pure electric version of the Xingjian 7) and the EX2 (corresponding to the domestic Xingyuan).

The new models from the Lynk & Co brand at the auto show will be led by the 07 GT high-performance shooting brake. The current Lynk & Co European product lineup includes the Lynk & Co 01 plug-in hybrid, Lynk & Co 02 pure electric, Lynk & Co 08 plug-in hybrid, etc. Lynk & Co's European headquarters is located in Gothenburg, Sweden, established in 2016, and has now entered 25 European country markets, with 12 stores in France alone.

Lotus Cars will be located in Hall 6 at this auto show.

The Smart brand will launch the #2 at the Paris Auto Show——the all-electric successor to the ForTwo, marking Smart's return to its microcar roots.

Volvo Cars' debut models include the all-new EX60 pure electric SUV, with a range of 810 kilometers and ultra-fast charging technology. The price will start at €66,500 (approximately RMB 499,000).

The Zeekr brand currently has models in Europe including the Zeekr 001, Zeekr X, Zeekr 7X, and Zeekr 7GT. Two new models will make their European debut at this auto show, including the Zeekr 9X flagship model.

010 Leapmotor

In Hall 4, Leapmotor will bring two European debut models to this Paris Auto Show, including the B03 small electric hatchback and the D19 large SUV, which Leapmotor calls the "world's largest extended-range hybrid electric vehicle," equipped with an 80-kWh battery and an electric range of 300 kilometers.

Currently, in addition to the Leapmotor T03, which was introduced to Europe earlier but has since been discontinued, Leapmotor has a total of five models on sale in Europe: the Leapmotor A10 (overseas name B03X), Leapmotor C10, Leapmotor B10, Leapmotor B05, and Leapmotor C16.

011 Li Auto

In Hall 5.1, two Li Auto models will make their European debut at the Paris Auto Show: the facelifted Mega Home and the i9. Li Auto claims that the i9 is the most aerodynamically efficient SUV ever, with a drag coefficient of 0.215.

Additionally, the Li Auto i6 and L9 will also grace the Paris Auto Show stage. The former will compete in the premium mid-size SUV segment against strong local competitors, including the Audi Q4 E-tron, the newly launched BMW iX3, Polestar 4, and the electric Mercedes GLC.

012 SAIC Maxus

In Hall 7.1, at this Paris Auto Show, SAIC Maxus will exclusively premiere the facelifted eDeliver5, eTerron9, and T60 MAX, as well as the Deliver 7 diesel version; the latter is now available with an automatic transmission.

This year, the MG brand under SAIC Motor did not participate in the Paris Auto Show, leaving SAIC Maxus as the sole representative from SAIC. Currently, SAIC Motor remains the leading Chinese automaker in terms of sales in the European market.

013 XPeng Motors

In Hall 6, XPeng will showcase the G9L, but its flying car might also make an appearance. However, the real highlight could be the Iron "general-purpose humanoid robot."

As of August, XPeng has sold approximately 30,000 vehicles in Europe, a 165% increase. Its vehicles are assembled by Magna Steyr in Austria.

Editor-in-Chief: Shi Jie Editor: He Zengrong

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