I bet you’re constantly being told, whether by trusted experts such as ourselves, social media or even the 6pm news, that Chinese cars will be the death of the legacy brands as we know them. That due to heavy regulation, expensive labour and slow decision making, companies from Europe, Japan and even Korea could soon be on their last legs. China’s just too far ahead.
Yet after seven days in China, one of which was spent meandering the colossal halls of the 2026 Auto Show, my take on things is a little different.
Putting it simply, while Chinese brands will definitely have some appeal for mainstream car buyers from now on, all isn’t quite as one-sided as it might sound. For all the companies’ incredible speed and adaptability, there was still something lacking in almost every car on the glossy stands at the show. It wasn’t charging speed, screen size or connectivity. The problem was that almost nothing seemed authentic.
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