Introduction

Which Car Model Will Be an Instant Success?

With nearly 120 mainstream domestic and international automotive brands showcasing around 1,600 exhibition vehicles, this year's Chengdu Motor Show is certainly a grand event! Interestingly, unlike the Shanghai and Beijing Motor Shows, which strive for 'world premieres,' automakers this time are 'racing ahead' by hosting press conferences even before the Chengdu Motor Show kicks off.

Since August, over 10 new models have been launched, including the Li Auto i8, Leapmotor A05, BYD Qin MAX, Wey V8X, and Voyah Zhiguang S. During the Motor Show, a plethora of new models will make their debut, including the BYD Da Han, All-New Tang, Fangchengbao Titan 9, Seres S05, iCAR V25, and Exeed EX6.

Traditionally, the Chengdu Motor Show has been perceived as a 'sales-driven event,' primarily targeting the vast western market and aiming to boost orders during the peak 'Golden September, Silver October' sales period. However, influenced by the broader automotive market environment, the Chengdu Motor Show now appears to shoulder more responsibilities beyond just facilitating car sales.

In fact, Chengdu has long been a pivotal automotive hub in Southwest China, particularly for new energy vehicles (NEVs). Data reveals that in the first half of this year, NEV penetration in Chengdu reached 53.34%, with pure electric vehicles (EVs) leading as the top powertrain category, selling 95,000 units and showing a slight year-on-year increase.

In terms of brand preference, Chengdu consumers also lean towards domestic brands. Geely and BYD secured the first and second positions in sales for the first half of the year, while emerging forces like NIO, Leapmotor, and Zeekr witnessed growth exceeding 30%. Xiaomi and Li Auto also experienced steady growth, with high-end domestic NEVs swiftly capturing market share.

Therefore, from the flurry of pre-show launches to the cluster of debuts, pre-sales, and launches during the event, this year's Chengdu Motor Show is far from being an ordinary regional event. The frequent maneuvers by major automakers also harbor a hidden agenda—to 'mobilize troops' for the battle over market share in the second half of the year.

01 The Boxy Car Craze: A Clash of Titans

From 100,000 to 500,000 yuan, spanning fuel, pure electric, and extended-range powertrains, and encompassing both domestic and joint-venture brands—nearly every automaker has launched one or even several boxy car models. At this year's Chengdu Motor Show, boxy cars continue to be a mesmerizing sight.

The Xiangjie G9 commenced pre-sales on August 5, starting at 439,800 yuan, and will officially launch the day before the Chengdu Motor Show. As the inaugural boxy model under Hongmeng Zhixing, the Xiangjie G9 emphasizes technology, luxury, and off-road SUV capabilities, underscoring its uniqueness and rarity.

Based on the 15,000 pre-orders received within 72 hours, many believe the Xiangjie G9 will be another triumph for Hongmeng Zhixing. Moreover, given Huawei's prowess in selling premium vehicles, the Xiangjie G9's potential is even more significant.

Following closely, the Fangchengbao Titan 9 will make its debut at the Chengdu Motor Show. The Titan 9 is a large six-seater boxy model and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). In the market for large six-seater boxy cars, the Titan 9 is seen as the Xiangjie G9's formidable rival.

In July, Fangchengbao sold 41,213 units, up 190.6% year-on-year, surpassing 40,000 units for the first time, with an average transaction price exceeding 223,000 yuan. This performance even outstrips many established NEV startups.

The arrival of the Titan 9 will not only propel Fangchengbao's sales growth and elevate its average selling price but also enhance the brand's upper limit and solidify its image.

Compared to the previous two models, the iCAR V25 is more 'budget-conscious.' The vehicle made its debut on August 14, and strictly speaking, this year's Chengdu Motor Show marks its second appearance.

Positioned between the V23 and V27, the iCAR V25 is priced around 130,000 to 200,000 yuan. It is a mid-size boxy extended-range SUV targeting young, personalized consumers, featuring enhanced intelligent configurations like LiDAR.

In essence, the iCAR V25 represents a typical new energy boxy car beyond hardcore off-road models, lowering the barrier for boxy SUVs while incorporating extended-range and intelligent driving experiences.

However, for iCAR, the real challenge with the V25 lies not in pricing it cheaply but in finding the right price point between the V23 and V27 to ensure market appeal while avoiding internal competition among the three models. If priced appropriately, the V25 could become a pivotal player in helping iCAR break into the mainstream market.

Then there's the Shenxingzhe 8. Amidst a highly homogenized market, the Shenxingzhe 8 stands out as unique.

Currently, the Shenxingzhe 8 is available for pre-sale, starting at 339,900 yuan and going up to 449,900 yuan. Positioned as a 'luxury tech all-terrain SUV,' its brand philosophy revolves around 'tech-driven new luxury.'

Reportedly, within 48 hours of the pre-sale announcement, orders surpassed 10,000 units. Additionally, the limited edition of 1,000 First-Edition Limited Models was quickly sold out.

Operating in the 300,000 to 500,000 yuan NEV market, the Shenxingzhe 8 combines luxury heritage, intelligent experiences, and all-terrain capabilities, with some potential influence from the Land Rover brand. On the other hand, its competitors, such as Tank and Fangchengbao, are no pushovers.

02 Multiple New Models Debut: BYD Goes All-In

In addition to the previously mentioned Fangchengbao Titan 9, BYD is likely the automaker launching the most new models at this year's Chengdu Motor Show. Whether aiming to reclaim the top sales spot in Chengdu or for a deeper strategic布局 (layout), BYD has not only rented an entire exhibition hall but also unveiled new models across its various brands.

The Da Han, the first D-segment luxury flagship sedan under the Wangchao (Dynasty) Network, will make its global debut at the Chengdu Motor Show. The vehicle measures over 5.2 meters in length and has a wheelbase exceeding 3.1 meters, featuring a light luxury interior. It offers a 370kW rear-wheel-drive and a 570kW all-wheel-drive version, with a maximum range of 1,008 km. It will also be equipped with flash charging and 'Tianshen Zhijian' (Divine Eye) advanced intelligent driving, potentially featuring Yunlian-A air suspension and rear-wheel steering.

The Da Han represents BYD's renewed foray into the 300,000 yuan premium sedan market and aims to further elevate the product ceiling of the Wangchao Network.

Additionally, the All-New Tang will make its debut at the Chengdu Motor Show, officially named the 'Third-Generation Tang' or the '8-Series Tang.'

The new model measures 5,045 × 1,980 × 1,740 mm (1,760 mm for high-end versions) in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 2,950 mm, matching the Tang L. It boasts a CLTC pure electric range of 850 km and can charge from 10% to 70% in just 5 minutes with flash charging, redefining home SUV charging efficiency. It is truly a large five-seater tech flagship of the BYD Tang family.

The Da Tang caters to premium family flagship demands around the 300,000 yuan mark and higher with its larger size and higher-end positioning. Meanwhile, the All-New Tang adopts a five-seater layout, prioritizing trunk space and ride comfort while lowering the product threshold to cover a broader mid-to-high-end family SUV market.

The Ocean Network introduces the Haishi 08, its first genuine push into the premium SUV market.

The vehicle measures over 5.1 meters in length and has a wheelbase of 3,030 mm, offering five- and six-seater layouts with pure electric and DM plug-in hybrid powertrains. The pure electric version has a maximum range of 900 km.

More importantly, the Haishi 08 is not just about size.

It features the second-generation Blade Battery, flash charging technology, and 'Tianshen Zhijian' advanced intelligent driving. The pure electric model has a maximum range of 900 km. From a product specification standpoint, it clearly enters the core battleground of mid-to-large new energy SUVs priced between 200,000 and 300,000 yuan, representing the Ocean Network's extension into higher price brackets.

The Fangcheng S represents BYD's another venture into the personalized market. When mentioning Fangchengbao, consumers typically think of hardcore off-road models like the Bao 5 and Bao 8. However, the Fangcheng S directly enters the sedan market, offering both sedan and 'hunting wagon' variants. Its global debut for interior and exterior design will also take place at the Chengdu Motor Show.

This move signifies Fangchengbao's breakaway from being solely a 'hardcore off-road' brand.

Compared to the Da Han's push into the premium sedan market, the Fangcheng S emphasizes sportiness and individuality. If Fangchengbao previously built its brand around off-roading, it is now attempting to expand its user base with sedans.

For BYD, this represents another new growth market, while for Fangchengbao, it is a crucial attempt to transition from an 'off-road brand' to an 'individuality-focused brand.'

03 Joint-Venture Counterattack, Domestic Brands Double Down

If BYD is expanding its market boundaries with a dense lineup of new models, other automakers' moves at the Chengdu Motor Show resemble a head-on clash between factions.

Let's look at joint-venture brands first.

SAIC Volkswagen brings the ID.ERA 5X, which will make its global debut at the Chengdu Motor Show. The previously unveiled ID.ERA 5S will also enter the market around this time. The ID.ERA 5S, in particular, stands out not for its size or range but for its city NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) advanced intelligent driving capability.

This sends a clear signal: joint-venture brands are closing the gap in new energy and intelligence.

BMW will introduce the new-generation BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase Edition and open pre-sales at the Motor Show. Mercedes-Benz will bring the all-new long-wheelbase GLE SUV, offering test drives to the public for the first time.

Traditional luxury brands are using next-generation products to reassert their new energy and intelligent labels. However, domestic brands are not giving them much room.

Seres will launch the all-new Seres S05, continuing to vie for the mainstream new energy SUV market. Seres will also introduce the all-new Seres RX, further completing Hongmeng Zhixing's SUV product matrix and continuing its rivalry with Xiaomi.

Xpeng's G9L targets the 'large five-seater' market, while Xiaomi brings two new SUV models, the Pengcheng N90 Max and N70 Max, featuring both pure electric and extended-range powertrains. Further down the lineup, models like the Leapmotor A05 target entry-level sales.

It's clear that domestic brands and NEV startups are no longer competing solely on price. Some compete on size, others on power, some on intelligent driving, while others extend their product lines downward.

This is precisely one of the most noteworthy changes at this year's Chengdu Motor Show:

Joint-venture brands are catching up to the new energy and intelligent advantages domestic brands have built over the past few years. Meanwhile, domestic brands continue to solidify their market share through faster new model iterations and denser product lineups.

Therefore, the new models at the Chengdu Motor Show may seem like mere 'updates,' but in reality, they are vying for prime positions. Whoever captures more attention can extend the Motor Show's hype into the 'Golden September, Silver October' period. Ultimately, the ability to convert Motor Show excitement into actual sales will determine the true winners in the