China takes centre stage at the Shanghai Motor Show - Auto Radio

Today, 23 April, marks the opening of another edition of what is now the world’s largest motor show, staged in the biggest car market on the planet. That is a lot of superlatives, but they all point to the same main character: China.

This year it is Shanghai reclaiming the leading role, taking turns annually with the Beijing Motor Show. While European events have visibly lost traction in recent years, China’s motor shows are enjoying a moment of real confidence - and they mirror, more clearly than ever, the new balance of power in the global automotive industry.

That was exactly the focus of this week’s Auto Radio, a podcast from Automotive Reason supported by PiscaPisca.pt. In this episode, we looked at China’s influence on the car industry - from manufacturers to consumer trends - while also trying to understand what European brands are doing to hold their ground and push back.

Increasingly nationalistic

Even if there is no single definitive explanation for this “shift in the paradigm”, the reality is that Chinese consumer preferences are changing.

Where showing off European luxury brands once served as a clear status symbol in China, there is now a growing pride in domestic names - and that change has reached cars too. Porsche and other German premium brands can attest to it, as they are recording major losses in the Chinese market, which in recent years has been their most important.

This change is not limited to premium and luxury segments. It is also helping mainstream local brands, which continue to take market share from European, Japanese and North American competitors.

Volkswagen is a prime example. After decades as the dominant force in China, it has been hit by ongoing sales declines and has already surrendered the top spot to BYD. In this Auto Radio episode, we talk about some of the Chinese brands thriving at the expense of European manufacturers.

European brands fight back

European carmakers, however, are not simply accepting this challenge. At the Shanghai Motor Show, we are seeing the first concrete results of a refreshed strategy designed to succeed in the Chinese market.

Volkswagen is once again in the spotlight, unveiling three new models at once - with one key difference: they were developed in China, together with its local partners, and exclusively for China.

Volkswagen is not alone. In today’s Auto Radio episode, we show you how - and in what ways - other brands are reshaping their plans to take on Chinese competition that is becoming ever more present… including in Portugal.

Much more than cars

The Shanghai Motor Show is not only about cars. Technology also has a place (and plenty of attention). One of the biggest surprises was HORSE’s new hybrid engine - the joint venture between the Renault Group and Geely - which promises to change the rules of the game. Find out what is at stake.

See you on Auto Radio next week

There is, then, no shortage of reasons to watch or listen to the latest Auto Radio episode, with the podcast returning next week on the usual platforms: YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.