Chinese automakers are much more visible at this year's International Motor Show (IAA) here, with several brands bringing dazzling new cars and concept cars equipped with trending technologies on the first press day.
About 800 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions registered for the IAA 2019, which will officially open on Thursday and lasts until Sept. 22. China, with 79 companies attending the show, holds the first place among the international exhibitors.
Chinese car makers Hongqi, Great Wall Motors, and startup Byton all held events on Tuesday revealing their new cars, mostly in the premium segment.
China's iconic sedan brand Hongqi, under China's leading automaker FAW Group, showcased its first self-designed and self-made supercar S9 and all-electric SUV concept E115.
It was the brand's first appearance at an overseas motor show in almost six decades. Hongqi has set out on a new journey with a brand-new strategy and vision to create a "good life and good mobility" for customers in China and elsewhere, Xu Liuping, chairman of the FAW Group said at the press conference.
Hongqi saw a staggering over 600-percent surge in sales in 2018 and aim to sell more than 100,000 units this year, according to Xu.
Great Wall Motors arrived at this year's auto show with the brand WEY. WEY-S, a concept car equipped with a level 4 autonomous driving system made its world debut on the press day and another concept car WEY-X made its debut in Europe.
Wei Jianjun, founder of WEY and chairman of Great Wall Motors, said that WEY has preemptively invested in technologies including electrification, artificial intelligence, connectivity, and hydrogen fuel cell.
Its research and development center in Germany could be a starting point for its future plan for the overseas market. "We plan to fully and officially enter the European Union market in two years," Wei said.
Chinese startup car maker Byton also revealed the production version of its first electric vehicle M-Byte. Byton CEO Daniel Kirchert said he was delighted to present M-byte to the world audience in Frankfurt, a milestone marking the company's journey from concept to production.
This version of the high-end SUV realized 90 percent of the innovative design of the concept, according to the company.
Byton's Chinese factory is expected to start trial production in October and M-byte will be delivered to Chinese customers starting next year and officially enter the American and European markets in 2021, according to Kirchert.
Under the theme "Driving Tomorrow," this year's IAA is shifting from a classic motor show towards a platform to discuss the future of individual mobility, attracting not only manufacturers and suppliers, but also hi-tech companies, mobility service providers and startups.
