Detail

Chery, China's top car exporter, announced plans to establish an R&D center in Paris to develop a Europe-specific small city car tailored to local consumer preferences. The move marks Chery's strategic pivot from its SUV-focused European entry—via Omoda and Jaecoo brands—into the continent's iconic compact segment. "We want to build a French car for the French," stated Hanbang Yu, Chery France director, emphasizing the company's commitment to understanding regional design tastes. The initiative targets France's significant small car market, positioning Chery to compete against established European urban runabouts like the Fiat Cinquecento and Renault Twingo on their home terrain.

Spy shots of Lexus' first three-row electric flagship SUV TZ (possibly named TZ9) have been exposed. Based on Toyota's electric Highlander, it is positioned to compete with Volvo EX90 and is scheduled for release between late 2026 and early 2027. Its dimensions are basically consistent with the electric Highlander, with length, width and height of 5050/1989/1709mm and a wheelbase of 3051mm, featuring exclusive Lexus design details.

Isuzu Malaysia has opened a new 3S centre at 21 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, operated by dealer Autoexec Corporation as its third KL outlet. The facility consolidates the former Jalan Semarak 1S outlet into a larger space featuring the latest corporate identity, hero car display, delivery bay, customer lounge and merchandise area. The service centre operates daily except Sunday (9am-6pm) with capacity for simultaneous truck and pick-up truck maintenance. Isuzu Malaysia CEO Tomoyuki Yamaguchi stated the centrally-located centre will enhance brand presence and urban user engagement with Isuzu's product range.

Hongqi's all-new E-HS4 electric compact SUV has been spotted ahead of the 2026 Beijing Auto Show. Positioned above the discontinued E-HS3, the model features design cues from the HS5, including a full-width taillight cluster, blacked-out exterior details, semi-flush door handles, and five-spoke petal wheels. The E-HS4 marks Hongqi's continued expansion into the NEV segment.

The all-new Mercedes-Benz GLC EV long-wheelbase has debuted on April 23 ahead of its Beijing Auto Show appearance. As the first domestically-produced model on Mercedes' new MB.EA pure-electric architecture, it features a stretched 3,027mm wheelbase and an 89kWh battery delivering 680km and 703km CLTC range variants. Design highlights include a large grille with 942 individually-illuminatable pixels inspired by the classic 300 SEL 6.3, framed by chrome accents, plus new LED digital headlights and a 128L front trunk. Three exclusive colors—Twilight Silver, Mist Blue and Ink Jade Grey—are introduced. The model strengthens Mercedes-Benz's position in the mid-size luxury electric SUV segment by balancing premium heritage with advanced technology.

The IM LS8 has been spotted ahead of the Beijing Auto Show, with the model already launched in four variants priced from RMB 261,800 to RMB 311,800. Built on an 800V high-voltage architecture, it features the Stellar super range-extender system delivering up to 1,605km combined range. Design highlights include a full-width star-ring light bar, 7-shaped headlight array and roof-mounted LiDAR, with dimensions of 5,085×2,000×1,807mm and a 3,060mm wheelbase. The vehicle debuts the Lingxi Digital Chassis 3.0 with full wire-controlled steering and bi-directional 24° intelligent rear-wheel steering, significantly enhancing maneuverability and driving dynamics.