Chinese automakers are set to double their presence at the Paris motor show next week, with 20 brands registered to exhibit, according to the show's official website. That number rises to 22 if sub-brands and acquired foreign labels are included. The surge comes as the event, once written off as a dying format, regains relevance as a front line in the intensifying Europe-China automotive rivalry.
Chinese brands fill the void
International automotive body OICA's secretary-general François Rudiere told reporters that automakers skipping the show are making a mistake. "For years, consumers came to buy cars; now manufacturers have to work to sell them," he said, describing the shift from a seller's to a buyer's market. His comments carry a double meaning: European brands that stay away risk losing sales, while Chinese companies are being urged to seize the opportunity to enter Europe.
The show's revival is partly thanks to Chinese participation. Of the 65 vehicle and supplier stands, 20 are Chinese or controlled by Chinese capital, according to the official list. Geely alone is spread across five halls. This influx reflects the growing pressure on all automakers to win buyers in an increasingly crowded market, Rudiere noted.
Chinese brands' European sales have been climbing rapidly. In the first eight months of 2025, SAIC's MG and BYD led a surge that saw Chinese-brand passenger car sales in Europe reach 913,703 units, double the year-earlier period and a 9.9% market share. August alone hit 12%. UBS projects that if the current pace continues, Chinese brands could reach an annualized 20% share in Europe this year—a level German brands held in China in 2020.
Europe's home turf under pressure
The pressure is showing on European manufacturers. Volkswagen plans to cut 50,000 jobs by 2030 and reduce global annual production from 12 million to 9 million vehicles, while closing its Dresden "Transparent Factory" by the end of 2025—the first closure of a domestic plant in 88 years. BMW issued a profit warning in June, cutting its full-year EBIT margin outlook for its automotive segment to 1-3% from 4-6%, and its shares fell more than 11% that day. Stellantis reported a €94 million loss in its European division in the second quarter.
European automakers are also wrestling with tariffs and local-content rules. The European Commission has imposed duties on Chinese battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and is considering similar measures on plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Meanwhile, its "Made in Europe" initiative requires EVs to meet local content thresholds to qualify for subsidies and government contracts. Yet European companies still need Chinese partners: Stellantis has deepened its cooperation with Dongfeng, using idle factory capacity to adopt Chinese EV technology.
"Europeans are playing a double game," said Pedro Pacheco of Gartner, quoted by 第一电动 (D1EV). They want to block Chinese EVs while learning from them. At the Paris show, Stellantis is reviving the Citroën 2CV as an affordable EV concept, seen as laying groundwork for rules on European-made cheap EVs.
The show's importance is backed by research. A 2026 New York International Auto Show survey found 80% of attendees said the show influenced their purchase decisions, and 92% of those intending to buy completed a purchase within a year. A Canadian show study found over 80% of purchase intentions converted to actual sales. Skipping the show means missing the region's most concentrated consumer touchpoint, and the reputational damage can be severe—Bloomberg attributed BMW's withdrawal to cost-cutting, implying it could no longer afford even Europe's most important show.
Chinese brands are already making inroads in France, a key market. Chinese brands held a 3.4% share in 2025 with 22,227 units, rising to 4.8% (41,051 units) in the first half of 2026 and 8% in September. MG sold 35,108 units in France in 2025, up 36.2%, while BYD's first-half sales jumped 136% to 13,935 units. The Paris show, once a pilgrimage site for Chinese automakers learning from European joint ventures, is now a battleground where the former students are challenging their teachers on home soil.
