Guangzhou Motor Show 2025: The Most Interesting Cars

► We round up the most interesting cars Guangzhou had to offer
► Insane modifications, outlandish off-roaders and countless EVs
► Plus, a couple of genuinely intriguing UK-bound family cars

A few years ago, Chinese motor shows were a bit of a joke. They were the automotive equivalents of a dodgy Camden market, teeming with unconvincing knock-off European cars and distasteful aftermarket modifications. And, while those attitudes still linger, I can see signs the Chinese car industry is maturing.

This year’s Guangzhou Motor Show was a big deal. It was the event’s 12^th anniversary – and it not only attracted brands from its home market, but also the heavy-hitting captains of the automotive industry, desperate to flog their cars to China’s emerging middle class.

Audi, BMW, ford, Honda, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Volvo all had stands at the show, manny offering a dedicated line-up of cars specifically tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.

But I’m not really interested in what the established car brands are planning for China. I’m intrigued by what China is planning for the world. Scroll down for my round-up of the most interesting cars I found at the show, some of which have already been earmarked for export.

Slammed Leapmotor B05

We’re starting off strong.Leapmotor launched the B05 hatchback (known as the Lafa 5 in China) in September 2025, with the aim of stealing some of the MG4 EV’s market share. It’s pitched as cool and sporty – and, in an effort to show its commitment to that market, Leapmotor created this Stance Nation homage for the Guangzhou Show.

The changes for the show car are quite extensive. the brand started by taking an angle grinder to car’s the roof before fitting some strengthening bars in the rear to try and claw back the lost rigidity. It then dropped the chassis on its guts and fitted a set of split rim alloys with some outrageous camber. Obviously, it’ll never see production, but it’s nice to see the modifying scene is alive and well in China.

DongFeng Mhero 1

Weird name. Interesting car. The Mhero 1 is an off-road focused SUV with four electric motors, 335mm of ground clearance, a 900mm wading depth and – wait for it – 1073bhp. That means…## Guangzhou Motor Show 2025: The Cars That Actually Impressed Us

The Guangzhou motor show is a engaging place. It’s a barometer of the Chinese car market, which is the biggest in the world, and a glimpse into the future of automotive technology. But it’s also… a bit overwhelming. There’s a lot of stuff that’s either derivative, or just plain weird. So, here are the cars that actually caught my eye.

## JAC Define-S

JAC isn’t a name you’ll be overly familiar with, but the Define-S is a seriously striking GT car. It’s powered by a twin-motor setup producing 800bhp.

That means 0-62mph in 2.3 seconds, which doesn’t seem that impressive in this brave new world of sub-two-second-to-62mph electric supercars. But again, the specs aren’t what caught my attention. I took a picture of the Define-S for its styling. To my eye, it looks like a mash-up of a Ferrari Daytona and a Jaguar XJ220 – and they’re two of the prettiest cars in the world as far as I’m concerned. Now all JAC needs to do is build it.

## Firefly

Firefly is one of nio’s spin-off brands – and it’s hoping to steal some of the MINI Cooper E’s market share. This funky little hatchback has a 41kWh battery pack, a maximum range of around 200 miles and a 0-62mph time of 8.1 seconds. that’s competitive against the 36.6kWh battery and 180-mile range you get from the cheapest MINI.

The brand is gearing up to break the UK market, too. You can already buy one in Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands for between €23,000 and €29,000 – and right-hand drive versions are currently rattling down the company’s production lines for the Singaporean market. I reckon we’ll see it on UK roads before the end of 2026.

Sadly, the car in the image above isn’t what the Firefly looks like when it leaves the company’s factory. It’s a rally-inspired concept, built by the tuning company

Chinese Cars Stealing the Show at Guangzhou Motor Show 2025

This car was a case of mistaken identity. It’s not a Bentley or a Maybach. It’s a copycat, the Maextro S800. It’s a joint project between Huawei and JAC Group,aiming to dominate the luxury car market with plenty of features and attractive pricing.

The S800 is already on sale in the UAE, costing around £104,000. That’s similar to the price of an entry-level BMW i7, but the i7 isn’t as well-equipped as the S800.

The S800 boasts automatic doors, a massive infotainment system stretching across the dashboard (1448mm wide!), business-class rear seats, a TV-sized projector screen that lowers from the roof, and even a refrigerator in the trunk to chill your champagne to -6 degrees. There are also tiny pixel lights hidden in the door handles that project onto your palm when you open the door. It’s pure extravagance.

Leapmotor A10