Beijing Motor Show preview

The Chinese market is growing rapidly, which means the Beijing Motor Show has become popular with manufacturers for showcasing new models and world debuts.

The country’s demand for premium cars is increasing, especially unique and ultra-luxury vehicles. Models like the long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series are being offered for the Chinese market only, and the Asia-Pacific region played a major part in Rolls-Royce selling a record number of cars last year.

This makes the Beijing Motor Show the ideal place to debut cars like the new Lamborghini SUV. The newcomer – known as the Urus – has been leaked ahead of its unveiling, and reportedly boasts 600bhp, which is enough for it to compete with the recently unveiled Bentley SUV, although we're certain the two will be very different in character.

A stunning, four-door, four-wheel-drive coupe will be the star of Mercedes’ stand – and it’s set to make the likes of the BMW 3 Series look very bland indeed. The Concept Style Coupe (CSC) is part of a growing family of models based on the new A-Class and is, in essence, a shrunken version of the CLS.

A pre-production version of the radical BMW i8 Spyder has also been revealed ahead of its premiere at Beijing. Following the ‘Vision EfficientDynamics’ concept from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the i8 will be the first model to launch the BMW ‘i-’ model sub-brand. 

Audi is set to show an RS version of the Q3 in concept form. The RS badge is the reserve of only the quickest Audi models, and this is no exception, with a five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged engine out of the TT RS giving 360bhp and a 0-62mph time of just 5.2 seconds. 

The Citroen Numero 9 concept also makes its debut at Beijing, creating a new flagship to the DS range. The Numero 9 concept previews one of three new Citroen models, which could include a new small saloon and an SUV solely focused at the Chinese market. 

MG is showing the Icon concept, which rivals the Nissan Juke. The concept hints at possible production, and sources told us it would share the same platform as the upcoming MG5, which is due in the UK in 2014. 

Another new model set to be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show is the Porsche Cayenne GTS. It will be the most driver focused version of the SUV, sitting a full 24mm lower than standard and featuring a leather and Alcantara-trimmed interior, usually seen in track-focused versions of the 911.