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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.

The all-new Hongqi H7 has been spotted ahead of its official debut at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show on April 24. Positioned as a luxury mid-to-large sedan, the vehicle measures 5,060×1,910×1,480mm with a 2,970mm wheelbase, featuring a fastback silhouette and semi-flush door handles. Design elements include a semi-closed grille signaling its new energy identity, vertical air vents with illuminated emblem, split headlights and H6-inspired taillights. Powertrain comprises a 1.5T plug-in hybrid system, with active air vents and hidden exhaust treatment. The model strengthens Hongqi's premium new energy sedan portfolio in the competitive luxury segment.

Toyota Motor Corporation and Woven by Toyota unveiled advanced AI technologies on April 22, 2026, to accelerate innovation at Woven City, which launched in September 2025. Key announcements include the Woven City AI Vision Engine, a large-scale Vision Language Model enabling real-time understanding of visual, behavioral and environmental data for safety coordination. The Integrated ANZEN System integrates this with Behavior AI and Drive Sync Assist to create a unified people-mobility-infrastructure safety ecosystem. Complementing these are the Infra Hub unified data platform and Data Fabric privacy framework. The newly operational Inventor Garage provides end-to-end co-creation spaces for partners. Currently undergoing proof-of-concept with UCC Japan, these technologies are planned for deployment beyond Woven City.

The Changan Eado Blue Whale Super Engine variant has been spotted ahead of its debut at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24. The compact sedan retains the current design language with refinements including a borderless grille, star-ring full-width light bar and three-section air intakes. The rear features intricate full-width taillights, dual exhaust outlets and an active rear spoiler. Dimensions are 4,785×1,840×1,460mm with a 2,765mm wheelbase. The interior features a wraparound cockpit with 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.6-inch central display, powered by the Tianshu intelligent cockpit and Tianshu OS with standard DeepSeek AI large language model for full-scenario voice interaction. Additional equipment includes wireless charging, 8-speaker audio, 256-color ambient lighting, panoramic sunroof and heated/ventilated front seats.

The Changan UNI-V HEV has been spotted ahead of the Beijing Auto Show, following MIIT homologation and set for official debut at the event. The sportback retains its ICE counterpart's athletic design with a closed grille, aggressive three-section air intakes, quad exhaust outlets and full-width taillights accented with orange detailing. Dimensions are 4,740×1,838×1,435mm with a 2,750mm wheelbase. Powertrain comprises a 1.5T hybrid-dedicated engine producing 110kW paired with Sunwoda ternary lithium batteries, achieving 4.28L/100km combined fuel consumption, expanding Changan's UNI sequence in the new energy sportback segment.