TURIN, Italy, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese automakers have taken center stage at the 2026 Turin Auto Show for their growing design capabilities and advanced technology, as industry representatives highlighted the increasing role of Chinese companies in Europe's automotive sector.
The auto show opened Friday in Turin, featuring 132 new vehicle models and a range of activities including test drives and events focusing on automotive design.
During the Torino Automotive Design Award (TADA) ceremony held Friday at the Teatro Regio, Chinese automakers including Chery, Geely, Great Wall Motor (GWM) and GAC received awards in various categories, underscoring the growing presence of Chinese brands at the Italian event.
Andrea Levy, president of the Turin Auto Show, told Xinhua that more and more people now are getting to know these Chinese brands, adding that Chinese vehicles are offering new technological solutions and placing growing emphasis on comfort, entertainment and safety.
Davide Loris Amantea, Chief Creative Officer of Pininfarina, said Chinese automotive design has moved beyond simply learning from established styles and are showing "more courage to define identity."
"I have to say that today the market is saying that the Chinese design language is really powerful, also because, technology-wise, they have many more tools to create a new ecosystem and environment in design, for the interior of a car or for the exterior," said Amantea.
Fabrizio Giugiaro, car designer, CEO and Founder of GFG Style, said Chinese automotive design is particularly open to innovation, benefiting from the country's advanced technology and greater freedom to explore new ideas.
"It's possible to do innovation because China has a technology that allows it," Giugiaro told Xinhua.
The growing presence of Chinese automakers in Europe has also created new opportunities for cooperation, Levy said, pointing to partnerships between Chinese and European companies.
"Europe has a great tradition in design," he said, adding that cooperation between the two sides can combine different strengths and contribute to the development of better vehicles.
As Chinese automakers expand their presence in Europe, the Turin Auto Show has offered a glimpse of how technological innovation, design and industrial cooperation are increasingly bringing the Chinese and European automotive sectors closer together. ■
