Price Index

Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric 612,900 AEDBMW 7 Series 750e 489,000 AEDZeekr 9X 369,900 AEDToyota Land Cruiser VX 329,000 SARLynk & Co 900 255,000 AEDLexus NX 350h 219,500 SARMercedes-Benz GLA 250 195,000 AEDBYD Seal Design 149,900 AEDJetour T2 1.5T 112,000 SARPorsche Cayenne Turbo Electric 612,900 AEDBMW 7 Series 750e 489,000 AEDZeekr 9X 369,900 AEDToyota Land Cruiser VX 329,000 SARLynk & Co 900 255,000 AEDLexus NX 350h 219,500 SARMercedes-Benz GLA 250 195,000 AEDBYD Seal Design 149,900 AEDJetour T2 1.5T 112,000 SAR

Thursday 1 October 2026 — 19 Rabi al-Thani 1448العربية

Last updated 09:42 Gulf time
Dubai desk

Breaking08:30BYD sales rise 17% in September as exports more than double

Tag archive

Chinese brands

Everything the Gulf Auto newsroom has published under “Chinese brands” — reports, analysis and data tables, newest first.

52 stories

14:40

The Jeddah waterfront in Saudi Arabia

Data & Rankings

Saudi Arabia versus the UAE: two markets falling at the same rate and differing in everything else

A table comparing the size and direction of the two markets, how concentrated the lead is in each, and where Chinese marques sit.

1 October · 5 min read · 104K views

13:20

Umm Hurair Road near the Oud Metha district of Dubai

Data & Rankings

UAE best sellers: Jetour and BYD inside the top ten as the market falls 23%

Two tables covering the leading marques and models in the UAE market in August 2026, in a market totalling 160,210 vehicles for the year so far.

1 October · 5 min read · 77.4K views

13:05

A Jetour T2 sports utility vehicle

Data & Rankings

The Outlander tops UAE models with a 623% jump, and three Chinese models make the list

The Mitsubishi Outlander takes first place with an 8.9% share, while the Jetour T2, G700 and MG 3 appear among August’s best sellers.

1 October · 4 min read · 103K views

12:40

A Leapmotor C10 sports utility vehicle

Leapmotor C10: an electric car with a petrol generator, and no official route to the Gulf yet

The model Stellantis sells outside China comes in two forms — fully electric, and one whose battery is charged by a petrol engine — but its Gulf distribution has not been announced, and the prices circulating in the UAE are not official.

1 October · 5 min read · 116K views

12:10

A Haval car showroom

Great Wall Motor falls 14% at home and bets on the Gulf

GWM recorded 114,944 vehicles in September, down 13.99% and its sharpest decline since January 2025, while its Haval marque keeps growing in Saudi Arabia.

1 October · 5 min read · 160K views

11:15

A GWM Haval H9, a seven-seat sports utility vehicle

Haval H9 enters the Gulf seven-seat class in the UAE from AED 119,900

GWM pushes a body-on-frame four-wheel drive with front and rear locking differentials into a class long held by the Land Cruiser Prado and the Patrol, betting on the price gap.

1 October · 5 min read · 160K views

11:15

A Changan Deepal S7 electric car

Huawei’s alliance falls 29% even as the smart driving race intensifies

The HIMA alliance posted the sharpest decline among September’s manufacturers at 29.15%, in a market where smart driving systems have moved from a differentiator to standard equipment.

1 October · 5 min read · 134K views

11:05

An XPeng P7 electric car

XPeng hits its 2026 monthly high and builds on its Gulf network

XPeng delivered 41,256 vehicles in September, its highest month this year despite a slight annual decline, with an established UAE presence through Ali & Sons.

1 October · 5 min read · 130K views

10:20

A Xiaomi SU7 electric car

Xiaomi passes 40,000 cars in September and prepares for Europe in 2027

Xiaomi exceeded 40,000 deliveries in September to reach 286,475 for the year so far, about 52% of its 550,000 annual target.

1 October · 5 min read · 76.7K views

09:35

A Leapmotor C10

Leapmotor lifts deliveries 58.5% for a third month above 100,000 cars

Leapmotor delivered a record 105,656 vehicles in September, cementing its place among the fastest-growing Chinese marques this year.

1 October · 4 min read · 107K views

08:30

A BYD Seal electric car at a motor show

BYD sales rise 17% in September as exports more than double

BYD sold 463,561 vehicles worldwide in September and its overseas shipments rose 153.9%, confirming exports as the Chinese group’s main engine of growth.

1 October · 4 min read · 157K views

08:05

A Geely Galaxy car

September ranking: BYD leads while Zeekr and Leapmotor break their records

September 2026 data for sixteen Chinese manufacturers shows a market splitting into sharp risers and sharp fallers, with BYD on top at 463,561 vehicles.

1 October · 5 min read · 127K views

07:40

Zeekr doubles sales and begins shipping the 9X to the UAE at AED 369,900

Zeekr delivered 37,216 vehicles in September, up 103.85%, a sixth consecutive monthly record, as 9X shipments to the UAE market begin.

1 October · 6 min read · 129K views

16:20

A NIO ET5 electric car

NIO returns to monthly growth and builds on its UAE base

NIO delivered 37,408 vehicles in September, up 7.65% and meeting its third-quarter guidance, while running its regional presence through an Abu Dhabi-based joint venture.

30 September · 5 min read · 92.6K views

14:00

A self-driving vehicle fitted with sensors

Pony.ai secures a Dubai testing permit and targets commercial operation

The third Chinese company to enter the emirate’s autonomous driving market, after deploying driverless test vehicles.

30 September · 4 min read · 82.3K views

16:10

An MG HS sports utility vehicle

Data & Rankings

The Chinese marque map in the Gulf: who distributes what, and where

A table linking ten Chinese marques to their distributors and markets, revealing the dominant pattern in how they enter the region.

29 September · 5 min read · 153K views

14:20

The north grandstand at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi

Yas Marina after the 2021 redesign: 273 metres shorter and five corners fewer

The circuit that opened in 2009 was redrawn in 2021 to 5.281km and 16 corners — and the stated aim was to open up overtaking at the season finale.

29 September · 5 min read · 209K views

10:30

A Porsche Cayenne Coupé

Data & Rankings

Most and least expensive: Gulf Auto’s models ranked in dollars for comparison

From the Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric at $166,889 to the Jetour T2 at $29,867 — nine models ranked in a single currency.

29 September · 5 min read · 177K views

14:15

A white Zeekr 9X on a road at sunset

Events & Launches

Zeekr 9X shipments to the UAE begin with deliveries starting in October

The marque has announced the start of commercial-volume shipments to the UAE market at AED 369,900, with first customer deliveries in October.

22 September · 4 min read · 119K views

13:30

A Lynk & Co 900

Lynk & Co widens its Gulf presence after launching the 900 in the UAE

The marque launched the 900 in the UAE from AED 255,000 alongside its flagship showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road, and plans an Abu Dhabi site in the second half of 2026.

20 September · 6 min read · 85K views

15:15

A Geely Galaxy car

Exports drive growth: SAIC and BYD each pass a million vehicles outside China

SAIC’s international sales reached 1.071 million and BYD’s exports 1.05 million, up 145% — two figures that explain what is happening in Gulf showrooms.

19 September · 5 min read · 190K views

18:30

King Fahd Road in Riyadh

Events & Launches

Jetour reveals the G700 TopFire in Riyadh ahead of its UAE arrival

The regional debut of the flagship’s highest trim took place in the Saudi capital, ahead of its UAE introduction through Elite Group Holding.

16 September · 4 min read · 194K views

15:40

A Haval car showroom

Haval and Tank lead GWM’s Gulf range, with Ora and Wey on the way

The group is widening its regional line-up with the Haval V7 and Tank 300, the Haval H10 to come, and the Ora and Wey marques preparing to enter the region.

15 September · 5 min read · 211K views

15:30

An Apollo Go Apollo RT6 robotaxi on the road in Wuhan, China

Why Chinese companies lead the Gulf robotaxi race

Three Chinese companies operate or test in the UAE while their American rivals stay in their home markets — and the reason is as much regulatory as commercial.

12 September · 5 min read · 201K views

11:50

A Lynk & Co 900

Geely targets 640,000 exports in 2026, growth of more than 50%

The group has set an export target above half a million vehicles, accelerating Lynk & Co and Zeekr in the Middle East and Latin America.

12 September · 5 min read · 136K views

14:00

A Chery Tiggo 8 sports utility vehicle

The Middle East rises to third place in Chery’s export markets

Chery exported 21,123 vehicles to the Middle East in July, BYD 13,164 and Geely 7,148, making the region the standout growth point in Chinese car exports.

11 September · 5 min read · 99.3K views

10:40

A car meet at The Pavilion in Downtown Dubai

Events & Launches

Zeekr opens its redesigned flagship showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road

The new Dubai site has interactive ordering screens, two charging stations, two delivery bays and a hospitality lounge, in partnership with AWR Automotive.

11 September · 4 min read · 159K views

10:40

A Chery Tiggo 8 sports utility vehicle

Data & Rankings

Chinese marque sales in 2025 against their targets: who beat them and who stumbled

A table comparing ten Chinese marques’ sales with their announced targets — Leapmotor, XPeng and Xiaomi overshoot, while Great Wall reaches a third of its goal.

10 September · 6 min read · 164K views

11:30

A BYD Seal electric car at a motor show

Data & Rankings

Global automaker ranking 2025: three Chinese groups in the top ten

Toyota leads with 11.32 million vehicles, with BYD sixth, SAIC seventh and Geely ninth — the first time three Chinese groups have made the list together.

8 September · 6 min read · 87.4K views

10:15

A Jetour T2 sports utility vehicle

Jetour grows 22.6% in Saudi Arabia and makes Dubai its Gulf hub

The Chery marque sits ninth in the Saudi market with 11,500 vehicles, while building a base in Dubai to cover the rest of the Gulf.

5 September · 5 min read · 142K views

11:10

The Riyadh skyline at night

The Saudi showroom race: how Tesla’s arrival changed BYD’s plans

Tesla’s entry into the Saudi market pushed BYD to accelerate from three showrooms to ten, the clearest example yet of electric competition in the Kingdom.

21 August · 5 min read · 159K views

12:40

The Riyadh skyline at night

BYD lifts its Saudi network to ten showrooms

Two new openings in Riyadh and Qassim take BYD’s network in the Kingdom to ten showrooms, having started with just three.

19 August · 4 min read · 217K views

14:50

A Chery Tiggo 8 sports utility vehicle

Omoda and Jaecoo bring AI self-parking to the UAE

A system that lets the car manoeuvre itself and search for a free space, offered on selected models in the UAE market.

14 August · 4 min read · 192K views

09:00

King Fahd Road in Riyadh

Data & Rankings

Saudi best sellers: Toyota keeps a third of the market, four Chinese marques in the top ten

A full table of the Kingdom’s ten best-selling marques in the first half of 2026, with their market shares in a market of about 410,000 vehicles.

14 August · 5 min read · 112K views

09:50

An MG HS sports utility vehicle

Markets & Prices

Four Chinese marques in Saudi Arabia’s top ten with a 13.4% share

MG, Haval, Jetour and Changan entered the top ten in the first half of 2026 with a combined 13.4% share, in a market down 23.5% overall.

12 August · 5 min read · 196K views

10:20

A Jetour T2 sports utility vehicle

Events & Launches

A UAE rental company adds more than 300 Jetour vehicles to its fleet

ART Elite Car Rental is expanding its fleet with Jetour models, the kind of deal that builds a marque’s presence in a way showrooms do not.

4 August · 4 min read · 119K views

13:20

An XPeng P7 electric car

Events & Launches

The XPeng P7+ arrives in the UAE from AED 164,000 with twelve-minute charging

The electric fastback reaches the UAE market with an 800-volt architecture and a range of up to 520km, through Gulf Star Motors, part of the Ali & Sons Group.

28 July · 5 min read · 198K views

12:40

The road between Sharjah and Dubai

Events & Launches

iCAUR opens its third UAE showroom in partnership with Gargash

The Chinese marque adds a Sharjah site after Dubai, part of a regional expansion built on established Gulf distribution groups.

14 July · 4 min read · 202K views

16:00

King Fahd Road in Riyadh

Events & Launches

Changan launches the second-generation UNI-S in Saudi Arabia and widens its regional presence

The Chinese manufacturer is launching its newest model in the Kingdom as it accelerates expansion across the Middle East and Africa, after thirty years in the region.

9 July · 4 min read · 168K views

09:50

An industrial and port area in Dubai

Events & Launches

AGMC lays the foundation stone for an integrated Geely facility at Ras Al Khor in Dubai

Geely’s UAE distributor has begun building a facility combining sales and aftersales, a sign of Chinese marques moving from showroom expansion to infrastructure investment.

2 July · 4 min read · 133K views

14:30

A shopping mall in Dubai

Events & Launches

Omoda and Jaecoo open their seventh UAE showroom as sales pass a million

The new site is at Oasis Mall on Sheikh Zayed Road, and the two Chery marques passed one million cumulative vehicles in April 2026.

26 June · 4 min read · 130K views

19:00

The north grandstand at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi

Events & Launches

Zeekr marks five years with a track day at Yas Marina Circuit

More than two hundred owners and media on the Grand Prix circuit in Abu Dhabi, with the first regional appearance of the Zeekr 9X and drift and drag runs.

24 June · 5 min read · 147K views

10:00

A street scene in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Events & Launches

Tesla opens its Riyadh centre and widens its presence in the Kingdom

The centre carries the Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck, following the company’s entry into the Saudi market and pop-up stores in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

24 June · 4 min read · 195K views

11:00

A main road in Dubai at night

Events & Launches

Great Wall Motor opens its largest showroom outside China on Sheikh Zayed Road

The new Dubai site displays more than ten models from Haval, Tank and Poer, opened by Saeed Juma Al Naboodah Group, the marque’s UAE distributor.

19 June · 4 min read · 179K views

11:30

A Jetour T2 sports utility vehicle

Events & Launches

Jetour launches its certified pre-owned programme in the UAE

Elite Group Holding is introducing Jetour Trusted Preowned, addressing the weakest point facing Chinese marques: resale value.

10 June · 4 min read · 160K views

09:25

A Chery Tiggo 8 sports utility vehicle

China’s spare capacity: why the Gulf buyer pays less

Chinese car plants run at half capacity, and exports have multiplied sevenfold in seven years. This report links the two numbers and measures how much of their effect has reached Gulf prices — and what happens if the equation reverses.

21 May · 11 min read · 146K views

10:15

The Abu Dhabi skyline from the Corniche

Li Auto enters the UAE and Saudi Arabia through Al Fahim and Naghi

The Chinese company has signed distribution agreements for its L Series range in the two Gulf markets, its first expansion outside China.

29 April · 4 min read · 112K views

08:45

A Changan Deepal S7 electric car

Data & Rankings

From 3% to 27%: the path of Chinese marques in the Gulf market

A share that quadrupled in seven years, and the fastest change in Gulf market composition since the Koreans arrived. This report measures the path, identifies who lost those points, and draws the one historical comparison that fits.

15 April · 11 min read · 160K views

09:05

A Jetour T2 sports utility vehicle

Data & Rankings

Thirty-eight points: how age divides the Gulf market for Chinese marques

Seventy-one per cent of under-35s place a Chinese marque among their serious options, against thirty-three per cent of over-50s. This report measures the widest age gap in the Gulf market and explains what it means.

10 March · 10 min read · 149K views

12:00

A desert road in Dubai near the launch venue

Events & Launches

The Jetour G700 makes its global debut from the Dubai desert with 904hp

More than a thousand guests at Bab Al Shams Arena under the banner “Beyond the Horizon”, for the launch of a hybrid making 1,135Nm with a range of up to 1,400km.

21 November · 6 min read · 203K views

10:30

An electric vehicle charging station

Who makes your battery? The cell map behind the electric market

Three companies make more than two-thirds of the world’s vehicle battery cells, and two of them are Chinese. This report traces the cell from mine to pack and explains why the origin of the battery now matters more than the badge on the car.

11 September · 11 min read · 223K views

07:55

A BMW Group production facility in Germany

Where does every dirham in your car’s price go?

Of every 120,000 dirhams you pay for a new car, only nine thousand reach the dealer. This report breaks the retail price into its seven lines and explains why Chinese competition works on one of them and not the others.

4 June · 10 min read · 220K views