5 cars to catch at the Singapore Motorshow
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Here are five cars that have caught the eyes of ST’s Motoring team.
ST PHOTOS: CHONG JUN LIANG, GAVIN FOO, CHRISTOPHER TAN
Follow topic:
- Singapore Motorshow features 37 brands with over 200 models, highlighting the dominance of Chinese manufacturers like BYD, Hongqi, Nio and ICaur.
- Japanese brands like Toyota, Lexus, and Mazda showcased attractive electric models to compete with the Chinese brands. Mercedes-Benz displayed the Concept AMG GT XX.
- Key cars at the show included the BMW Skytop, Honda Super-One, Lexus ES, Hongqi E-HS9, and Aion UT, each offering unique features and designs.
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SINGAPORE – With 37 automotive brands and more than 200 models at the Singapore Motorshow 2026, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
Held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre until Jan 11, the event spans multiple levels.
Most of the brands are situated on the fourth and sixth floors, while Chinese brand Ora occupies the ground-floor atrium. Smaller booths are located on the third floor.
As with the event in 2025, Chinese manufacturers dominate. One senior automotive executive remarked to The Straits Times that the sheer volume of Chinese brands made the event feel like a trade fair in “Guangzhou or something”.
BYD
The show also marks the debut of several new Chinese brands, including Hongqi, Nio and ICaur. However, just as significant as this influx of new players
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz has gone the extra mile. Rather than restricting its display to models that it wants to sell, such as its new CLA-class, the star is the Concept AMG GT XX.
Still caked in grime from its record-breaking endurance run at the Nardo track in southern Italy, the concept car showcases electric technology that will be translated to the next Mercedes-AMG GT.
Getting close to the filthy electric endurance sports car before it is shipped back to Germany is, alone, a compelling reason to visit the show.
The AMG GT XX, caked in grime from its record-breaking endurance run in southern Italy, is one of the stars of the show.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Here are five cars that have caught the eyes of ST’s Motoring team.
BMW Skytop
The ultra-exclusive BMW Skytop is the belle of the ball, with only 50 units built.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
The BMW Skytop is an extremely limited two-seater sports car that was unveiled as a design study in 2024 before becoming a production model. The car on display is one of just 50 made, so the event may be the only chance to see it in person.
The car takes inspiration from BMW’s best roadsters, including the 507 and Z8. The mechanical underpinnings come from the M8 Competition, including the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 with 625hp.
The car belongs to Eurokars, the multi-brand motor dealership group which is a BMW dealer.
Honda Super-One
The Honda Super-One is a super cute EV that is ready for Singapore.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
With the pumped-up wheel arches and two-tone alloy wheels, the Honda Super-One looks like it has been souped up by a boyracer.
According to ST assistant editor Toh Yong Chuan, “Honda only just unveiled the car in prototype form at the Japan Mobility Show on Oct 29, making the show cars in Singapore among the first production units to be displayed in the world”.
Engineer and ST motoring contributor Shreejit Changaroth picks the car because it reminds him of the Honda City Turbo II, a 1980s hatchback nicknamed “bulldog” for its chunky looks.
The pint-size hatchback is also the first electric Honda to be officially available through the brand’s agent.
Lexus ES
The Lexus ES previewed at Singapore Motorshow 2026.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Lexus’ mid-sized executive express that rivals the BMW 5-series looks radically different from the current generation, which has been largely unchanged for many years.
“Strikingly beautiful and sleek, the new Lexus ES proves saloons are still relevant and desirable,” says retired ST senior correspondent Christopher Tan. The car has not yet been approved for sale.
In the coming months, it will be available in electric and petrol-hybrid forms and is estimated to cost between $380,000 and $400,000.
Hongqi E-HS9
The Hongqi E-HS9 has a stately exterior mixed with a premium cabin.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Newcomer Hongqi is using the show to preview the E-HS9, a large electric SUV which ST photojournalist Chong Jun Liang describes as “stately on the outside with more than a passing resemblance to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan”.
The interior looks similarly grand, with generous lashings of leather and wood. With an expected price of being just under $500,000, this puts the car more in the luxury end of the market than most other Chinese car brands.
Aion UT
The Aion UT is a small and cheerful electric vehicle that epitomises what electrification should be about: sustainability.
ST PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER TAN
A compact electric hatch from Aion, the UT is roughly as big as the BYD Dolphin.
Calling the Aion UT small and cheerful, Mr Tan says the hatchback epitomises what electrification should be about: sustainability. The car was launched in two forms – Standard, which has a smaller battery and a range of 335km, and Premium, which can travel up to 410km on a single charge with its bigger battery.
