New SUV models star at China auto show under virus controls

SHANGHAI (AP) — Volkswagen, Ford and Chinese brands have unveiled new SUVs for China’s growing market at the Shanghai auto show, the industry’s biggest marketing event in a year overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic. Automakers are looking to China, the biggest auto market by sales volume and the first major economy to rebound from the pandemic, to propel a demand revival and reverse multibillion-dollar losses. Auto Shanghai 2021 takes place under anti-virus controls that included holding some news conferences by video link. Few executives from abroad are attending. Reporters were required to undergo virus tests. The latest models reflect accelerating momentum toward electrification and designing models for Chinese tastes.