Design historian predicts a shakeout: most Chinese car brands will go bankrupt before finding their own identity

The wave of Chinese models arriving in Brazil has been accompanied by a familiar criticism: the cars lack a recognizable identity of their own. Carlos Castilho, a historian who created the automotive design course at São Paulo's FAAP, argues that this sameness is a symptom of just how many Chinese manufacturers are competing at once.

As examples, he pointed to Jetour and Jaecoo, whose Western-inspired styling has earned them a reputation as China's answer to Land Rover, and to rounded, grille-free entry models such as the Geely EX2, GWM Ora 03 and the recently launched GAC Aion UT. Speaking on the QRCast, Castilho predicted that most of the current newcomers will not survive — consolidation is the "natural path," and only the brands left standing will go on to develop a distinct visual signature.

He likened the moment to the United States in the early 1900s, when more than two hundred carmakers coexisted, and noted that Japanese brands weathered the same identity criticism — even Toyota, he recalled, was still fighting for a distinctive look until recently. In his view, a brand signature is a constant, years-long pursuit.

Design, he stressed, goes well beyond looks: body lines exist to cut aerodynamic drag, and even a vehicle's height is dictated first by keeping the car stable and planted through corners, not by aesthetics alone.