Traditional auto shows may be past their prime, but a handful remain relevant even in 2026. The Paris Motor Show is among the oldest in the industry, having held its first edition back in 1898. The BMW Group is among the first automakers to confirm its attendance at the 91st edition, which will take place at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition center.
Scheduled for October 12–18, the 2026 Paris Motor Show will bring together BMW, MINI, and Motorrad. Rolls-Royce doesn’t typically do auto shows, so it comes as no surprise that the brand will skip the event. Going forward, BMW ALPINA must also be considered separately, as it is now a standalone brand within the BMW Group.
For now, BMW remains tight-lipped about which models will take center stage in the City of Light. However, with so many new products on the horizon, it’s possible to make an educated guess. The new i3 (NA0) arrives this year, and it’ll debut ahead of the next-generation 3 Series (G50).
At the larger end of the sedan spectrum, the 7 Series (G70) is getting a facelift this year. We may also see the return of the ALPINA B7 in 2026. If it does happen, it’ll come back under a different name and with a separate chassis code. The G72 is expected to come with inline-six and V8 engines, along with an ALPINA-first EV.
On the SUV side, BMW is putting the finishing touches on the fifth-generation X5 (G65). It too is officially coming later this year, alongside a fully electric iX5.
BMW M will introduce a Track Package for the M2 and may even unveil the long-rumored xDrive variant.
With so many models coming this year, logic suggests that at least a few will be shipped to the Paris Motor Show in October. The event alternates annually with the IAA Mobility Show, where the new iX3 broke cover last September. A year earlier in Paris, the Vision Neue Klasse and Vision Neue Klasse X concepts were shown together for the first time. The latter has since evolved into the production-ready iX3, and we are now just months away from seeing the former take shape as the i3 sedan.
Exciting times ahead.
