Europe's Car Design Event 2026 Moves to March

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Dec 04, 2025, 10:00 ET

Car Design Event 2026 is scheduled for March 2-4, a timeslot traditionally held by the Geneva International Motor Show.
CDE 2026 will attract an elite group of automotive reporters, designers, car makers and design schools.
Program organizers expect more than a dozen concept cars to be on display.

MUNICH, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Europe's annual Car Design Event moves to early March in 2026, a timeslot traditionally held by the Geneva International Motor Show.

Car Design Event 2026 will take place March 2-4 in Munich at Motor World Munich and is expected to draw a record number of concept-car reveals, car makers and automotive designers.

The by-invitation program last year attracted more than 100 automotive-design executives, representatives from Europe's leading design schools and news media from around the world.

Concept vehicles on display at CDE 2025 included Kia's EV2 (shown here) and the Genesis X Gran Convertible as well as concept cars from Hyundai, Lamborghini, Pagani, Slate, Volkswagen and Yugo.

"The leading lights of global automotive design will come together in this uniquely private setting to present their latest creations, share ideas and discuss the latest auto-industry developments," said CDE cofounder Jens Meiners. "Lively debate lies at the heart of CDE with topics including the future of mobility, vehicle-design trends and the use of AI in automotive design."

Meiners noted that students and professors from a number of leading design schools in Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK also are expected to attend CDE 2026.

Based on feedback from the automotive design community, he added that attendance for the 2026 program is expected to more than double compared to 2025.

CDE 2025 was held May 2-4 in Munich and featured the following:

The Genesis X Gran Convertible concept made its European debut
Lamborghini's V12 Vision Gran Turismo concept painted in a striking orange (Arancio Egon) color was shown for the first time
The new American-brand Slate presented its innovative SUV in Europe for the first time
Volkswagen's ID. EVERY1 concept car was the preview of an affordable entry-level EV
Kia's EV2 concept vehicle featured a highly innovative interior
Hyundai's Initium concept previewed its next-generation, hydrogen-powered Nexo
Revitalised European brand Yugo showcased its first new model
Pagani presented its Utopia hypercar
Corvette's hybrid-powered E-Ray was presented by Chevrolet Global Design Chief Phil Zak
A full-scale concept model was showcased by Dominik Anders, a design student at Hochschule Munich supported by Hyundai