Thousands of Custom Cars and Over 100,000 Enthusiasts: AIT 2025 Auto Modification Expo in Dongguan Concludes with Great Success

From October 17 to 19, the annual AIT 2025 Dongguan Auto Modification Show successfully concluded at the Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center in Dongguan. The three-day event drew massive crowds and enthusiastic responses, once again delivering a spectacular automotive festival for car lovers across the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. 

As one of the largest and most influential events in China’s automotive modification industry, this year’s exhibition covered 120,000 square meters, featuring over 1,000 custom cars, more than 500 exhibitors, and 30+ concurrent activities. The show attracted an average of 30,000 visitors per day, highlighting its strong appeal among both industry professionals and car enthusiasts. 

Centered on the core theme of “Cool Cars, Great Crowds, and Real Business,” AIT 2025 combined exhibition displays, car club gatherings, professional racing events, high-end forums, and interactive experiences. It not only showcased the latest trends and innovations in the car modification sector but also brought a vibrant mix of competitive spirit and cultural immersion through multiple high-level motorsport events and interactive shows. 

With its dynamic atmosphere and comprehensive presentation, AIT 2025 Dongguan successfully created a true carnival for car enthusiasts and industry insiders alike, further solidifying its position as a leading event in China’s tuning and custom car scene.

Thousands of Modification Cars Paint a Full Picture of China’s Car Culture

The true heart of this year’s show was undoubtedly the thousand-plus modification cars gathered under one roof. These vehicles were more than just industrial products — they served as expressions of individuality and craftsmanship, collectively showcasing the vibrant ecosystem of China’s car modification culture. 

From the 18 top creative builds voted by fans on the “Star Car Avenue,” to the intense competitions in the Asian Modification Car Championship Zone; from the nostalgic “Initial D 30th Anniversary” exhibition at Simon’s Magic Garage, to the retro Hong Kong Cinema Golden Era Special Zone celebrating the classic Cantonese film age — every modification car on display told its own unique story. Here, the pursuit of extreme performance, a unique interpretation of aesthetics, and a heartfelt tribute to automotive classics converged and collided, creating an atmosphere filled with creativity, passion, and cultural depth.

In addition to showcasing numerous modification cars, the AIT Auto Modification Show also joined hands with Simon’s Magic Garage and EAB Emperor to launch the “Bay Area Crazy Car Night” event. This marked the first-ever car carnival of its kind held in China. With its pure passion and hardcore atmosphere, the event allowed countless automotive enthusiasts to experience the excitement of world-class car culture festivals—without leaving the country.

This was not only a visual feast, but also a vivid journey showcasing how China’s car modification culture is evolving from a niche community to mainstream recognition. More importantly, it reflected the growing maturity of China’s automotive aftermarket, as the function of vehicles continues to expand from simple driving to diverse, multi-layered lifestyle applications. 

The rapid growth of the modification car industry signifies that China’s automotive sector is developing a balanced ecosystem driven by both practical demand and passionate pursuit. It also marks the rise of a uniquely Chinese “modification language,” demonstrating the continuous progress and expanding influence of China’s homegrown car modification industry.

Thrilling Races Ignite the Event — Where Competition Meets Culture

During the exhibition, a series of top-level racing events took center stage, becoming one of the most eye-catching highlights of AIT 2025. 

The D1 Grand Prix Drift Championship held its season finale at the show, bringing together elite drift drivers from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and China. Renowned racers such as Masato Kawabata, Liu Liu Ge, Gao Xuan, and Zhang Shengjun delivered multiple rounds of spectacular battles. With roaring engines, breathtaking maneuvers, and masterful drifting techniques, the event filled the venue with adrenaline and excitement, pushing the atmosphere to its peak. 

After intense competition, Zhang Shengjun (Car No. 90) from the Zero Mileage Lubricants ZM Drift Team claimed the annual championship title, followed by Xue Kun (Car No. 88) from the same team as runner-up, and Wang Qi (Car No. 82) from the SMA & DRS Drift Team taking third place overall.

The 2025 China Urban Off-Road Obstacle Race, held concurrently with the exhibition, is a national-level professional event. Sponsored by the MENGSHI (Warrior) brand and jointly organized by three major branches of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), it brought together off-road elites from across the country. Competitors drove professionally modified off-road vehicles and faced an extremely challenging obstacle course, engaging in intense competition. The event not only demonstrated the high level of China’s off-road modification scene but also highlighted the growing professionalization, diversification, and popularization of off-road culture in the country.

The IASCA King of Car Audio Challenge & Asian Championship China Elite Selection brought together over 100 top audio-modified vehicles from South China, judged rigorously by more than 20 international referees. Competing through sound-based performance, these vehicles delivered a truly immersive auditory experience for the audience, while also advancing the car audio modification culture toward higher standards.

Diverse Experiences Merge to Create a Car Culture Party for All

Beyond professional competitions, AIT is committed to building a comprehensive platform that serves both B2B and B2C audiences. 

For general visitors, the exhibition creatively integrated a variety of trendy and cultural elements. The Stay Fresh Jam Breakdance Competition made its debut, bringing together street dance and modification car culture in an exciting collision inside the venue. The Trunk Creative Market, combining food, social interaction, and creative retail, became a hotspot for young visitors. Interactive zones such as the Hardcore Sweetheart JDM Drift Arena and the D1RC RC Drift Experience Area offered unique, family-friendly experiences, greatly enhancing both the entertainment value and participatory appeal of the show.

Focusing on Industry Development and Empowering Enterprise Growth

Concurrently with the exhibition, the “2025 CAAM Conference on High-Quality Development and Ecological Innovation of the Automotive Modification Industry”, hosted by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) and Yasen International, was held on October 18 at the Jiahua Hotel (Houjie), Dongguan, Guangdong Province. The conference brought together leaders from government authorities such as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission, as well as numerous industry representatives, experts, and scholars from the automotive modification sector. The discussions focused on key topics including “deepening policy innovation to promote high-quality industry development,” “building a new ecosystem for car modification,” and “regulating market pricing order.” 

Yang Zhongping, Deputy Secretary-General of CAAM, opened the keynote with “Building Industry Consensus to Create a New Future for the Automotive Modification Industry.” Xin Renzhou, former Deputy Director and Inspector of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Industrial Policy Department, provided an in-depth interpretation of “enhancing policy support to promote high-quality development in the car modification industry.” Cheng Xiaodong, Deputy Director of the Industrial Goods Division at the Price Monitoring Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, focused on “standardizing car modification pricing to stimulate market vitality and consumer potential.” 

The conference also covered practical insights and trends in subfields such as user demand analysis, new energy vehicle modification, high-end custom modifications, and chassis technical standards. With keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, and workshops, the event provided a comprehensive platform to interpret policies, share successful cases, and explore pathways for industry upgrading, helping to build consensus and direction for high-quality development and ecological innovation in China’s automotive modification industry.

In addition, practical courses such as the Online Customer Acquisition and Sales Masterclass for Film Installation Shops focused directly on the operational challenges faced by industry businesses, providing valuable practical insights to help enterprises explore new avenues for growth.

Effective Platform Gains Recognition, Driving a Win-Win Automotive Ecosystem

This year’s exhibition covered over 120,000 square meters, attracting more than 1,000 brands and showcasing over 20,000 products, while the number of professional buyers and car enthusiasts reached record highs. During the show, LingChong New Energy, together with industry organizations and OEMs, hosted the Automotive Aftermarket Development Cooperation Forum, where participants shared insights on the development and future trends of new energy vehicles and the charging industry, how aftermarket enterprises can seize collaboration opportunities amid historical turning points in new energy, and charging infrastructure layout and business cooperation opportunities for vehicle owners. Koman also launched a new line of shock absorbers, offering modification car enthusiasts an enhanced driving experience. 

With the precise exposure provided by Yasen International’s 100,000-strong community, many exhibitors leveraged the exhibition to achieve brand visibility, channel expansion, and order conversion, gaining long-term exposure and business opportunities both during and after the event. This fully reflected AIT’s exhibition philosophy of “Cool Cars, Great Crowds, and Real Business.”

Although the curtain has fallen on the 2025 AIT Auto Modification Show, the cultural momentum it sparked continues, and the industry’s vibrancy remains strong. This modification wave in Dongguan not only successfully facilitated product and business connections but also served as a milestone marking the breakthrough of China’s car modification culture from niche circles into mainstream, diversified recognition. Looking ahead, AIT is ready to embark on its next journey, working alongside all industry partners to collectively drive China’s automotive culture toward a new era full of limitless possibilities.