Quintegia unveils the findings of the New Brand Observatory 2026: the number of new car brands operating in Italy is expected to reach 33, compared to 48 across Europe. Among the continent’s five largest automotive markets, Italy leads in the number of retail outlets dedicated to emerging brands.
According to the New Brand Observatory, the research study presented by Quintegia during Automotive Dealer Day, the number of new car brands currently operating in Italy has risen to 22 in 2026, up from 18 in 2025. By 2030, that figure is expected to increase to at least 33 brands, with a further 11 market entries anticipated in the coming years.
The Italian automotive market continues to open up to emerging manufacturers, reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s most important testing grounds for new automotive brands.
Among the brands preparing to launch in Italy as early as this year are Changan, Chery, Denza, Genesis, Hongqi, Lepas and Zeekr, highlighting the growing competitive pressure exerted by Asian manufacturers in particular.
The current landscape of new brands operating in Italy includes MG (SAIC Motor), BYD, Omoda-Jaecoo (Chery Group), Leapmotor (Stellantis), EVO, Sportequipe, Tiger, ICH-X (DR Automobiles Group), Lynk & Co, Polestar, Geely (Geely Group), EMC, DFSK, SWM, KGM, Xpeng, Ineos, Dongfeng, Voyah, Forthing and Cirelli.
New Brand Product Offering
The expansion of new brands is taking place within an already highly fragmented market. In 2025, no fewer than 30 established brands held at least a 0.5% market share in Italy. At the same time, distribution networks continue to consolidate, with the country’s Top 50 Dealer Groups accounting for more than 30% of national vehicle sales.
From a product perspective, emerging brands remain heavily focused on the C-SUV and D-SUV segments. In Italy, approximately 20 ICE models and a further 15 NEV (New Energy Vehicle) models are available in each segment. Across Europe, electrified offerings in these segments reach between 20 and 25 models.
Pricing spans a broad range NEV models from emerging brands start at around €25,000 for a C-SUV and €28,000 for a D-SUV, reaching approximately €56,000 and €70,000 respectively in their highest-spec configurations.
Distribution Network Growth in Italy
The rise of new brands is being matched by a rapid expansion of distribution networks. In 2026, 580 dealership businesses in Italy represent emerging brands in their sales operations, accounting for approximately 1,500 retail outlets. This marks an increase of more than 60% compared with the previous year.
Overall, more than 900 automotive dealer entrepreneurs operate in the Italian market. Of these, 58% represent at least one emerging brand, up from 46% in 2025. The proportion of dealers representing both legacy brands and new entrants has risen to 40%, while those focused exclusively on established brands have declined from 54% to 42%.
The European Landscape
Italy currently leads Europe in the number of retail outlets dedicated to emerging automotive brands. Across Europe’s five largest automotive markets, more than 4,200 outlets are now associated with new brands: approximately 1,500 in Italy, more than 800 each in the United Kingdom and Spain, around 600 in Germany and 500 in France.
Market share growth among new brands accelerated significantly during 2025. The most attractive markets for emerging manufacturers are the United Kingdom and Spain, where new brands have already achieved double-digit market shares of 10.8% and 10.5% respectively. Italy follows with a market share of 7.6%. By contrast, France and Germany remain more challenging markets, with shares of 3.7% and 2.5% respectively.
According to Automotive EYES, the dynamic mapping platform of Europe’s authorised dealer networks, Italian dealer groups represent, on average, one additional brand per business compared with their counterparts in the continent’s other major markets. However, dealers in Spain and the United Kingdom achieve average sales volumes for new brands that are approximately double and more than triple those recorded in Italy.
This may indicate both significant future growth potential for the Italian market and the need for dealers to optimise their brand portfolios, ensuring alignment between represented brands and the positioning dealers have established within their local territories.
Consumer Attitudes Towards Emerging Brands
Demand-side indicators also point to increasing openness among Italian consumers. According to Quintegia’s Automotive Customer Study 2026, 47% of Italian new-car buyers express interest in emerging automotive brands, compared with 44% in 2025 and 41% in 2024. Among battery electric vehicle (BEV) customers, this figure rises to 73%.
When considering new brands, motorists tend to identify more strongly with the dealership than with the manufacturer itself. Indeed, 83% of consumers view themselves as customers of the dealer, compared with 74% across the broader market.
Furthermore, 82% of Italian consumers believe that, in order to establish credibility, a new automotive brand must be represented by trusted and well-established dealership groups.
