AIT Dongguan Expo teams up with D1 Grand Prix for three days of modified cars and drifting

Modified cars, roaring engines and clouds of tyre smoke — the AIT Dongguan Expo has returned, and this year it's bringing even more excitement with the D1 Grand Prix (D1GP) drifting competition.

For car enthusiasts visiting Dongguan this weekend, there's plenty to see, from spectacular drifting battles to some seriously eye-catching modified cars. But beyond the action, AIT is also bringing together businesses and buyers from across the tuning industry.

This year's AIT tuning show is about more than displaying modified cars and attracting crowds. The organisers also want to turn that enthusiasm into real business opportunities by bringing the exhibition and motorsport events together.

It's an approach that appears to have worked well for the show. According to the organisers, more than 70% of exhibitors return, with some major tuning brands having participated for ten consecutive years.

AIT has also established AIT Union, a network connecting more than 5,000 member outlets across China. Through the platform, exhibitors can find potential customers and business partners, making it easier to turn conversations at the show into commercial opportunities.

The event attracts a wide range of visitors, including tuning shop owners, purchasing teams from car manufacturers, modification enthusiasts and overseas buyers. For participating brands, it's a chance to meet the people who matter to their businesses face to face.

There's no shortage of things to see and do at AIT. The three-day programme features more than 20 activities, including international drifting competitions, urban off-road climbing challenges, the Star Car Avenue, a model car market, an official Toyota GR gathering and professional tuning forums.

Whether you're into stylish street builds, collectible model cars or serious performance modifications, there's something to keep you entertained throughout the show.

There's also a bigger picture behind the excitement. Industry forecasts suggest China's automotive modification market could exceed RMB 130 billion in 2026. With regulations gradually easing and Gen Z drivers showing increasing interest in personalised cars, the industry is moving towards greater standardisation and more established business practices.

For exhibitors, AIT offers an opportunity to connect with customers in South China while exploring new possibilities in smart technology, new energy vehicles and overseas markets.

Of course, one of the biggest highlights of this year's show is the D1 Grand Prix drifting competition.

The atmosphere is hard to miss. Engines roar as drivers approach corners at speed, pull the handbrake and send their cars sliding sideways. Tyres screech, thick white smoke fills the air and the smell of burning rubber adds to the experience. It's the kind of excitement that's difficult to capture through a screen.

And then there are the tandem drifting battles.

With two cars drifting through the same corners, the chasing driver must follow the lead car as closely as possible. At times, the gap between them is just a few dozen centimetres, leaving very little room for error.

It takes exceptional car control, precise timing and plenty of nerve to pull off a clean run at such close quarters. No wonder the battles draw some of the loudest cheers from the crowd.

Did you make it to the Dongguan AIT Tuning Show? Which modified car or D1GP driver impressed you most?

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