For years, Europe’s luxury carmakers could comfort themselves in the face of China’s rapid ascent in the field of affordable electric cars. After all, who could expect to compete with Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and the rest? Those trims seemed protected by history, engineering prestige and decades of badge power. Things are changing. As the Beijing Auto Show opens this week, Chinese automakers are not merely showing up with cheaper alternatives. Companies such as Geely and Nio are now rolling out premium models packed with advanced technology and high-end features and pricing them well below their German rivals. It’s a fight over value, desirability and status itself. That is what makes this moment more than another auto-show eye candy. For the past several years, China’s car market has been abuzz with rapid electrification, subsidy-fueled growth - but now painful overcapacity. The domestic market is now crowded, sales have weakened, and automakers need new ways to stand out. One answer is to go upscale. Reuters describes a flood of large, premium “9-series” SUVs arriving at the show, a sign that Chinese brands no longer want to own only the bargain end of the future. They want the profitable end, too. The most vivid example may be Geely’s premium Zeekr brand. Its new 8X, a full-size long-range plug-in hybrid SUV, comes loaded with the kind of theatrical technology that stands out in showrooms and on social media. What new features does it offer? It can raise itself before a side collision to better protect passengers. In tight parking spaces, the driver can wave at it and the vehicle will pull itself out so people can get in more easily. The starting price, under $53,000, makes the comparison even sharper when set against premium German models that can cost more than twice or