BYD-owned car marque Yangwang has started selling its large U8 off-roader in China. As usual for the premium market, the top trim is the first to become available, and at 1,098,000 Yuan (around 153,000 USD), it is one of China’s most expensive SUVs right now.
The U8 approaches the Range Rover in terms of exterior dimensions and rides on 22-inch wheels. It has a LiDAR under the windshield for advanced self-driving capabilities, but the current software is capped at SAE Level 2 autonomy. A panoramic roof and door holders are included, too.
Today is the first time we get to see the interior, and it looks rather impressive with four displays at the front, two more at the rear row, and yet another touchscreen in the middle armrest. The air vents are mounted on top of the dash panel, and there is expensive natural leather trim all around.
As a body-on-frame off-roader, the U8 takes advantage of air-cushioned suspension and 3,050 mm (119.1 inches) of wheelbase. Power is sourced from a hybrid system where a 2.0-liter engine merely provides extra juice for the four electric motors driving the wheels (although the motors aren’t built into the wheels themselves, as is common in quad-motor setups). The resulting combined output is 1,197 PS (1,181 hp / 880 kW) and 1,280 Nm (944 lb-ft) of torque. Despite its sheer bulk, the SUV sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds.
