Chinese auto giant BYD has been spotted testing prototypes for an electrical supercar from its Yangwang luxury brand on the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.
The supercar is named the U9, and is resulting from start deliveries this summer in China, where it retails for 1.68 million renminbi (roughly $231,000).
Video footage from Automobile Spy Media shows among the testing that took place. It is not clear whether the testing was some final calibration for the usual U9 or early work for more a hardcore variant.
The U9 was first shown along with a rugged SUV called the U8 during Yangwang’s launch in early 2023. The U9 is powered by a quad-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain rated at a peak 1,288 hp, which in keeping with BYD is enough for the automotive to speed up to 62 mph from rest in 2.36 seconds and top out at 192 mph.
The independently controlled motors help to make sure power is directed where it is required, and the U9’s handling also advantages from a classy adjustable suspension system often called DiSus-X. The system can deliver as much as 75 millimeters of suspension travel at each corner, and resulting from its fast reacting speed may even cause the U9 to hop within the air.
The U9’s battery is an 80-kwh unit able to charging at rates as high as 500 kw, in keeping with BYD. It is not clear what number of laps of the Nürburgring the U9 could make at full tilt, though the automotive incorporates a bespoke thermal management system designed to maintain the battery cool during prolonged high-load situations, like driving on a racetrack. The system partially relies on lively aerodynamic features to boost heat dissipation.
The inside of the U9 features all the small print one would expect in a contemporary supercar, including a carbon-fiber passenger cell, sports seats with 14-way adjustment, and a high-end audio system.
The Yangwang U9 is not the only Chinese performance automotive spotted testing on the Nürburgring in recent times. Xiaomi was spotted only last week testing a more hardcore variant of its SU7 electric super sedan.
This Article First Appeared At www.motorauthority.com
