A YangWang U8 test car with three rows of seats on a tow vehicle has been spotted in China. It has a longer rear overhang and a slightly longer wheelbase. It will enter the market to compete with other luxury SUVs with three rows of seats.
YangWang is a premium brand owned by BYD that was launched in 2023. Its lineup includes two vehicles: the U8 SUV (see specs) and the U9 supercar (see specs). However, deliveries of the latter model started at the end of July 2024. Thus, the YangWang U8 SUV is the brand’s best-selling vehicle. From January through July 2024, YangWang sold 5,939 units of this model. The total sales of the U8 reached 7,940 vehicles.
The said sales volume is quite high considering that the starting price of the YangWang U8 is 1,096,000 yuan ($152,600). However, it seems that BYD wants to boost sales of this model by launching a more versatile U8 variant with three rows of seats.
Three-row YangWang U8
В Китае был замечен YangWang U8 с более длинным задним свесом, покрытый плотным камуфляжем. Его передняя часть осталась прежней – с большой решеткой радиатора, характерными ходовыми огнями и лидарным датчиком на крыше. У него большие боковые зеркала, убирающиеся дверные ручки и прямоугольная форма с плоской крышей.
Колесные арки задних колес этого внедорожника были расширены. Это намекает на то, что инженеры YangWang удлинили колесную базу U8. 5-местная версия самого дорогого внедорожника BYD имеет колесную базу 3050 мм. Таким образом, расстояние между осями YangWang U8 может достигать 3,2 метра. Его задняя часть, по-видимому, длиннее, чем у текущей версии U8. На распашной задней двери установлено полноразмерное запасное колесо.
The seating scheme in the spotted YangWang U8 is still unknown. Given its elite status, the cabin is likely to use a 2+2+2 scheme with two independent captain’s chairs in the second row.
Some online users have complained that the longer version of the YangWang U8 will have less pronounced off-road performance. But its 5-seat version is also a mediocre off-roader because of its high curb weight of 3,460 kg. The entry angle is also moderate. Thus, this $150,000 SUV is first and foremost a prestige car for urban travel. And the extended version will only strengthen this market positioning. The YangWang U8 with three rows of seats may debut at the Chengdu Motor Show on August 30.
Specifications of the YangWang U8
The 5-seater YangWang U8 is built on the e-Platform 4 architecture. Its dimensions are 5319/2050/1930 mm with a wheelbase of 3050 mm. The ground clearance reaches 285 mm thanks to the hydraulic suspension. The trunk volume of this car is 1031 liters. The U8’s interior features a 12.8-inch main screen, a 23.6-inch LCD instrument panel, a 23.6-inch screen for the front passenger and a pair of 12.8-inch monitors for the rear passengers.
The YangWang U8’s powertrain consists of four electric motors with a combined peak output of 880 kW (1,180 hp) and peak torque of 1,280 Nm. The acceleration time from a standing start to one hundred is 3.6 seconds. These electric motors are powered by a 49-kW Blade LFP battery from BYD subsidiary FinDreams. But the YangWang U8 is an EREV. Therefore, it also has a 200 kW (268 hp) 2-liter turbocharged gasoline engine under the hood. Thanks to its 75-liter fuel tank, the U8 can travel up to 1,000 km (on the CLTC cycle).
