Alex Goy Drives the Yangwang U9 - The Fastest Car In the World
Alex Goy has been behind the wheel of what is now officially the fastest production car in the world. But how does it stack up against the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Koenigsegg, and will it ever be a pin-up poster on a bedroom wall?
Remember a few years ago when everyone and their mums were announcing the latest, greatest electric hypercar the world has ever seen with a zillion horsepower, and promises that'll make people you fancy think you're brilliant? And remember how you don't really see them around because they were all £LOTSANDLOTS and people with that sort of cash didn't really want them? Well, China's Yangwang (a BYD sister company) has a car that cuts the costs, keeps the power, and might get you a date: The U9.
Officially, the world's fastest car
The U9's made the news recently as it's taken the crown as the world's fastest car in 'Xtreme' form, clocking 308mph thanks to having 2978bhp and, presumably, loads of space to use it. The regular car comes with 1288bhp and 1239lb ft, which isn't exactly small change either. Thanks to that power it'll crack 0-62mph in 2.36 seconds and go on to 186mph. BYD says it'll manage 280 miles on a charge as well, thanks to an 80kWh Blade battery, but that comes with two caveats: 1) that was measured on the Chinese test cycle, so it may take a hit on WLTP, and 2) It probably won't do that when you're giving it the beans. Thankfully, 500kW fast charging will get you from 30% to 80% SOC in 10 minutes.
It's not just quick, it's clever.
Even if the U9's speed has escaped you, you might've seen its party pieces. Thanks to its very jazzy DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System (trick suspension to you and I), it can jump short distances, and even do a happy little dance if you ask it to. The gimmicks are cool, I guess, but they hide the really smart stuff, like the ability to drive on three wheels if you get a puncture at speed. A bit like a dog that's hurt a paw, it'll get home safely, so you don't turn yourself and the car into a mix of pate and carbon fibre.
More curb appeal than a Koenigsegg?
With four motors firing power to all four wheels, a suitably supercar-aping midengine look to proceedings, and an optional-but-awesome massive wing, it certainly looks the part. From its glowering headlights to its curvy rear, it's a lovely looking thing, but is it enough to peel people away from the more traditional offerings on the market? And what's it up against?
How Much is the Yangwang U9?
Despite having over 1,000bhp, it doesn't cost the sort of cash you'd associate with silly power. It's still spendy - in China you can expect to pay about £200k, and don't think we'll end up paying the same here in the UK. Still, at least it's not a million quid. That pricing puts it firmly in well-specced 911 territory, which is probably where a fair few people would rather put their hard-earned. Or in a Lambo. Or even a Ferrari. But… they don't come with as much power, and they can't do merry jigs at the press of a button.
A huge draw, other than the dancing (ahem), is its doors. They open upwards, like every proper supercar's doors should, giving it even more visual drama, while also revealing a cabin that looks like something out of a comic book. There are swoops, angles, screens, and, well, it's all a bit Batmanish... If Batman drove an EV that could Riverdance.
Inside the U9
Once you're in, despite the fact that it's quite a large car, you feel hemmed in. It's much like any other supercar, sure, but without a hulking great V10 behind you, you do wonder where all the space goes. Almost certainly to its suspension, motors, battery, and cooling, but the idea that electrons need less space than squished up dinosaurs goes out the window.
Driving the U9
With the car in 'Sport' mode, and a few laps on a track to play with, a crawl through a pit lane is perfect to figure out as much as possible about the car before mashing throttle to carpet. The brakes make themselves known alarmingly quickly - what was meant to be a gentle prod turned out to be an almighty stab. Not because of foot pressure, but because they're enormously bitey. That'll be because they need to regenerate as much energy as possible, and also because they need to stop nearly 2.5 tonnes. While it looks light on its feet, the Yangwang U9 is still a chunky car. It needs brakes to match.
1,288bhp on track
Pulling out onto BYD's custom built, smooth as silk track, the temptation to floor it was overwhelming. Sadly, other people were also there and discouraged such behaviour from the off. At a gentle canter, it didn't feel as though it was all that bothered. Most EVs don't give the impression that they want to be driven hard; they're quite relaxed about the whole 'being driven' thing, but the U9 urges you to go fast. Tipping it into a corner, the deftness of its steering is surprising. It feels properly darty, up there with McLaren and co for how direct it feels. You also don't feel its heft. Smart suspension manages, somehow, to hide huge amounts of its weight. It feels chuckable in the best possible way.
Naturally, it's smooth to drive thanks to the whole EV thing, but when there's space to stretch its legs, it's a mighty thing. It pulls and pulls until you run out of space. While it's down on power compared to the Rimac Nevera, it still freaking GOES. You're squished into your seat, the car barely letting up as it gallops down the tarmac. Glancing at the speedo, you see numbers go up in increments of two, five, eight, ten… and then you have to look up again because you need to see when to deploy the brakes. It turns out that 1288bhp is quite a lot of power. Who'd've thunk it?
Can you buy a Yangwang U9 in the UK?
It's an impressive car, the Yangwang U9. It looks fantastic, goes like stink, and feels… proper. Its big challenge will be entering a market where heritage, and 'the right badge' means lots to many. Would you put your money there? While the package is generous, it feels like European buyers will plump for what they know. That said, there'll be some out there who want the biggest, shiniest, quickest toy out there. For now, the U9 looks to tick lots of those boxes.
So, can we walk into a showroom and actually buy one? Sadly, no, not yet. But watch this space...
words by Alex Goy
photography BYD
