YangWang U9 Xtreme: translate it as electric, Chinese... and the fastest production car in the world.
The Bugatti Chiron Supersport 300+ has held the crown as the world's fastest production car for just over six years. The Volkswagen Group's hyper sports car then reached a top speed of 490.484 km/h, powered by a 1,500 hp, eight-liter, 16-cylinder engine. Since last weekend , the YangWang U9 Xtreme , manufactured by one of the brands of the Chinese group BYD, has held that title. Yes, it's the same model (then called the U9 Track Edition) that a few weeks ago claimed the title of the fastest electric car on the planet.
The feat represents a break from the established status quo, as it is the first time a Chinese battery-powered model has achieved this feat. Its record of 496.22 km was achieved last Saturday at the Automotive Testing (ATP) in Papenburg, near Düsseldorf, with German driver Marc Basseng at the wheel.
"Technically, something like this isn't possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load variations when changing gears, and that allows me to fully concentrate on the track," said the German after breaking the previous record. Stella Li , Executive Vice President of BYD, was also present at the test. "Yang Wang is a brand that doesn't accept the impossible, and only through this commitment can we create a vehicle like the U9X," she said.
Based on the U9 already available in China, only 30 units of this special version will be manufactured (and sold) worldwide. It incorporates numerous improvements such as a 1,200 V ultra-high voltage system (when the standard is 400), four motors that spin at up to 30,000 rpm and total 3,000 HP, semi-slick competition tires and DiSus-X suspension with a specific set-up to cope with the greater demands of track driving.
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