Yangwang U9 Extreme: The World’s Fastest Car Looks Even Wilder in Person

China Steps Into the Hypercar Circle
For years, the world’s fastest cars have been the province of European and American makers, from Bugatti’s long-running dominance to the headline-grabbing records of Koenigsegg and SSC. That landscape now includes China. BYD’s luxury sub-brand, Yangwang, has developed a machine that not only matches established names but also surpasses them.

Called the U9 Extreme, it moves the conversation beyond mass-market EVs and into the rarefied territory of hypercars. Seeing one in person in China underscores how far the country’s performance ambitions have advanced. The car’s low, wide stance and dense aerodynamic detailing give it an almost experimental look that feels different from the polished European norm.

A Track-Focused Speed Demon
The U9 Extreme is a track-focused evolution of the Yangwang U9 Track Edition. Its bodywork is shaped around airflow management rather than visual theatrics.

A large carbon-fiber splitter anchors the nose, while a dual-channel hood and swan-neck rear wing manage pressure over the car at very high speeds. A dual-layer rear diffuser and layered rear glass continue the theme, joined by a slim, split taillight bar that carries the Yangwang badge. At 196.5 inches long, 79.9 inches wide, and 53.2 inches high, with a 114.2-inch wheelbase, the proportions are unmistakably those of a hypercar.

Braking is handled by titanium calipers and upgraded carbon-ceramic discs. Inside, the cabin is pared back and technical: a fully digital cluster, a vertical touchscreen in a T-shaped center console, and extensive use of carbon fiber and Alcantara. Bucket seats and a multifunction steering wheel reinforce the focus on circuit driving.

Faster Than a Bugatti
Beneath the body is a 1,200-volt silicon carbide platform feeding four electric motors. Each motor delivers 555 kW (744 hp), combining for 2,220 kW – about 2,978 horsepower – and a power-to-weight ratio of 1,2100 hp per ton.

Torque vectoring can adjust over 100 times per second, while BYD’s DiSus-X active suspension manages wheel motion to maintain grip under acceleration, braking, and cornering. Energy is provided by a track-grade lithium-iron-phosphate Blade Battery featuring dual-layer cooling and a 30C discharge capability.

Just a few days ago, the U9 Extreme reached 308.4 mph (496.2 km/h) in a verified one-way run at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg, eclipsing the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and every other recorded production car. It also lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6 minutes 59.157 seconds, faster than any other electric production car and within seconds of Porsche’s top track models.

Production is capped at 30 units, positioning the U9 Extreme as a limited but definitive statement of China’s arrival in the hypercar arena.