The other-worldly YangWang U8 from BYD will be showcased at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show kicking off on February 26 and will be displayed alongside other models from the Chinese brand. While this year’s event as a whole is shaping up to be quite disappointing compared to the glory days of the past, attendees will no doubt be fascinated by what BYD brings to the table.
BYD says it will use the event to gauge the public reaction to the YangWang U8 before it decides to launch the luxury brand in Europe. It has previously expressed an interest in selling it locally as a rival to vehicles like the Land Rover Defender 130, although it has not provided any indication as to how much it could cost in Europe.
Read: BYD May Bring 1,184HP YangWang U8 And 670HP Fang Cheng Bao 5 SUVs To Europe
Found beneath the dramatic bodywork of the U8 is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine acting as a range extender for the 49.05 kWh battery pack. Feeding power to the ground are four electric motors with a combined output of 1,184 hp, giving the U8 almost double the power of a Lamborghini Urus. BYD will also demonstrate some of YangWang’s key technologies at the event, including its advanced DiSus Intelligent Body Control System and the e⁴ platform that underpins the SUV.
Plenty of other BYD products are also heading to Geneva. This includes the new Seal U DM-i plug-in hybrid SUV, which will be showcased alongside the seven-seat, battery-electric BYD Tang. The Seal U DM-i could prove particularly important for the company as it will be sold in markets where the EV infrastructure has not yet matured and in areas where drivers do not want to compromise in range.
Denza, the joint venture brand of BYD and Mercedes-Benz, will also be attending and presenting the D9 MPV.
Just a handful of other big-name car brands will be attending this month’s Geneva Motor Show, including Renault, Dacia, MG, Isuzu, and Lucid.
