Mercedes, BMW, And Porsche Are Losing To A $104K Chinese Sedan Most Americans Can’t Pronounce

It’s not just in the world of cheap and cheerful cars where China has established itself as a global powerhouse. The nation has also become a purveyor of some superb, high-end luxury cars, and recent sales figures of the Maextro S800 show just how much a threat cars like these have become to European brands.

Read: BMW And Porsche Just Lost China’s Luxury Market To A $100,000 Newcomer

Last month, 1,142 examples of the S800 were delivered in China, making it the country’s best-selling model priced above 700,000 yuan ($102,900), according to Carnewschina with data from ITHome. The S800 claimed the top spot ahead of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class with 736 units sold, the Porsche Panamera with 616, and the regular Mercedes-Benz S-Class with 521. The BMW 7-Series, including the i7, finished fifth at 436 sedans delivered to local buyers.

Best-Selling Luxury Models Above $100K In China, April 2026

Source: IT Home, Carnewschina

The Maextro S800’s position at the top of the market is even stronger across the January-April period. An impressive 5,465 units were sold across the first four months of the year, well above the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class at 3,012, the BMW 7-Series and i7 at 2,976, and the regular Mercedes S-Class at 2,596.

The S800 has plenty of domestic company at the top end. The Nio ET9 sits seventh on the year with 438 units, and the YangWang U7 SUV follows close behind at 412. Chinese buyers, given a credible local option, are walking away from the badges that defined the segment for a generation.

The Chinese Are Flocking To Local Brands

Sales of the Maextro S800 have remained strong since its introduction last year. Deliveries reached 1,896 units in September, climbed to 1,970 in October, and then surged to 4,223 in December alone. Built through a partnership between Huawei and JAC, the Maextro S800 forms part of the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), which also includes Aito, Luxeed, Stelato, and SAIC brands.

Prices run from 708,000 yuan ($104,000 at current exchange rates) to 1,018,000 yuan ($149,500), and both all-electric and range-extender versions of the S800 are available.

The EV variant uses a 97 kWh battery pack and dual electric motors producing a combined 523 hp, giving it a range of up to 416 miles (669 km). Two range-extender configurations are also offered, both with 65 kWh batteries. One produces 523 hp from dual motors, while the other delivers 852 hp from three electric motors.

Best-Selling Luxury Models Above $100K In China, YTD 2026