BYD's Yangwang Altior Is A $310k Rolls-Royce Copycat That Can Tank-Turn

Chinese automakers may have developed technology that makes Western rivals jealous, but they still lag behind in terms of originality. The perfect example is the flagship model of BYD's high-end sub-brand Yangwang, dubbed Altior. The luxury sedan comes loaded with features such as tank-turn and flotation capabilities, but it looks like a Rolls-Royce Phantom with a Yangwang face.

The production model debuted during the weekend in Abu Dhabi, targeting sedans from well-established automakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Mercedes-Maybach. The Yangwang Altior measures 5,600 mm (220.5 in) long, which makes it 55 mm (2.2 in) longer than a Rolls-Royce Ghost and 162 mm (6.4 in) shorter than a standard-wheelbase Phantom.

The styling language of the Goodwood brand clearly served as the source of inspiration for BYD designers. From the side, the EV looks like a Rolls-Royce replica, with the signature proportions, greenhouse, chrome inserts, suicide doors, and character line that stretches from the nose to the tail. The bi-tone treatment and the design of the polished 21-inch wheels are also quite familiar.

Naturally, the Altior needed a few unique styling features in order to avoid any legal troubles with BMW Group, although BYD claims it took inspiration from an ancient Chinese ceremonial vessel called ding. At the front, the complex headlights with twelve rotating and sequentially illuminating elements have a similar shape to those of the Yangwang U8 SUV, although in the sedan they are connected to the lower bumper intake.

The boxy grille trades the Spirit of Ecstasy for the gold oracle-bone-script emblem of Yangwang and features a special pattern with jewel-style elements. The rear end is much simpler, with horizontally-arranged taillights sending subtle Lincoln Continental vibes, chrome accents and a minimalist rear bumper.

BYD

The front and rear suicide doors open by 80 degrees and 90 degrees respectively, revealing a luxurious four-seater cabin. Yangwang used high-quality materials for the cabin, such as natural wood inserts, semi-aniline leather upholstery, silk embroidery, wool floor mats, and real metal for the switches.

Party tricks include a screen-covered dashboard, a powered 21.4-inch overhead display for the rear passengers, a 39-speaker audio system with rising and rotating tweeters, a pair of zero-gravity massaging and reclining rear seats, front and rear refrigerators, and door-mounted umbrella holders just so Rolls-Royce owners feel at home.

Under the skin, the YangWang Altior rides on the e4 Platform. BYD didn't share the combined output but confirmed the presence of four electric motors which are able to adjust torque over 100 times per second. This allows the full-size sedan to perform tank turns and remain stable at the event of a high-speed tire blowout.

The model is also equipped with the next-gen "DiSus fully active body control system", which automatically adjusts the adaptive suspension depending on the road ahead. Autonomous driving tasks are managed by BYD's 4 nm Xuanji A3 chip running the most advanced God's Eye A system.  Furthermore, BYD claims that the vehicle has "emergency flotation capability", designed for the unlikely scenario it "accidentally enters water". This sounds cool but it is far from being revolutionary, as the Yangwang U8 SUV has the same capability since 2023.

Energy is supplied by BYD's Second-Generation Blade Battery, which supports FLASH Charging and provides an estimated driving range of over 621 miles (1,000 km) measured under the CLTC protocols.

The fully electric Yangwang Altior is already available to order in China, with the limited production Shanhe Dingyun launch edition starting at ¥2,080,000 ($311,540). This is not what you'd call cheap, but it is actually four times more affordable than a genuine Rolls-Royce Phantom which starts at roughly ¥8.5 million ($1,2 million) in the Chinese market due to high import taxes and local luxury surcharges.

Domestic rivals include the Huawei Maextro S800 which is priced from a much lower ¥708,000 ($106,000), as well as FAW's flagship Hongqi Guoya starting at ¥1.4 million ($210,000). This is about the same price as an entry-level Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, while the fully electric Mercedes EQS currently retails for ¥881,000 ($132,000) in the same market.

There is no word of availability outside China, but BYD hosted the Yangwang Altior debut event in Abu Dhabi, and shared the press release in its UK media portal. Those moves suggest that the high-end sub-brand might have global aspirations, and could be heading to export markets in the future.

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