Speaking outside Denza’s booth at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, BYD vice president Stella Li announced new plans for the Yangwang U9 Xtreme to attempt a top speed record above 500 km/h. Last September, the supercar reached 496.22 km/h, making it the world’s fastest production car.
The U9 Xtreme set its current record at Automotive Testing Papenburg’s (ATP) proving grounds in Germany. It surpassed the 490.5 km/h record set earlier by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+. Koenigsegg claims its Jesko Absolut hypercar can reach even higher speeds, though this is based on simulations.
How Yangwang plans to break 500 km/h
The published video shows Stella Li chatting with Li Yunfei, BYD’s brand and PR manager. The VP reveals that after the U9 Xtreme’s record run last September, the testing team informed her that the car still had untapped speed and potential. The team then requested a second attempt at breaking the barrier.
(Subtitles: They still have more energy – So we still have to provide them – One opportunity)
The video ends with the VP promising Yangwang’s testing team a “second chance” and asking viewers to await the U9 Xtreme’s second run in November.
It appears that the U9 Xtreme’s first attempt left some performance on the table. Last September, BBC’s Top Gear reported that after the supercar’s record-breaking run, data showed test driver Marc Basseng still had 1.5 seconds of full-throttle time left before he had to decelerate.
It’s expected that the Yangwang team will still conduct the November run at the ATP test track, a 12.3 km high-speed oval with two 4km stretches of straight track. With the car, driver, and track already pushed to their limits, it remains to be seen if the U9 Xtreme can achieve its 500 km/h claim.
More on Yangwang and the U9 Xtreme
The U9 Xtreme is a performance variant of the Yangwang U9 supercar. It features extensive aero upgrades: a large carbon front splitter, a rear diffuser, a dual-channel hood, and a tall swan-neck rear spoiler.
Powered by BYD’s quad-motor e4 (Yi Si Fang) platform, the U9 Xtreme now delivers 2,220 kW (2,977 hp). It delivers 1,200 hp per ton, and its torque vectoring system adjusts up to 100 times per second.
As BYD’s performance flagship, the firm’s other signature tech items are here as well. Blade Battery tech is now combined with dual-layer cooling, and the U9 Xtreme’s LFP pack can sustain track sessions with discharge rates of up to 30 C.
The standard U9 features BYD’s DiSus-X active suspension, enabling viral dance and hop tricks. On the Xtreme, it controls vertical motion to enhance grip and handling, keeping the 2,480 kg body composed at all times.
According to China EV DataTracker, Yangwang delivered 455 units domestically in June 2026. As BYD’s flagship halo brand, it isn’t expected to sling cars in large volumes. Nevertheless, Yangwang sees consistent year-on-year growth of over 100% each month.
Source: Yangwang, WeChat – Di Chui Zhi Jia / Home of BYD Fans
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