BYD’s Yangwang sub-brand had a busy week. After setting a world record for the fastest production car at 312 mph, the Chinese luxury brand is returning to headlines with something completely different. Meet the Altior (Latin for “superior”), an electric flagship sedan that trades pure speed for extravagant luxury, with four engines, two refrigerators, 39 speakers and enough jade and silk inside to make a Rolls-Royce blush.
Unveiled in Abu Dhabi, the Altior is BYD’s attempt to take Chinese luxury to a new level. Developed over three years, the imposing sedan is inspired by the ancient Chinese ding, a bronze ceremonial vessel associated with strength and dignity. Whether you see the resemblance is another matter, but there’s no denying that this is a very large vehicle.
It measures 220.5 inches (5,600 millimeters) long, 79.9 inches (2,030 mm) wide, and 62.6 inches (1,590 mm) high. The wheelbase stretches 137.8 inches (3,500 mm), giving the Altior the kind of proportions you’d expect from an ultra-luxury limousine. It’s actually a bit longer than the standard wheelbase Phantom and has a Rolls-Royce-like coach line that extends 189 inches (4.8 meters) along the body.
As flashy as sedans
The imposing grille features individually polished elements arranged to catch light from different angles. Twelve lighting elements rotate and light up one after the other as the owner approaches. The doors are also theatrical, opening up to 80 degrees in the front and 90 degrees in the rear. The coach’s rear doors also make it easier to enter and exit the vehicle.
BYD even integrated custom umbrellas into the doors, taking the Rolls-Royce inspiration even further. As for the 21-inch wheels, their disc design and polished finish immediately recall the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and its flashy version of the monobloc.
This entire car is powered by four independently controlled electric motors, allowing torque to be adjusted to each wheel more than 100 times per second. BYD is keeping power numbers under wraps, but with a four-motor setup, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Altior developed more than 1,000 horsepower.
Then there are the Altior’s party tricks, including tank tricks and an emergency floatation feature designed to help get the driver out of a sticky situation if the vehicle accidentally ends up in water. Hopefully owners won’t feel obligated to demonstrate this latter feature. A fully active suspension also works with a camera that reads the road ahead, making real-time adjustments to keep the cabin isolated from bumps and unwanted body movements when cornering.
Battery life is another big selling point. BYD claims more than 621 miles (1,000 kilometers), but since that figure is based on China’s lenient CLTC cycle, an equivalent WLTP figure, and especially an EPA rating, would be considerably lower.
China’s Rolls-Royce has a chic interior
The interior is where things get really extravagant. Yellow Hetian jade is used for the details of the air vents, while the cladding combines traditional Suzhou embroidery with precision perforations. Split silk threads form cloud patterns, complemented by cloud and thunder patterns in the perforated sections.
48 decorative pieces are distributed over 11 locations in the cabin. BYD has undergone more than 30 design iterations to achieve perfect light reflection properties. Even the metal switches received special attention, with engineers tapping them with small hammers to compare their sound and feel. This is a level of monitoring that we wouldn’t normally associate with window switches.
Full-grain semi-aniline leather, pure wool floor mats and natural wood trim complete the interior. But the real priority is the comfort of the rear passengers. The four-seat configuration offers 13.9 inches (354 millimeters) of knee room and 47.6 inches (1,209 mm) of legroom. Rear occupants also benefit from aviation-style zero-gravity seats with mechanical massage systems including four ball-shaped massage heads.
A luxury cocoon
A dedicated relaxation mode does most of the work. At the touch of a button, the seats recline, the legrests raise, the blinds close and the ambient lighting softens. Massage and fragrance functions are also part of the package.
Then there’s the 39-speaker audio system, whose tweeters rotate and rise when the vehicle starts. A 21.4-inch powered overhead display handles entertainment and video calls, while two refrigerators handle refreshments. The rear unit holds 1.5 gallons (5.5 liters) and can cool or heat its contents. Even the luggage compartment is reasonably generous, offering 18.8 cubic feet (532 liters).
Even if the materials are exquisite and everything feels solid to the touch, the all-screen dashboard will probably age terribly. Perhaps BYD’s Yangwang would have been much better off with an analog instrument cluster and a smaller screen. Here again, giant screens are all the rage in China.
61
Source: Yangwang
Performance numbers and availability outside of China remain unknown, but we do know that pricing starts at 2,080,000 yuan, or around $311,000 at current exchange rates. Yet the Altior makes one thing clear: BYD isn’t just competing with the big luxury brands. He wants a place at the same table as Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
Gn bussni
