Why this Chinese ‘Rolls-Royce’ is better than the real thing

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Huge thanks to the owner of the U8 for allowing us time with the car and to Ryan Griffiths at Syvecs (https://www.instagram.com/ryansyvecs/) for his help in organising it!

Has China finally built a real luxury car to take on the likes of Range Rover and Bentley?!
Mat’s over in Dubai, and he’s got his hands on the Yangwang U8! It’s a colossal SUV packed with tech and luxury features, but does it offer enough to take on the established elite?! Let’s take a closer look…

Starting with the design, it’s clear that Yangwang has taken inspiration from one very recognisable luxury car - the Land Rover Defender! Looking at the car from the side, the overall look and shape have clearly been ‘borrowed’ from the Defender. The shape of the body panels and the door mirrors was clearly inspired by Land Rover, and the same can be said for the spare wheel position at the rear of the car. However, at the front end, Yangwang has clearly gone in a different direction, with a huge grille flanked either side by angled headlights that give it a load of presence on the road!

Step inside, and the U8 is a seriously luxurious place to be. There’s leather and soft-touch materials in pretty much every element of the interior, including two 50kw wireless charging pads that are lined with Alcantara! The physical buttons on the steering wheel feel solid and well-made, and the digital dials and infotainment screens are both large and super responsive. There’s a fridge included in the centre console, screens for the rear passengers, and all seats have massage functions. The interior of the U8 is a seriously well-made car!

Despite its size and the fact that it weighs almost 3.5 tonnes, the Yangwang U8 only houses a 2-litre 4 cylinder turbo petrol under the bonnet! However, that’s not all… There’s a 50kWh battery pack and four electric motors - one for each wheel! The petrol engine is also largely used just to power the battery pack once it’s out of charge. As a result, the U8 can produce an amazing 1,196hp and 1,280Nm!

Of course, a car of this size doesn’t come cheap, with the equivalent price of the car in China working out to £130,000! So is it really worth it? And does it stand a chance of dethroning class leaders like the Range Rover and Bentayga? You’ll need to stick with Mat to see for yourself!

Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:01 Yangwang U8 Specs (1,200hp)
01:55 Power-to-Weight Ratio
02:14 1/4-mile Launch
02:57 Exterior Design
04:02 Yangwang U8 Interior
06:20 Back Seats
08:26 Boot
09:39 Price
10:22 Yangwang U8 Driving Impressions
13:59 Mat’s Verdict